Annika's 12th Birthday

The teenage years are officially on the horizon. Too close, if you ask my opinion. Not close enough if you ask Annika! 

Last night before she went to bed, Annika asked me to recount the story of her birth. (Yes, she was stalling, but how can a mother resist such a request???) I told her all about Eric's huge eyes when he woke up enough to process the fact I told him my water broke, how we had to return a rental car en route to the hospital, how the theme of her birth was "THEY LIED" (in terms of how labor would most likely ramp up... there was no ramping!! Contractions were 3-5 minutes from the get go!), and how I left a message at work from the rental car return parking lot while Eric got gas in the rental car to let them know (a) I was in labor and (b) what I'd been working on most recently, how we made a U-turn on the Montlake Bridge because we overshot the ER entrance (good thing it was midnight and no one else was on the bridge!!), how I wanted an epidural but there wasn't enough time, and how she was about 20 minutes old before I was able to (finally) ... Daddy got to see her first and tell me all about her. I told her about how much love we had for her from the first moment, how fun it was to surprise people with the news that she arrived during the night (3 weeks early!), and how cute her 1st night hiccups were. She heard all about how tiny she was (I wound up going to Babies R Us the day after coming home from the hospital because we needed preemie clothes and diapers), and how she was so little that we had to feed her with a tube.

Looking back, so much of that story feels like ancient history ... but so much more of it feels new and very recent. It startles me to think that she's 12. Then I stop to think about all of the things she has done, how much our family has done and experienced over the years, and how much she's grown (5' 2" at last measuring) and the math adds up. Our little girls is knocking on her teenage years... loudly at times.

Annika, we are so proud of who you are, your empathy, your willingness to lend a hand, and your ability to see challenges as opportunities (even if sometimes begrudgingly). You are a blessing to our family.

Annika's 12th birthday was a fun-filled one. She, Conor, Emma (nanny), and Huck (our pup) went to Greenlake to swim and enjoy the beautiful summer weather. For her celebration dinner, Annika requested chicken enchiladas and green beans (I threw in a bonus salad for good measure). For dessert, it was all about the Oreo cheesecake. 

Happy 12th birthday, sweet girl! Here's to a great year ahead of you!

Annika's 12-year-old interview

Favorite thing to do in your free time: Irish dancing and playing on iPod

Favorite food: Schnitzel

Favorite drink: Fanta (orange)

Favorite book: Evil Spy School

Favorite color: Seafoam green

Favorite song: "Wonderful Life" (from Smallfoot movie)

Favorite TV show: No Good Nick

Favorite movie: Smallfoot

Favorite subject at school: Art

Memories from being 11: Breaking my left arm on the monkey bars (again!), going to Ireland with Bestemor and Bestefar, doing MacBeth with my 5th grade class, finding out I have dyslexia, doing my first feis (and taking home a 2nd place trophy and 2 bronze medals), getting a new puppy (Huck!)

Thanksgiving 2013

This year, we spent Thanksgiving on Whidbey Island with Eric's parents and had an absolutely marvelous holiday. My mom came up the afternoon before so we could get an early start Thursday morning... the goal being to avoid spending any more of the day sitting in a ferry line than was truly necessary. Fortunately, we made it on the ferry we hoped to take... win for the Olson family!

Most of the day was spent catching up, playing games (namely bingo, greed, and mah jong), and watching the kids run around like the little balls of energy that they are.... oh, and preparing an amazing Thanksgiving dinner.

During the course of the day, Eric and his parents started going through a box of family mementos, including old photos, my father-in-law's grade school report cards (anyone know what an "R" on a report card means??), and pictures from various generations. A few of Eric's baby/childhood pictures were discovered, as was the undeniable fact that Conor is basically a carbon copy of Eric. Eric's mom keeps telling me how much Conor looks like Eric, but I didn't really see it until I looked at the pictures from Eric's childhood. And now all I can say is "WOW, but does Conor ever look like Eric as a kid!"

Eric's dad took time to do a project with each of our kids. He took them to his workshop and helped them build boats using scraps of wood. The kids LOVED doing this with him and now have new favorite bath toys. Eric's mom also had a project for the kids: writing the name tags for each person's place setting. My mom also had shortbread cookie dough, so she and the kids could make some sweets. I adore the fact that our family members want to take time with our kids; they are providing opportunities for our kids to create lasting memories of our loved ones. Not only memories of the things they did, but also the realization that people who loved them wanted to spend time with them and make them feel special.

Our dinner was beyond delicious! We ate an amazingly juicy turkey, mashed potatoes, bread, asparagus, and salad. Yum wouldn't begin to describe the meal. The best part, though, was sharing it with some of our very favorite people!

For a safe, peaceful, fun, family-filled Thanksgiving, we are truly thankful.

Annika, Bestemor, and Conor making place cards for our Thanksgiving table

Jack and Charlene

Annika riding the antique rocking horse

Eric and Karen looking at old family items

Jack getting a chuckle out of his childhood report cards

Mmmm... deviled eggs

"I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie!"
(Pop quiz: Name that movie!)

We had a very fun mah jong marathon... and I'm not
just saying that because I mah jongged twice!

The eternal debate: are olives more fun to play with or eat?

Conor discovered the sheer fun that is olives on your fingers

Eric coming in for the olive swiping, but left empty mouthed after
Conor popped his pinky into his mouth at the last second

Olive Eyes Annika, olive you!
(haha! get it? I'm so punny!)

My mom turned into the human jungle gym at one point during the day
Just don't ask me why Annika is without pants... I have no clue

Nana and Annika playing bingo

What Thanksgiving is complete without a circus act or two?

Jack checking on the turkey

Did I mention the juggling?
Later on, he worked in a variety of citrus fruits for a colorful flair to his act

A bastin' we will go! A bastin' we will go!
High-ho the derrio. A bastin' we will go.

My mother-in-law makes the world's best gravy. I kid you not! Pure liquid Heaven.

Eric and his dad flipping the bird from the roasting rack to the carving board.
This was no small task! Success!!
(I'd like it noted that they were going to try lifting and flipping the bird; I was the
one who suggested putting the carving board on top of the rack and then flipping the whole thing.
They'd be lost without me. ;)

Our beautiful table
Note Annika's adorable handwriting on the place card

A Memory I'll Cherish Forever

If anyone has ever met our children, they quickly understand that Annika and Conor are upbeat kids with lots of energy. They play well together (for the most part) and really do look out for the other. Every so often, all of their penned up energy is spent and they sit quietly together. This was one of those times.

On Sunday morning, I didn't hear the kids ... at all.... I mean, not a peep... which caused me to immediately investigate what in the world they were up to. What I found was our two cherubs happily snuggled up together on the couch watching a video on Eric's phone. Priceless.

It is the moments like this one that I burn into my memory and heart, so I can carry them with me... always. One day, they'll be grown and living in their own homes and living busy lives; that's when I'll find myself missing them, hoping they're well, and thinking back to when they were my little babies, wearing footed jammies, and happy to sit together watching a show without a care in the world.