Growing up

When you first hold your baby, everybody tells you to enjoy her as time flies fast and she'll grow up before you realize what is happening. I knew that then, I know it now, I just can't seem to stop time, so I have more time to enjoy my magnificent girl.

That being said, she is a big girl now. We went to visit her new school where she will start kindergarten. She had one more ballet recital and she had more concerts at school. She has a very good friend that she talks to and that she plays with. She says mature and well thought things, she asks smart questions and she still gives the sweetest hugs. Where is my little baby, I don't know. I miss my baby girl but I also want to see her grow. I want my cake, and I want to eat it too, that kind of thing. Or better said, I want a Catalina at all stages. I am sure this is what made others imagine time travel. How cool would it be, that while she is in school growing and learning I could just go back in time to hold my baby Catalina who smelled like milk and called herself Kiki? It would be the coolest of ALL!

Coming back to reality, to fast forward our last month, not necessarily chronologically:
Spring concert at school, my kid was very careful to play her part right, to turn her sign at the right moment. They were singing "what a wonderful world"

Ballet recital, with my heart melting again and again

Trip to meet the cousins from Nebraska. Stop first in Columbus Ohio, COSI center.

Anniversary lunch for bunica and bunicul

And many playdates with Catalina's best friend.

Posing...

Princesses all around

And then it was Mother's Day, a day just for me and my Catalina

Mommy's gorgeous giraffe 

Loving my little papadia. Always

 And it was mommy's birthday, and she made herself an awesome cake!

And she made Catalina a pretty flower crown

And we visited friends

And then we went to neighborhood festivals

Our life has many events, we keep ourselves busy and plan vacations, trips, parties. We try to make every second of our lives count, somehow worried that we might forget the beauty, the feeling of being totally blessed to have our little papadia. Or maybe we keep ourselves busy so we forget to worry at every second that maybe everything we feel is just the best dream of all dreams.

Truth be told, all adventures do nothing but create a nice background for the memories we make. Like the fact the Catalina is obsessed with My Little Pony, no matter the country/state/city/friend we visit. Or the fact that she walks tall and smiles and is very particular about wearing ONLY dresses. Or the fact that she does not like PJs, only night dresses. Or the fact that she does not like underwear and often we have to remind her to wear smth underneath her dress when we go out. Or the fact that she wears her hair loose and even a simple clip is too much restraint for her. She is becoming such a wonderful little lady, but can I keep her a baby just a little longer? Or maybe, could I just time travel, so I can have both of these amazing girls?