May 2010

May has been a whirlwind month! Birthdays, dance recitals, school field trips, the Mother's Day tea at school, Mother’s Day, year-end parties, the end of the year program, and of course Alivia's graduation from preschool. And two of our three Sweet Peas spent time in the hospital. It is amazing that we found time to fit in a trip to Topsail for Memorial Day.

It has been a great month full of milestones.

Alivia turned five and graduated from preschool. Alivia and Avery both shined like little stars in the dance recital and the year end program. We were so very proud of them.

Avery had dental work and was such a big girl at the hospital. She gave us a show singing "Praise Jesus" and other favorite songs while waiting to go in for surgery! Avery also very much enjoyed her 3 year photography session with Ms. Geri. She was a peice of work posing, making silly faces, laughing and telling Geri "Just one more."

Aleah learned to wave, crawl, feed herself, to pull herself up to a standing position and her little personality continued to blossom. She smiles with her eyes and has started making silly faces to get everyone around her to smile. Aleah also took a trip to the hospital...the emergency room to be exact. She caught a stomach bug that left her nearly dehydrated after not being able to keep anything down for five days. Alivia, Avery and Daddy all caught it, too.

With all of this, thank goodness Daddy was only traveling the first week of the month. I don't think Mommy would have made it through with her sanity without his help. It takes both of us to keep the Johnson household together. And some days it feels like we just barely make it!

We are so blessed...and thankful that we have made it through the school year. We are ready for summer and a slower pace. (Who are we kidding? Does life ever really slow down??) We like the thought of it anyway. Here's to a quieter June!

It's Recital Time!

Alivia Turns Five!

Amazing! Where does the time go...changing diapers, feedings and that beautiful tiny little face are just distant memories. Alivia, our first born precious little gift from heaven, turned five today. Mark and I are so proud of the person she has become. She is kind, loving, intelligent, thoughtful and works hard to do her best in every situation. At times that drive leads to an incecible desire to win. She is extremely competitive, strong willed and only wants to be a part if she knows she can win. She is always helpful and takes wonderful care of her sisters. Avery and Aleah light up when "Livi" walks in the room. What a great gift to have loving sisters...best friends. I pray that our girls will always have a deep, loving friendship.

Today was a great day full of family time to honor our birthday girl (and my Grandma Polly who shares her birthday with Alivia.) Mark and I hosted a birthday lunch and party for both sides of our family. Twenty-two in all. Now that is a feat with challenges all its own. But add in that we never seem to do anything the easy way, and you have the recipe for a Johnson marathon. Places to be, people to see and very little sleep!

Mark was traveling the past two weeks with a couple of days at home in between. Wednesday and Thursday nights were dress rehearsal for our dance recital, Friday and Saturday nights were the full show...Avery, Christa and me (yes, I returned to the stage this year) danced Friday and Alivia, Christa and me danced Saturday night. Avery attended Chloe's birthday at Little Gym on Saturday afternoon and the list continues. It was a full weekend.

All in all we had a great time. Alivia was so excited to turn five. She was all smiles all weekend. The marathon ended with Mark heading back to the airport this afternoon for one more week away.

So, yes, if you are keeping track that is a busy mom who missed an entire night of sleep getting ready for a birthday party, after four nights of dance recitals, having to get three lively little ones tucked in and asleep, clean the house and prepare for a week without daddy. Whew! Thankfully Aunt Cari, Uncle David and Grandma and Granddaddy stayed around to help with the fun. (And, Grandma even baked the cupcakes for Alivia's class party, too!) I think I will sleep soundly tonight!