Abbie is Turning Six!!!

The last few weeks have been so crazy in the Luck household. From recitals, Mother’s Day to an early birthday party for Abbie we have been very busy. It has also made me very reflective about time.

I thoroughly enjoyed my Mother’s Day. My babies and hubby spoiled me. From a new jewelry set from Kendra Scott to my favorite place for brunch it was a great day. It had me thinking about how blessed I am to be my girl’s mama. I can’t imagine my life without my girls, each one is unique and wonderful. They both add something to our family and are completely adored. It is so hard to believe, the one who started it all is about to be six years old in less than a week.

Abbie decided to enter this world on her own time. I was due on May 25th but she waited to make her arrival on May 30th and has been walking to the beat of her own drum ever since.

She is the sweetest girl. She loves being a big sister to Ellie. She is kind and looks out for those around her. She is all sass at times (drives me nuts). She is happy to be outside running around and playing as well as playing dress up. She knows her own "style" and isn't afraid to show it. She loves being fancy and if we aren't wearing a bow, we are not complete. Her little heart is so big and on any given day if you ask what she wants to be its a teacher/pop star/fashion designer and whatever else she is into that day.

She has a variety of interests that were on full display this month. She has been in ballet since she was two. I started her in that just so she could have some sort of activity after school. She has loved doing it, but she can't make up her mind if she wants to keep doing it. The last two years she has tolerated dancing because of the daddy/daughter dance at the end of the year. It is her favorite part. She loves to dance but really struggles with the structure of ballet. With the daddy/daughter dance it is less about structure and more about fun, which is right up her alley. But I would not be doing my duty as a proud mama if I didn't talk about how far she has come with it. She was so focused on her two dances this year and all of her hard work was on display and I couldn't have been more proud.

She also had her first piano recital this month. This was the first year that she took lessons and watching her progress has been so special. She loves music, which is in the blood in my opinion. There were the days that we just didn't want to practice but she did and by the end of the year she could play two songs on her own in front of strangers. She did so well!

She is really great with sports, she loves to run and jump around so soccer and gymnastics were right up her alley. Her natural talent for soccer is very apparent. ( I really hesitated having her play because that was my sport and I didn't want to be the parent that would be so hard on her, but I am glad she has been able to do it.) Gymnastics is just fun for her. She has a friend that she has been in classes with for almost three years and she loves being able to get there early and play with her friend.

Now you might be saying my goodness that's a lot and you are right. We wanted to introduce her to several things so she could decide what she likes and focus on that. As of right now she wants to do swim. She has had lessons for safety and skill maintenance since she was about 7 months old and she loves being in the water. We’re starting summer swim team now. Next school year, she will be doing year round swimming at the Y. I am so looking forward to watching her love for it continue to grow. Like I said she marches to the beat of her own drum.

Watching her grow into this fun, loving, happy, kind, artistic, and friendly little girl has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Through being her mom, I have truly learned what it means to love someone beyond yourself, how hard it is to be a mom (Mama I appreciate you more now than I have ever appreciated you before), how being a mom is the most thrilling yet scary thing there is and just how much I am capable of when what I am doing is for someone other than myself. The juggling schedules, tired days, consistency battles I wage with myself when all I want to do is give in because it would be easier are all worth it in the end, when I get to have my little girl tell me she loves me and wants to be like me. I am in such awe of what it means to be a mom. More than that I am in such awe of the role models that God has placed in my life growing up, who paved the way for me to be the mom I am trying to be. I will say I never believed my mom when she would say, be careful, you may get back what you gave when you have kids but now I do. I honestly don't know how my mom did it.

Abbie's determination and fire can be quite challenging at times, but I keep reminding myself that these are in of themselves not bad qualities. The challenge is raising her to know when and where and how to use them in the appropriate way (that can be exhausting). However I would not change one thing about my Abigale Elisabeth Luck.

Abbie, I hope one day you read this and that in reading this you will truly know how much I love you, how proud of you I am and what a privilege it is and has been to be your mom. You are more than I ever imagined and you have been fearfully and wonderfully made and created for a specific purpose. I hope you will always know that as much as I have loved you God has loved you so much more and that He is someone you can rely on and call friend. You are my heart and my pride and joy. Don't ever change my Abbie Beth. Mama loves you!