One sounds fun!

Happy Birthday, Addie Cate! Yes, I know your birthday was over two weeks ago. But Delaney and I were in Utah helping Grandma and Grandpa Critt move into their new home, so we weren't able to be with you on June 17th. We thought about you all day long, though, and called to sing you "Happy Birthday". Life is just tricky in that way, sometimes. You'll find that often there are two great things that require your attention, though you can only attend to one of them. So, because we worry about Grandma and the way stress affects her health, we decided the best place for us to be on June 17th was with her. And our thoughts were at home, with you.

Then, almost the minute Delaney and I arrived home, we turned back around and headed down to the beach with our Clark cousins and grandparents. So, there was no time for a celebration before we left. We had so much fun at the beach. You loved the beach more than any baby I've seen. You loved to hang out at the water's edge. As the waves came up to you, you'd love it when they'd reach you, and then as they would recede back to the ocean, you'd crawl as fast as you could after them. Once you'd realize they were coming back, you'd race back to shore, waiting for them to find you. This game of "cat and mouse" would go on and on. I only wish we'd had our video camera with us!

So, this past weekend we were finally home and in the mood to celebrate! We had some of our favorite people, who all love you, over to celebrate such a big day. Here you are, before the party, in a dress that Grandma Critt gave Delaney for her first birthday and you wore for yours. (Tess, any chance you'd like it for Abby? Make it a Crittenden tradition?)

We had a cupcake party that was a big hit with everyone. All the kids who were so thrilled once we finally ate dessert. I wanted the kitchen island to look like a cupcake bakery, and I was pleased with how it turned out.

One thing you will definitely come to know about your mom, is that I can't make much magic happen in the kitchen. However, when I saw this cake mold, I figured it couldn't be too hard. And I was right! It wasn't too hard and I was happy that you had your own "cupcake" (it actually took 1 1/2 cake mixes) to eat/smash at your party.

Here you are, waiting to blow out the candle, wondering what all the attention is for!

Of course I thought you would love to dig in to your cake. However, you wouldn't even really touch it. You had plenty of helpers trying to demonstrate how to do it (the darn video won't load though!). Maybe you will be just as girly as your older sister. You didn't even take a taste until someone handed you a fork. And even then, you weren't too impressed.

Addie, there are so many darling things about you. My most favorite face you make is when you wrinkle up your nose to smile at someone. Here you are, smiling at Steven.

Last November, I sat down to write a note to Jackson, telling him the 8 (because he turned 8) things I loved about him. So, now I sit, trying to think what is the one greatest thing I love about you. I've actually given this quite a bit of thought over the past few weeks. And I realize, the thing I love the most about you is the way you have taught me to love. You have re-defined a mother's love for me. Before you entered our family, I think I had become a complacent mother, loving things that came my way. But only when they came my way. You have taught me to love as a verb! I now understand that to love, is to be loved. There are many days I have fought fiercely for a smile from you, or a giggle. And often, they were few and far between. But when they came, it was amazing how miraculous they were. And how had I missed that with your older brother and sister? I hadn't understood how momentous those smiles and giggles were. I took them for granted and you have helped me to find the wonder in small things.

One of my favorite quotes comes from a play, "Our Town", that I saw when I was in high school. I've never forgotten a scene where the character, Emily, has died and is given the chance to revisit one day in her life. She chooses her 12th birthday. She sees her mother, so busy getting the house ready for the birthday party, overlooking her daughter on her birthday. As the adult spirit that she now is, she says,

“Oh, Mama, just look at me one minute as though you really saw me.”

Then, as she thinks about how easy it is to miss the little things in life, she says,

“All that was going on in life and we never noticed... Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? - every, every minute?”

I've always remembered that line from a play I saw long ago (and long before I was a mother), because I was determined never to be the mother who didn't see life as I was living it. I've wanted to make sure I really "saw" my children everyday. And yet, somehow I'd forgotten. And you've reminded me of the joy in the everday. And I'm so grateful because sometimes life isn't any bigger than the small things. And best of all? Most often the small, happy things add up to one great big wonderful life.

Happy Birthday, Tink. I love you.

Mom.