Eight is Great!

Molly girl is eight. Eight! As the years go by our precocious, lovable Molly-Pops just grows stronger, happier, more stubborn and more sure of her self.  This child that does not lack in self confidence. She is as in love with Minnie Mouse as she's ever been, loves to be in the water swimming, likes Nerf Guns, country music (Especially Darius Rucker, Miranda Lambert, and Luke Bryan), video games and going to the movies. She enjoys cuddling with her brother, being tough yet soft, and spending time with her Mama and her family.

This year, when I asked Molly what she wanted for her birthday, her first response was, "pictures of my family" (followed by a request for a surf board). I knew this would be an easy wish to grant, so, while she and I were out birthday shopping, we stopped by Walgreens to pick up the pictures I ordered and to pick out some frames. As I placed the pictures in the frames and handed them to her she began to tear up. She actually started crying and proclaimed, "I just really love our big, crazy, family!". My heart just melted. This child that can have a thousand things go her way but pout for hours over one thing going wrong really gets the truly important things in life: family. And our family is a "big, crazy family." No question about it, we love, we argue, we laugh, we cry and everything in between, but at the heart of it all we are family.

Molly is so FULL of life. She feels every emotion, and lives every moment to the fullest! She wants to experience, learn and do as much as she possibly can. She is determined, sweet, fun, thoughtful, inquisitive, funny, forceful, powerful, and MIGHTY.

She is a child of extremes, while she LOVES her tee shirts and gym shorts, she also loves to throw on a dress, just to mix things up. She wants her hair to grow long, and hates hair "cuts" (we have to call them TRIMS), but then she gets upset when no one at school notices she had her hair CUT (because in reality she had such a minute amount TRIMMED, no one can tell!)

She had a great year, full of lots of new experiences. She went to Disney World with her Dad and then we spent a week where we visited the State House, the State Museum, some family, Bee City and Isle of Palms.  She completed her first Dolphin Run where she came in 5th among the girls! We discovered, via her new allergist, that her only allergy is to dust mites so hopefully we will finally be able to get her respiratory issues under control. She also spent the entire Summer at our neighborhood pool where she kept all the life guards in check, got an amazing tan and just had a ball!

 Molly can make those around her feel what she is feeling, her emotions are as contagious as a common cold. Julio has often described Molly as the child who can make the world laugh and a minute later can make the world cry. She is truly a force of nature, she commands attention and those around her freely and willingly give it to her.  When she was under a year old, I can remember she had just discovered this little snack for toddlers called "Puffs". Her Dad and I would put her in her high chair, place some puffs in front of her and when they were gone she would SCREAM this ear piercing shrill until she was given more. We both said we did not care what she wanted, just give it to her to stop that screaming as we laughed and poured more puffs. I remember saying, we will one day look back on this and regret it! To this day she has a way of either getting what she wants, every time, or making you feel REALLY badly she didn't!

I am so thankful God chose me to be Molly's Mom. She keeps me on my toes, that's for sure, but I am so very proud of this dynamic little girl. She makes my heart so full and so happy.  Happy 8th Birthday to my "Mighty Molly" our lives and our family would NOT be the same without you!