The Rice Family

The girls and I have a little ritual in the morning of listening to music (usually music from Zumba) while they eat and I clean the kitchen. I'm sure the neighbors don't appreciate the volume but it helps us get moving in the morning. I love being able to watch the girls wiggle to the music and they get a big kick out of watching my dance moves! Well today Lydia decided to come help me load the dishwasher after she finished eating. Part of me wanted to shoo her away so I could finish quickly but decided to take the time and let her help. I was so lucky to have the opportunity to spend so much alone time with each of my kids in Minnesota. Now that we've moved and John is pretty non-existant around here (we still love you babe) I rarely, if ever, get a moment alone with any of them. She was beaming the whole time. The realization that a few minutes of my undivided attention could make her so happy made me want to cry. I forget so easily how little Lydia is. She has always been so mature and reasonable the I overlook that she still needs me. I just want to freeze her at 5 forever. Yes she can drive me crazy. She loses everything. She leaves tooth paste all over the sink. She is a pro eye-roller. She is 5 going on 25 but she is my Lou. She is still the little girl who slept wrapped up next to me the first year of her life. She is still the little girl who kept me sane during John's last deployment to Iraq. She is the most caring, loving child I have ever met. I am so blessed to be her mother.

Some serious random cuteness-