7 Today, 11 Tomorrow

When did this happen???

We just keep saying over and over how fortunate we are Lucy came along… because the original baby of the family is growing up way too fast!

Certainly her affection for body suits and cheap lipstick has something to do with the aging process.

But the change is incredible, here is Cate just a year ago turning 6!

And this year her former teachers asked her to visit kindergarten on her birthday! How could we not?!

Cate was a little shy in front of the students but super eager to share a special hug with her beloved Ms. Flake and Ms. Callahan. I don’t know that the new school will ever raise the bar quite high enough to compete with her alma mater, and I wouldn’t necessarily want it to. Kindergarten was an awesome experience for Cate.

And this year’s celebration was extra special as well because Nana and Papa were in town on her birthday for the first time since… her debut! They were even able to be a part of the poster-making fun. Well, for some. The creative process can be intense, especially when mispelling “birthday” consecutive times is pointed out by your little sister.

Typically the posters and Ken’s moments of decorating genius win the day for me. But my personal favorite expression of love this year? Rose and Jane going through their drawers looking for things to “gift” Cate while helping hang decorations. Melted my heart.

Nana fried up a delicious batch of elephant ears before we went on Cate’s chosen birthday excursion.

After an afternoon spent climbing among the branches and hearing bilingual Cate celebrate in English and panic in Spanish, we headed home for partying with Nana, Papa and the Tias.

The girls and Cedeño sisters traded lessons in clap chants while Nana and I put the finishing touches on Cate’s menu.

And what did she wish for??? A red panda, a plush of her favorite animal. That was it. The number one request. An easy enough box to check, a simple Amazon click.

Cate: “So why in the, ahem, world… would my family put a plain, ahem, panda in a gift bag?”

Because we are relentless teases.

And when it’s one of your sisters’ birthdays, you’ll root us on and love us for it.

Lucy is already guarding herself against the tease.

While also perfecting the swipe… check her out when Grandma’s box of beautifully wrapped goodies arrived.

Fresh off a nap, Lucy was literally living the dream!

Cate keeps pace with Jane and Rose in energy and appetites, and overpowers them in hugs, hair growth and words per minute. While a tad explosive, you sort of expect it after a lifetime of third place finishes. She does wake up first, ranks second in picky eating, and is the least likely of the four to leave us at a skilled nursing facility. To me, that’s a wish of a kid come true!

“As long as I’m living my baby you’ll be,” goes the famous line in Love You Forever. That will never change, big as you grow my sweet, sweetheart.