Layla Jules turns SIX!

                                                        

Weight: Roughly 45 pounds.

Height: I'd guess 45-47 inches. 

Eating: Skinny Minnie eats the same 7 foods!

Clothes: 6/6X

Shoe Size: 13

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY!!!!!

In just 6 shorts years, you have taught me the meaning of love and patience and kindness and empathy. 

You've challenged me to look at the world through your eyes and I've discovered things I never knew. 

This morning, you asked me if the dinosaurs live under our grass. 

And for that... and for all the reasons in the world, I love you my girl. Here are 6 (plus 1 for good luck!) updates about you. 

1. You are stunning. The contrast of your light brown hair with your fair skin and bright blue eyes is so lovely. Sometimes I catch myself staring at you and wonder how we created something so, so beautiful. In November of last year, you donated 9 inches of your hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. It was such a generous moment -- and you look amazing with your shorter hair! I sometimes miss your long locks but I think you'll grow it out and chop it off again ;) You have not lost a single tooth yet (despite your whole class sporting toothless smiles) - you keep thinking the bottom one is loose but it's not. You are TALL - I have to take a double take when I hold your hand because you are quickly approaching my height. You still LOVE to be held and at school, when I pick you up, you giggle and tell me you're too big to be picked up. BUT -- I'll keep trying until I fall over! 

2. You are BRILLIANT!! What an amazing year you just had... we are wrapping up Kindergarten (graduation on Tuesday!) and I can't believe the strides you made this year. You can now READ (and well!), write (amazing!), color & draw, add, subtract, count money, tell time.. the list goes on!! You shared your class with 11 other girls (just randomly no boys) and it made for a really sweet year. We had some girl drama but we worked our way through it. You LOVE your friends fiercely and without hesitation. You HATED getting in trouble (the few times you were talked to by the teacher) and promptly told me what happened. I hope you always trust that I will listen to you and support you and guide you - even when it's ugly. 

3. You are not a food lover. In school, your teachers created fruit Monday and veggie Wednesday. Every week, we'd bring in a different fruit/veggie to try. Nothing stuck but you did try them all -- so we're making (small) strides!) Everyday for breakfast, you have M&M yogurt or a bagel with butter. While you could live without sweets, your favorites are nutella, chocolate ice cream and brownie bites. You still love pork roll, chicken nuggets, matzah ball soup, refried beans, cheese, strawberries, apples, grapes and bananas. And chips. And french fries! 

4. Your favorite things include: movies (ANY and ALL -- but most recently, you love Horrid Henry, Moana, Storks), TV (ANY and ALL -- but most recently Alvin & the Chipmunks, Loud House), singing (LOUDLY), coloring, reading (chapter books!), Disney World, the zoo, the aquarium, shopkins, emojis, playing with your toys, make-up, running outside, swimming, cuddles with mama, dancing with Dada, wrestling with Benny, playing with your cousins, traveling!

5. On April 6, you got one of your biggest wish. We adopted sweet LONDON!! You've been a great help with feeding him and letting him outside. You love sleeping with the cats. You love your family. You LOVE your friends. You love  your alone time. You love telling me why Benny is crying "Don't worry Mama..he's just tired!" You are SO big and still SO little. I love this age. 

6. You beg me to let you on the show The Voice, you beg me to have another baby, you beg me for another puppy, you beg me for your own cell phone, you beg me to go to overnight camp. You just finished your first year of QuickBall (baseball) and you liked it. You keep asking to do gymnastics or dance again. Today, you are Shabbat Girl. Tomorrow we are going to New York City to see The Lion King on Broadway (your 4th show -- Beauty & the Beast, Cinderella and Aladdin were your others), Sunday is your birthday party (32 kids at Chuck E Cheese plus swimming with your cousins afterwards, Monday you tour your NEW school for the first time and Tuesday you graduate Kindergarten. This is an emotional week for mama but so exciting for you. And next week you start your first REAL summer camp - you're going to love it so much!!

My sweet turkey -- there are no words to describe my love for you. It is endless and ever growing. It is intense and it is real. 

I hope this is your best year yet - I can't wait to see you grow and shine in your new camp & school. I can't wait to see all you will learn and all you will do. 

We love you so much -- I want to freeze time but I want you to keep growing into the extraordinary little lady you are.

All of my love,

Mama

(Here are a million pictures of this past year - out of order)

Because this is how I'll always remember you.....

Graduating Pre-K last year!!

ALWAYS collecting rocks....

Last summer..... can't wait to do this again!!

Voting for HRC... maybe you'll be the first woman president <3

You were MOSES!

Life Lately...........

Hellooooooooooo friends!

Happy SPRING! Happy PASSOVER! Happy EASTER! And all that has happened between January and today. 

A quick glimpse into our life lately...

First and foremost...

please welcome the newest member of the England family...

LONDON! 

A few weeks ago, while at my niece Remi's party, there was an open adoption event next door. Josh & I quickly dumped the kids at Chuck-E-Cheese and ran to swoon over every single puppy and dog for sale. We fell in love with the sweetest little lab/basset hound puppy and put in for his adoption. A couple of hours later, we learned he had already been spoken for. Bummed but determined, we decided to continue the search through Wags (an amazing local adoption organization). This is where it gets fun.... 

A friend of mine, Heather, read a post I put on Facebook and put me in touch with her college friend, Sarah, to discuss Wags and their process. Sarah told me she was currently fostering a couple of dogs including one named Tom Talbot.. she said he was SO sweet and great with kids and cats and other dogs and sounded just about perfect. On a whim, we decided to go meet him. It was love at first sight. He's roughly 5 years old - a Treeing Walker Coonhound - and the coolest pup in the all the land. 

SO.. on April 6, 2017 we officially adopted him. In the past 3 weeks, we have really learned each other. We are seeing more of his personality come out every single day. His favorite toys include all of Benny's cars and a couple of random stuffed animals. He HATES squeaky toys. He is learning to love the cats. The kids are obsessed. He sleeps on his dog bed. And he's awesome. He doesn't bark, lick or jump. He's about as lazy as they come. AND also... he has chronic ear infections like Benny so he fits right in. 

Ok... now to catch up...

What I've Been Reading.....

I've been on a major book tear lately. I finally finished listening on Audible to "Before I Go to Sleep" by S.J. Watson (really enjoyed it). I also read "Luckiest Girl Alive" by Jessica Knoll (perfect vacation reading) and "Small Great Things" by Jodi Picoult (intense and very good read). I'm now reading "The Woman in Cabin 10" by Ruth Ware. It's fun so far! I'm really trying for a book a month. I'm also listening to "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr. I've only just begun but I can tell this will be a doozy. 

What I've Been Watching...

I've watch some REALLY amazing TV lately. The things that stick out? The Girlfriend Experience, Big Little Lies (LOVED it - also loved the book), 13 Reasons Why, The Missing, Transparent, Love... so many good shows, so little time. 

What I've Been Eating...

 I mean, literally, everything. It's been too many months of wanting to diet but no desire or drive. I am the heaviest I've been in a LONG time. I still go to the gym 2-3 times a week but I hope to up that as well as do better in my work-outs. Being 33, losing weight is HARD... (at age 23, I lost weight so much easier.) FUN STUFF!!

What I've Been Doing... 

We have been spending lots of time outside. We are getting ready to open our pool in about 10 days, WAHOOOOOOOO! The kiddos joined their first team-sport together. We're doing Quickball (combined T-Ball/Baseball). They love it. They are on a team with their cousins, Remi & Sami. It's so so cute. GO FIREBOLTS!

What I'm Planning...

TOO many fun things coming up. We are heading to Florida this weekend. I'm going to NYC to see Dear Evan Hansen in a few weeks. Lots of birthday parties. Layla's 6th birthday is fast approaching (Chuck E Cheese here we come!). We are taking the kids to see Lion King in NYC. Layla's graduating Kindergarten. Camp starts in less then 2 months. I want to plan a vacation (Jamaica, anyone?) Lots of goodness. 

What I'm Loving...

I've been on a big Stitch Fix kick -- I mean, I LOVE shopping but I NEVER have a chance. Stitch Fix is the best. They send you 5 pieces of clothes for a $20 styling fee (which is deducted from your total) -- you keep what you want and send back the rest. EASY. Cute, fun and awesome new clothes without leaving my house? SOLD! ALSO... Rent The Runway is still one my favorites. We have a wedding coming up in July for one of our favorite college friends and I refuse to buy a new dress that I'll only wear once... instead, I RENT! It's better for my wallet and the environment!! AND lastly.. Ebates - because, hello....they PAY you to shop online. Literally. It costs you NOTHING and you make an actual check. Currently I've made $646,95 for shopping online on sites I would have shopped anyway. Check it out, you won't be sorry. 

What I'm Dreading...

Paying off debt. Teaching Benny to poop on the potty. Losing weight. Thinking about a beautiful friend & sorority sister who passed away last week. 

What I'm Excited For...

Our mini vacation away!! SUMMER! Layla starting her first real day camp. Benny starting his new school/camp. Small changes in our house (new light fixtures, painting). Spending time with my best friend's new baby boy, KAI PHILLIP!!

What I'm Listening to...

Hamilton soundtrack (we finally got tickets for NEXT JANUARY!). Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack. And obviously the movie Trolls soundtrack

.... so many things to write but I need to get going. Work. Packing. Cleaning. LIFE :)

I hope you're all well and I'll be back with Layla's 6th birthday post (if not sooner!)

xo

C