APRIL TWENTY FIRST TWO THOUSAND AND...

Tonight is the last night I will ever be the mother of an 8 year old, tomorrow my baby will be nine.  NINE.  Everybody says it, everybody knows it-- "Cherish every moment, it goes by so fast".  Fast is an understatement.  Yesterday I had a baby, tomorrow I have a nine year old (and lets not forget the teen).  In another 9 years and the blink of an eye,  if all goes right, I will be an empty nester.  Buying my children gifts for their birthday has always been difficult for me.  Toys don't last.  I don't like to gift toys.  Experiences or memories are better gifts.  This year,  I had a brilliant idea to add a poem of my own to a book by one of the most talented (and quite often high?) poets of all time, Shel Silverstein.  I enjoy writing, but poetic is not how I write.  As easy as it sounded at brilliant idea having time, it wasn't easy, not at all.  In fact, somewhere (in this literary masterpiece below) between 2010 and 2014, I just threw in the towel.  I think she will like it though, I hope.  And I hope she knows that 9 years ago tomorrow, she completed my world.  And I hope she always finds value in the Caimbry that she is, because she really is my sunshine.

APRIL TWENTY FIRST TWO THOUSAND AND...

April twenty first two thousand and five marked the third very best day of my entire life.

Caimbry Elise Kontos was born with fourteen fingers and all ten toes.

April twenty first two thousand and six was a day of celebration with emotion that was mixed.

My baby was one, a baby no more.

A smile brighter than the sun and energy galore.

April twenty first two thousand and seven...

a year that was slightly (or a lot) less than heaven!  

The terrible twos, previously considered a myth, 

started that day and lasted a bit ;)

April twenty first two thousand and eight

My baby was three and 3 days a week of school was her fate.

She learned how to write, count (10 fingers, phew!) color, and sing.

Her gift of humor, wit and sarcasm was developing in full swing.

April twenty first two thousand and nine

A full blown personality, she was named "my sunshine"

My baby was now four, with a genius, snarky humor

that I relish and adore.

April twenty first two thousand and ten,

"I'm a half of a duck egg" she would tell to anyone who'd listen.

She started Kindergarten at Prospect Point, 

and quickly staged "The Great Skittle Debacle" to liven up the joint.

April twenty first two thousand eleven, twelve, and thirteen.

She turned six, seven and eight-scarily nearing her teens.  

She started to dance and play ball, and read books,

She lost teeth, she grew some, went to work on the farm,

grew inches, got braces, made friends and played games,  

developed some accents and dreamed up her fame.

April twenty first two thousand and fourteen

My baby is still my baby, precious and sweet...

smart and witty, beautiful and brave, definitely of my 9 year olds, she is my fave!

She is strong, she is spirited, she's charismatic and kind.

I'm so very blessed with this child who God (and Chris Kontos) made mine <3  

Happy Birthday Baby girl!  Next year--a WHOLE duck egg!  

Love you!!  

Mom

Below are some of my favorite April twenty firsts, and other shots of the days in between...