Grandma Mil's Birthday

Let me just take this minute to celebrate my Grandma Mil. She is such an amazing person. A few weeks ago we celebrated her 88th birthday. I love her so much. I grew up with her right next door. She played a huge part in my life, and continues to do so. There were the pancake breakfasts, the car rides to school (one time with Dirty Dancing soundtrack blaring) and the warnings to us not to swing so high on the swing set. As I got older, I wondered how long she'd be around. At one point I was scared she'd never meet my children. But time pushed on and eventually my siblings and I started families and Grandma Mil was there for it all. Now, she isn't your typical Granny, sitting in the corner offering parental advice. She gets right in the crazy mix. She gladly holds the fussy baby. She comes up with creative tactics to get toddlers to eat. The kids love running over to her house begging her to set off her cuckoo clock. All her little great grandkids love her, and she love them as she calls them "my little sweetie face". So on her 88th birthday, it was no wonder she was completely surrounded:

Madeline, Christopher and Leif are vying for a front row seat to sing Happy Birthday to Grandma Mil.

This pic is funny to me because Christopher is hugging Leif and Madeline saying "Hap!" which is a word he made up when he group hugs. He was just so overwhelmed with family love! (See baby Tessa in the background?)

We had to make coconut cake because its Dad's (Grandma's boy) favorite. And whatever Mickey wants, Grandma wants. Ahh, mother and sons.

What a commotion! The kids were singing so loudly and not together at all. It was great.