Maybe it is because we’ve slowed into our fall rush
or because they don’t need my lap as much anymore.
But I catch myself looking at my newly fived year-olds as their own biggish, little people.
I watch them two feet in front of me and see them as the rest of the world does.
Parker, putting on his shoes, zipping his coat and finding his place in the car without a single question for help.
McKenna, picking out striped tights with a polkadot dress, pouring her brother too much juice and organizing crafts before my eyes are fully open.
They are moving past my lead and creating their own paths, I’m keeping up. Almost.
I know this belonging will continue to shift, they will be less mine and more themselves.
Feet won’t dangle from chairs and words won’t be sounded out and step stools will disappear from below the sink.
As much as I hate saying goodbye to babyhood and struggle to find a word for this after-toddlerhood,
I love them for stretching the boundaries of my heart,
and showing me how great the view is from afar.
—————–
Piggy cupcakes
Ingredients:
-pink cake mix
-pink frosting
-pink wafer cookies
-marshmallows
-mini chocolate chips
Make cupcakes according to mix directions and frost with pink frosting. Cut wafers into triangles (use a sharp knife to avoid crumbling) and place two on each cupcake as ears. Halve marshmallows and place one on each cupcake as a nose. Use two mini chocolate chips for eyes.
Nutcracker cupcakes
Ingredients:
-cupcake mix
-white frosting
-pink frosting
-M&M’s
-chocolate covered wafer cookies
-marshmallows
-colored sugar
1. Frost five cupcakes with white frosting and one cupcake with pink.
2. Dip three of the white frosted cupcakes in colored sugar and set aside.
3. Frost a rectangular portion of one cupcake for the hat and dip in colored sugar then frost remaining portion of cupcake white.
4. Line up cupcakes as show in photo and press chocolate covered wafers into cupcakes for brim of hat, arms and legs. Cut off 3/4 inch pieces of chocolate wafers for feet and press into cupcakes below wafer legs.
5. To decorate face, cut a triangular section of one pink wafer and place upright as nose. Place M&M’s in for cheeks. Cut a marshmallow in half and then pull marshmallow ends outwards to create hair. Use another small section of marshmallow to create a mouth/beard.
6. Design nutcracker suit with M&M’s and piped frosting and pipe frosting to create a belt loop on the chocolate wafer.
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I'm Jessica, 30-something mom to five, four in my arms and one in my heart.
They’re gorgeous.
Happy birthday to them!
Stimey recently posted..Lucky You, We Have a Fall Hockey Tournament This Year Too!
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Thanks so much, they had a great birthday and I think I’m finally getting used to saying they are five.
Happy birthday to Parker and McKenna!
Ginger Kay recently posted..Fashion Trend: the big scarf, or is it a bib?
Twitter: AFadedGinger
Thanks so much, they really enjoyed it this year.
How lovely! Your kids, this post, and those cupcakes!! Just lovely. As are you.
Thank you again for the feature and the honor. I finally got time to post the good news today.
heidi recently posted..for the love of writing
Twitter: heidicave
Thanks so much Heidi, they had so much fun this year, as much as it’s hard to watch them grow up I love the little people they are becoming.
I love how my kids grow… it’s fun to watch.
Jen recently posted..I Took a Breath
It is, I used to want to keep them little (and sometimes I still do) but I love this age.
Hope they had a wonderful birthday!! It’s bittersweet watching them grow. Our oldest just turned four and watching him get out and about and start doing more on his own leaves me a bit misty eyed while still being ridiculously proud of the little person he’s growing into.
Courtney Kirkland recently posted..Dear Big Brother
Twitter: CourtneyKirklnd
I feel the same, it is bittersweet but something about the change between four and five has been so fun to watch. They are such little people now and I love seeing who they are becoming.
I hope they had a great birthday! Those cupcakes are so cute!
Barbara recently posted..Three years….
Twitter: babspinfrance
They had so much fun, I think that every year they love it that much more. The cupcakes were a long process, not to make but to find something that would make them each happy.
This in between-ness is magical. Not a toddler, not really a preschooler, but not really a big kid either. It is almost like a time trap with the best (and worst) of all the ages mushed together.
Jennifer recently posted..Where do we go from here?
Couldn’t agree more, so far I love five. It’s so nice to see them becoming little independent people (and to not have to chase them through the grocery store).
All of a sudden, they do look big to me! And you made two cakes. I kneel before you.
Lady Jennie recently posted..Dining in Tranquility
I got away with one cake for as long as I could and then last year they started requesting completely different things and I wanted to make sure that they each felt like it was their own birthday so I had to follow through. I actually like making the cakes although the nutcracker request was not an easy one this year.
The cupcakes are so great! Very impressive. It is so crazy to me how all of a sudden they are little people and not toddlers or babies. . .
Lanie recently posted..Elections & Explanations
Isn’t it? It’s so cliche but it happens so fast.
“I know this belonging will continue to shift, they will be less mine and more themselves.” I couldn’t have said it better myself, Jessica. I struggle often with the fact that my boys are getting older. I miss their how dependent they used to be on me, but at the same time I love discovering more about who they are. With each passing day, their personalities grow and develop. It’s so rewarding to watch. It’s bitter sweet.
BTW, I really love your writing style.
Steph at I’m Still Learning recently posted..On Borrowed Time With Santa
Thanks so much Steph. I completely agree, I think, as moms, we will forever miss them being babies but it’s so rewarding to watch them grow into great little people.
So cute!
Corey Feldman recently posted..Life and general updates, Book Singing, and Readings
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Thank you!
Love the treats and the kids look pretty neat too. Have a lovely weekend! :O)
Diane Estrella recently posted..INLAND “Live To Know You” EP is officially released on iTunes!
Thanks, you too Diane!
That’s how I feel about the twins. A big part of me wants them to start doing everything for themselves, but a bigger part wants to tell them to stop growing and just stay little and cuddly. But then they poop on things and I’m conflicted …hmm.
Paige Kellerman recently posted..The United States of Spandex
I totally know what you mean, with Sawyer being three, I TRULY appreciate the independence that my five year olds are gaining.
I know this feeling especially watching K do new things and “growing”, since she is my “baby”.
Happy Birthday to your sweet “babies”.
Elaine A. recently posted..A "Cher Bebe" Kinda Party
Twitter: elainea
Thank goodness Sawyer is still my baby and he likes it that way. When he starts acting too old I think we need to start a support group.
Happy Birthday to them and to you, Mama! You did a great job with the cakes.
Julia recently posted..The Purpose of Prayer
Twitter: juliahembree
Thanks so much, it was an interesting process to try to find something with pigs and something with a nutcracker. Obviously I had to give up on my dream of a theme
.
Wow! They’re really talented pastry-cooks! Those cookies look cool and delicious at the same time!
Gabi recently posted..A fogpótlás a budapesti fogászati klinikák legkedveltebb kezelése
There should be a special word for how fast children grow and change. But then there would have to be a special word for how fast mothers age and I can’t handle that.
anymommy recently posted..Connection