The 511 family shares a very special place for me. They are special in all the ways every family is special: the idiosyncrasies that make them this wonderful little unit. Through Becca’s gift as a skilled writer, she has shared her world through her blogs. 511 Ever After is her home blog. She talks about her décor crushes of the day and the little pieces of happiness that she has brought into her home to make it personal. Mommy, Ever After is her blog about family and her kids. It is filled with the joy of little Belle’s magic and moments of pure kismet and hilarious interactions. It also has stories of tears and despair and pain. It is real. She is real. They are real – Becca and husband, Kenny, and their littles: 4 year old Belle, 4 month old Alex, and 6 year old furry Lola.
I walked in to their world to a slightly nervous Becca who began to shine with Belle as they held their daily dance party in the living room as the RENT soundtrack, Marvin Gaye, and Robin Thicke played for them.
Actually, that’s not completely right. While I was there, I was Anna and the happy, talkative thing spinning around the house was Queen Elsa.
Alex woke up from his nap to join us.
They refer to him as a moose since he is coming close to weighing as much as his older sister. He has a mouth on him as well (but only in the sense that he spits up more than any baby ever, no fewer than 10 times in the 1.5 hours he was awake with us).
But boy oh boy is he amazingly cute!
Kenny came home from work and provided an encore dance party. I am told that dance parties honestly happen at least once a day in this house (Belle is the choreographer, obvi). That is my kind of place!
We danced, jumped on the bed, played with stickers, read books (Three Little Kittens)
And had a big ole cuddlefest in bed.
After enough limelight, Belle retired to her quarters to watch Frozen for what I’m pretty sure was the 683rd time.
Becca and Alex shared some bonding time. If you have gotten wrapped up Becca’s world as I have, you’ll know that Alex was very difficult for Becca. I can’t do justice to Becca’s story but her post on postpartum depression (The hardest post I’ve ever written) is emotional and brave in ways I can’t even imagine. The response to her story was so great that she was interviewed for a segment that aired on ABC last night.
I am so in awe of Becca and so impressed with and grateful for Becca’s gift and the courage it must have taken to share something so private yet happens in hundreds of thousands of homes.
I feel very lucky to have been welcomed into this light-filled, magical home.
I am, I am, I am, I am
I am a wild child, momma
You can, you can, you can, you can
You can hold me tight if you wanna
If you wanna hold me tonight
~ Brett Dennen, “Wild Child”
