It’s really all I can do. Other than think and pray and worry.  I’ve gotten really good at all of these over the last several years.

The heat is the same, and it’s getting later.  It will be midnight before long, and I’m sure I’ll still be up.  Much like I was all night that night.  What’s she going to do?  How will she make it?  Am I really ready for this?

She’ll do whatever she wants to.  She’ll make it fine.  And no, I wasn’t ready for it then, and I’m not really ready for tomorrow.  Doesn’t mean it won’t happen just the same.  I’m staring at this computer and listening to Jerry Jeff sing “Little Bird”

A picture of my face reflected on the pane, is it tears or is it rain?

That song, and those words came so easy the first time I held her in my arms and tried not to think of the life that I was now responsible for.  That same refrain echoes in my mind tonight.

There’s a lot that has changed over the years, and yet so much is the same.

June 22, 2003 and August 23, 2009.  The night before Miss CB came into this world and the night before she starts kindergarten.

Is it tears, or is it rain?

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CB is an enigma, and that’s putting it mildly.  The shy, quiet girl, head buried in a book and thoughts lost in a world of her own.  Trouble is, you never know what she’s going to do next.

We took the girls to the Cedar Park pool for one last hurrah before school starts.  CB was quick to help out in coaxing MK down the “baby” slide.  The whole time, she’s eyeing this platform in the back of the park.  It’s a 15 ft high dive with older kids, and a few dads scattered throughout the line.  Of course, she’s not saying anything, just staring.  After a few minutes with MK, CB looks up at me and says, “I want to do that,” pointing at the high dive.

“Ok.” I tell her.”  Makes sense.  You’ve been on the baby slide for five minutes.  Don’t want to warm up on something a little bigger.  No need.  Just jump straight to it.

I respect that.

I do what any self-respecting dad would do.  Grab the camera and tell mom, “Watch this.”

After the first jump, Al was shocked, I was impressed, and CB was ready for more action.  My little adrenaline junkie – I don’t know where she gets it.

Somehow, I don’t think CB was anywhere as near as sore as I was the next day.

My favorite part of the whole ordeal was MK marching up to the line in her hot pink floaties.  She didn’t want any part of the lifeguard trying to explain to her that she wasn’t old enough, wasn’t tall enough, and the fact that she was still wearing the floaties wasn’t doing much for her cause.

We kept her happy on a few of the other attractions.

So much so, that she even dropped the floaties.  Still wasn’t enough to convince the lifeguard she was ready for the big show.  Next year, MK, next year.

When CB wasn’t busy on the high dive, she was doing some prep work for her reality show debut.

Showing some skills.

Not too many ways out of this one.

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We’ve partied with the princesses for their birthdays, but you have to do it up right for the Queen.  Her chariot awaits…

Only appropriate.  And for a party of this magnitude, only one place to be.

The kitchen at Bucca di Beppo.  It’s become a Havens’ tradition for the last decade that if something needs to be celebrated, Bucca is the place to be.  The girls are quickly catching on.  Although, it’s not that hard to talk them into it when the small slices hit the table.

Seriously, where does this food come from?  I had the girls convinced of a Tolkien-esque explanation involving a race of giants that lived in the kitchen, and if they were really good we might catch a glimpse.

After the cupcake arrived, Al even started looking around suspiciously.

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Things are turning ugly around the Havens’ household.   Arguing, yelling, and one attempted stabbing…but we did get some sweet shoes out of the deal, so it’s not all bad.

Bowling.  I’m not sure how this got started, but the girls are hooked.  I think it has more to do with the Blue Icees at the snack bar than anything else, but nevertheless it’s just not going well for me.

Big sis in action.  Again, I’m blaming Nana on this, but CB refuses to bowl unless her outfit and ball are properly coordinated.

MK on the other hand is learning the two essentials to dominating the lanes:

1)     Trash Talking

2)      Proper use of the hand dryer

You get those two down, everything else is merely details.

I was going to offer the girls some help on their form, but Al (with her bowling degree – ask her about it sometime) thought that might not be the best idea.  After seeing the following pic, I think I might have to agree.

I can’t explain this.  My first thought was Al was getting more experienced in Photoshop.  I have no idea where my head is, and what in the #$%@! is my left arm doing?  I’m sure there’s an excellent reason, one conerning balance and timing, but for the life of me I can’t come up with it.

All in all, a fun evening, with Al still gloating over her victory.  Although, it’s not much to brag about…taking down the A.D.D three.

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My baby is three.

Prepping with mommy for the big night.  Gotta make sure everything is just right…

Including the hair.  As you can see from big sis’s party we carried over the fiesta theme…nothing intentional on our part, it just worked out that way.  I’ve mentioned in the past how different these two are, so it’s no surprise it’s carried over into the parties as well.  We had shock with Miss CB, and for MK…

Gimme that lid.  It’s party time.

“Seriously?  I’m still wearing it?”

It’s hard to look this good.

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