A date with Emma and Annabelle.

Since we didn't start school this Monday after all (our books didn't get here in time for me to be properly prepared), I decided to take advantage of a free morning and go on a mommy/daughter date with my two older girls. It'd been so long since we'd been anywhere without littlest sister... generally, we love to have her along wherever we are, but truth be told, she does make some things rather difficult to do. And, she can be rather demanding of attention. You know, like when she's running off every fifteen seconds and mommy literally needs to chase her down...
Don't feel too badly for Miss Rosalie at being left out of our venture, though... we dropped her off at Auntie Jessica's, where her sweet Auntie and cousins played with her, loved on her, and spoiled her to her little heart's content. I would say she had a pretty nice morning herself!

And so, now toddler-free, Emma, Annabelle, and I headed off for a morning of big-girl activities. Our first stop was Mimi's Cafe, for some yummy muffins, fresh and hot from the oven.


Once we were settled with our delicious treat, I decided it might be fun to conduct some interviews with these older girls of mine.
disclaimer: since I hadn't really planned this out, these questions were off the top of my head. It's harder than you'd think to be a good interviewer! :)

Annabelle Grace's Interview. age 4 1/2

What do you want to be when you grow up? A mommy.
Why do you want to be a mommy? Because you're a mommy.
How many kids do you want to have? Ummm... Three.
How come you don't want to have 10?? Cuz that would be tooooo many!!
Who do you want to marry? Dowen. (a boy about her age at our church) Because he is so silly.
What do you think it means to be married? I don't know. To have a husband?
What sort of things do you want to do with your husband someday? We're going to go on a date. With our kids. To Wendy's.
Do you think you'll be in love? With what??
A boy, of course! Ummm, yes! To Dowen. And we'll tickle our kids.
Where do you want to live when you grow up? Probably a house.
What's your favorite thing about being a kid? Dressing up.
What's your favorite thing to dress up as? A swan princess! In Emma's wedding dress.
Do you wish you could be a real princess? Noooo, a mommy!!
What's your favorite kind of food? Pizza, macaroni and cheese, and spaghetti.
What's your favorite color? Yellow and purple and magenta and pink!
Do you like being a big sister? Ah-huh!! Because sometimes I get to watch Rosalie. I hold her hand so she won't fall.
Do you like being a little sister? Why? Yeah! So I can play.
What's your favorite thing about Emma? She helps me pick up our room. She plays with me.
What's your favorite thing about Rosalie? Tickling her! And spitting on her tummy.
Do you love God? Why? Yeah. Because He is the best. He can do the most great things.
Where would you like to go on an adventure? Ummm. A trip. To Grandma Horner's house.
What's your favorite nonsense word? klingklongcoffee!!

And then she dissolved into giggles.

Emma Joy's Interview. age 6 1/2

What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to work at a restaurant, making sub sandwiches and soup. My restaurant will be called SoupSubs.
Do you think you want to have kids too? No, because I'm too scared it will hurt when they come out.
So you don't want to be a mommy? Well, I DO. I just don't want to HAVE babies.
How many kids do you want? Just two, maybe?
How come YOU don't want to have ten kids?? Umm, I think that's too many. It would be so much for me to deal with... what if they were all naughty at the same time??
Who do you want to marry someday? I don't know right now. I'll pick later.
What do you think it means to be married? That we get to have wedding cake! and food!
What sort of things would you like to do with your husband someday? We would go on a trip to the beach, just the two of us. Actually, maybe to Disneyland.
What's your favorite thing about being a kid? Going on mommy dates! I mean, mommy-daughter dates.
Where do you want to live when you grow up? The beach is really nice.
What's your favorite thing to do in school? I like to do science!
What's your favorite thing to dress up as?  Fairies and princesses.
If you could be a real fairy, what kind of fairy would you be? I would be a flower fairy. Not a light fairy, because then I might have to touch the sun.
What's your favorite kind of food? Coffee cake muffins, peaches, and nectarines.
What's your favorite color? Purple and pink and ocean blue. And, coral red!
Do you like being a big sister? Why? Mmhmm!! Because I get to hold Rosalie and cuddle her when she watches Baby Einstein. And I get to play with Annabelle.
What's your favorite thing about Rosalie? She has the cutest laugh.
What's your favorite thing about Annabelle? That she sings a lot.
Do you love God? Why? Yes! Because He gives us blessings. And opportunities to work and play.
Where would you like to go on an adventure? To the rainforest, I think, because it's pretty.
Tell me a joke. Knock Knock. Who's there? orange juice! Orange juice who? My orange juice should be called yellow juice because it's actually yellow!
What's your favorite nonsense word? Do you actually know how to spell a nonsense word? Ok, mine is Shooshakooky!

And then she dissolved into giggles too. (I think the combination of that rip-roaring good joke and such a satisfying nonsense word would have been enough to do anyone in.)

By this time we were done with those huge muffins, so we strolled over to Barnes and Noble across the way. We browsed the puzzles and games, and wandered among the shelves of children's books, finally selecting a few to sit and read together there on a bench.

Once we had delved into the worlds of a pink fairy princess and Lady-Bug Girl, I told them they could each pick out one book to buy and take home. This required much careful consideration and deliberation, but eventually they reached a decision. A fairy chapter book for Emma, a pony book for Annabelle.


I'm so grateful for the sweet time I had with these daughters of mine. They are growing and changing every single day, and I'm realizing more and more in the craziness that is life how important it is to take the time to really be with them. To talk, and ask questions, and laugh together, and simply enjoy their wonderfully unique selves as they are in this very moment. They won't always be 4 1/2 and 6 1/2... someday they'll be 5 and 7, and 12 and 14, 16 and 18, and then someday they'll be women. But right now, they're still little girls.


My little girls. I was reminded once again, after our lovely morning together, just how blessed I am. To get to be mother to these two? It's amazing, even when it's not easy. Spending this time with them gladdened my heart and refreshed me, and I came away praying with renewed zeal that God would make me a blessing to them as they are to me, that He would help me be the best mommy I could ever be for these girls and their little sister. That I will willingly pour not only my time and sacrifice, but also my heart and soul and prayers into loving and teaching them every day of their lives. 

And I hope that someday, they will look back on this mommy-daughter date and the many others I hope to have with the same joy and fondness that I will.

And I hope that they will know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, just how beloved they really and truly are.