this morning i asked her, "well, birthday girl, what do you want for breakfast?"

she smiles wide, "presents, please."

when we sang happy birthday she requested the version: "happy birthday to you, you live in a zoo, you look like a monkey and you smell like one too!"  she giggles, stands to blow out the candles, and loudly announces,

"i wish for a pony! ... or a DOG!!!"

all shots taken by john, processed on mac by me.

happy holidays to you and yours.

i played twister with my sisters and WON, making me an official twisted sister. ;-D

sometimes it feels like, quite simply, the moment has passed.  i let the time to post slip and now it's not as important or memorable or interesting.  and then after a few weeks i realize,  i'm the one who gets to hit publish on this and all i have to do is post to get the ball rolling again. ;-D

at the beginning of the month we celebrated G's birthday in true G fashion.  we had been looking at a photo album of her birth and the months that followed and when we got to E's 4th birthday there was a plethora of PINK pictures, a full princess brigade with 15 little girls AND mom's all dressed up as princesses.  i asked G cautiously, "do you want a princess party like this?"  she immediately responded, "no, i want a cooking party, because I love to COOK!"

and so a cooking party we had.  we made no-bake cookies and dipped bananas in chocolate and sprinkles, each girl clad in an apron taking turns pouring, stirring, and even slicing.  as i handed the girls a butter knife to slice with, one of them looked at me like i had given her a blow-torch, a dangerous tool never before touched.  and then i looked over at G who had already sliced her banana into symmetrical pieces.  G really, really, really loves to cook and she is fearless about it.  but, then again, she's fearless about most everything; jumping in with both feet, both hands, whole hearted.  she is our little chef.