Five on Friday

1. I swear I was just posting about having the entire summer to cherish with my girls. And yet today, I am posting that my summer is officially over. Sadness!





2. Leighton finished swim lessons this week and rocked the pool again this summer! I am so impressed with her swimming. We have been blessed with an amazing swim instructor the past two summers. Thank you Miss Chelsea for loving my sweet Leighton. Here's a little video of Leighton doing the back stroke for the first time.



3. Ainsley prays for us every night. It is something she loves to do and she has begun thinking of what to say all on her own. Here she is: Dear Jesus, Thank you for chicken (on her plate), um, thank you dinner, thank you mommy, sissy, daddy. Amen.



4. Leighton has been working hard on her balk walk over...she finally did it at home!



5. Leighton's tummy is back to hurting. I'm praying it's just a bunch of bad luck. Both my family and Aaron's family has a history of colon issues. I see a ped.'s visit in our near future so I will know how to handle this!

Worry

This is a post for me...so if you don't want to read about my woes...you can just stop reading now. You've been warned!

My life is consumed with worry. Finances, children, work, schedules, health, etc., etc. It is probably my worst character trait. I hate it because inevitably I worry about things not in my control, things that will work themselves out, things that I don't need to waste my time on. I know it's a lack of faith. A lack of trusting. But I still worry.

I can read something as simple as someone's status on Facebook and can be wrought with anxiety in a matter of seconds. At 31, I know when my stomach is in knots, that something has triggered my anxiety. And I can usually rethink my last few minutes or hours to determine what has me feeling so anxious.

Unfortunately, it's not that easy for a five year old. She can't even put into words how badly her tummy hurts. Not to mention to express why it might hurt. At five years old, my little Leighton is already a worrier. It literally breaks my heart to think about her living life worrying so much. Right now, something is causing her nervous system to be out of whack, which in turn just makes me a nervous wreck!

And what do I do?? Contribute to the stress by asking Leighton every few minutes how her stomach is. Are you feeling okay? Do you need to go to the bathroom? Do you need a snack? How is your belly now? No wonder she worries!!!

So, today I am not going to think on the "what if's" and worry more. I am not going to ask her every few minutes how she is feeling. I am not going to obsess over what might be causing her so much anxiety. I am going to live today to the fullest. I am going to love on Leighton. I am going to provide her with as much attention as she needs. I am going to give her the confidence she requires. I am going to wrap my arms around her and provide her the stability she yearns.

And I am going to trust, and pray, that everything will work out, that nothing is physically wrong with Leighton, and that she will forget why she was even nervous in the first place.

Five on Friday

1. Leighton lost her first tooth this week! :) The dentist had to pull it but nonetheless, the tooth fairy will be here tonight!



2. Ainsley has gone all week without an accident! Woohoo!!!



3. I got to visit with one of my oldest friends this week. Steve and his family lived around the corner from us growing up. I took him to school every day his freshman year of high school. I adore his family! Ainsley affectionately referred to him as "daddy daddy." Hilarious!!! Here's hoping he might end up in Memphis someday so we can see more of him, his sweet wife, and precious baby!



4. These two sweet girls were quiet while I was cleaning up dinner one night and this is what I found!



5. Love this shot!

A beautiful smile

To me, a beautiful smile includes beautiful teeth. Call me vain, if you wish, but I love pretty teeth. From the time Leighton's teeth began erupting as a baby, she has had "issues." She very clearly has a set of fused teeth on the bottom and to the casual observer, it looks as though she has a missing tooth on the opposite side. However, as it turns out, one of her teeth is larger and the dentist thinks it is actually fused as well and that is why it looks like she has a missing tooth. It's been interesting to learn that fused teeth actually comes from my mom's side of the family. One of my cousins has a daughter with several fused teeth. Fused or not fused, she has a perfect little smile. I'm actually going to miss those "special teeth" (as they have come to be known) when she loses them.

I hated losing teeth. I hated the anticipation of how the tooth was going to come out, I hated pulling them, I hated the feeling of my gums after a tooth had just been pulled (ick...it makes my stomach turn just thinking about it), I hated just about all of it.

Alas, the time has come for Leighton to lose her first tooth. Three weeks ago Leighton stated she had "something" in her tooth as we were shoe shopping. I knelt down to see and was shocked to see a permanent tooth coming in behind her baby tooth. I have to admit I wasn't so quiet exclaiming it was a tooth! We had people standing in line to check-out looking in Leighton's mouth to see her new tooth! Leighton was ecstatic! She has been waiting (not so patiently) to lose her first tooth.

Three weeks later, Leighton's tooth was not getting any looser and the dentist said it was time for her to pull it. I was a nervous wreck! Seriously...I didn't sleep well the night before with the anticipation of what was about to happen. Leighton was a champ! She had (still has) no idea they used a needle to put numbing medicine in her mouth, but I'd prefer to leave it that way. She did realize something was about to happen and shed a few tears but she was SO brave and calmed down very quickly.

As a parent, you always hear when your child starts losing teeth, it changes the way they look. So, along with my disgust for losing my own teeth, I've dreaded the day when Leighton started losing her teeth and her looks started changing from a baby to a girl. The day has come and I think her smile, gap and all, is just gorgeous! Different, yes. Making me realize she is growing up too fast, yes. But, perfect...because she's my baby and her smile will always be beautiful to me!

Five on Friday

1. Big, big news here at the Keegan house! Ainsley is potty trained! I'm just going to go ahead and say she is. She's been in big girl panties for 4 days and a total of 6 accidents....two days accident free! Yep, she is rockin' it! So, there's no turning back now. Panties it is!



2. We had one of the best 4th of July holidays in a long time. We celebrated with all of the people who mean the most to us. We spent the day boating, tubing, eating, laughing, fishing, a few fireworks, face painting, and just enjoying everyone being together.

Ainsley and Mommy



Two Paige's...Reilly Paige and Ainsley Paige



Jayci, Reilly, and Ainsley...love these two girls for loving on my girls!



Sweet Meredith and Ainsley



Jake and Leighton...two of the cutest kiddos around!



The crew...minus a few of the guys who were lighting the fireworks!



3. Leighton is now going to gymnastics one day a week and cheer/tumble one day a week. She had her first trial class of cheer/tumble and fell in love. In her words, "I love gymnastics but I love cheer/tumble even more." I have to admit, tumbling is her strength so it doesn't surprise me it is her favorite.

Two sets of BFF's. Leighton and her BFF Lauryn. Carleigh (holding Leighton) and Kristin (holding Lauryn) are also BFF's and happen to be Leighton's coaches for her gym and tumble classes.



Trying her hand at cheer/tumble for the first time...



And showing off her cartwheel for me one night while I was taking pics...



4. I haven't blogged about this picture yet. I'm just wondering if y'all think Ainsley had the strut down? Really, this just makes me laugh hysterically!!!



5. Check out this precious little guy I had the opportunity of meeting at just 5 days old! Precious!!!

The ugly "C" word

I've debated about writing this post because I never want to offend anyone. I've made reference in my blog before about being a people pleaser, and along the same lines, I never want to feel like I've insulted someone because I've pushed my beliefs on them, making them feel as if their beliefs are not important. So, for those of my friends in the "salon" business who may read this....sorry in advance.

One of my friends blogged about the video "Dear-16-year-old-me," which prompted me to actually write (and PUBLISH) this post. If you haven't taken a few minute to watch the video, please do.

I never thought at the age of 27 I would hear the words, "you have cancer." I never thought I would have to undergo reconstructive surgery to look "normal" after the cancer was removed. I never thought it would be me. But it was...it still is. My daily routine includes applying sunblock, checking my body for new spots, or spots that have changed. It's become second nature to me. It's just my life. I never thought I would have to go for a scan every 6 months; however, 3 1/2 years later, I can say that I am grateful for each scan I have. I've had two other cancerous spots removed because I go.

I hate going. I hate every biopsy I have to have. But, I know that each biopsy I have, each cancerous and pre-cancerous spots that have been removed have saved my life. I know that with every application of sunscreen in the morning, I save myself a sunburn and more cancer. I know my children get annoyed as we apply and re-apply sunscreen when we're outside. But, I can also say that in 5 years Leighton has never had a sunburn. Her fair complexion and freckles leave her vulnerable for skin cancer but I made a promise to myself that I will do everything in my power to ensure she never harms her skin, which increases her risk even more for cancer.

As the summer passes, I see more and more posts on FB that people are loving time in the sun, and unfortunately along with those posts come the words that they have gotten a sunburn as well. Did you know that a person's risk for melanoma doubles if he or she has had five or more sunburns? And, did you know that a recent study cited that regular use of tanning beds triples or even quadruples the risk of developing melanoma? (Here's where my apology above is appropriate; however, I feel too passionate about this not to share the facts.)

Don't stop living life. Take in the beauty of the outside. Swim, go to the sprinkler park, run around the zoo for the day, sit at the beach. Enjoy every second....cherish every moment. Just do it wisely!

Remember to protect your skin. It could save your life and/or that of your children. As the Australian saying goes...Slip, Slap, Slop.

Slip on a T-Shirt,

Slop on the sunscreen, and

Slap on a hat!