A day for Jiggy

Jiggy Day...

the day my angel girl would have celebrated her 21st birthday.

 Our family tries very hard to embrace this day with feverish fun and a little bit of nonsense.

Cass surprised her kiddos with brownies for breakfast. Olivia was hesitant at first and then devoured one and then another.

 If you ask Henry...he knows exactly who his Aunt Jocie is and where she lives..."She lives at Heaven!"

The grandbabies are growing up celebrating Jiggy Day. It's a special day that will help them always know about the Auntie they never met.

We spent the afternoon eating pasta, frolicking in the park, and finishing off our fun with chocolate chip cookies from the bakery!

Watching these two in the park, I wish with all my heart that Jocie was here sliding down slides with them, and soaking up adventures. I know she would teach them how to be a little bit naughty...just to annoy her sister.

The day is always a range of emotions for all of us. We laugh, we cry, we miss Jocie immensely. Living in LA, Dione has to face the day alone...so she made homemade cinnamon buns for the attorneys in her law firm to celebrate the day.

While picking up large Diet Cokes at our local McDonald's drive-thru on my way home, I bought lunch for some unsuspecting patron in the car behind me. The cashier asked what she should tell the driver when he pulled up to the window, "Just tell him Happy Jiggy Day!" I'm sure they had no idea what that meant...

With Jiggy Day drawing to a close, we visited the cemetery where a very large pink balloon caught the evening rays of sun and my heart felt the warmth of Jocie's spirit.

And finally, because Jocie was kind of a carnivore...a steak dinner with Chet, the girlfriends, and Lindsay's hubby Alex. Their iconic red lipstick is a tradition on Jiggy Day!

One of the things I love about Jiggy Day is how our friends and family embrace the day with us. You absolutely must see the blog post from my sweet photographer friend Aurora and her beautiful four-year old daughter known as The Wee One. I am so thrilled to have met Aurora. She is such a sweet friend and a fabulous Mamma. Here is how The Wee one spent Jiggy Day. And don't miss the video at the end...it is simply adorable. I love you Aurora and The Wee One...thank you for remembering Jocie and sharing Jiggy Day with us!

And most of all Happy Birthday to my gorgeous red-head daughter Jocie. I miss you more than I can almost stand. I know your 21st in heaven must have been a fabulous party.

Olivia at Three

I turned around and my baby girl granddaughter got big. She talks a mile a minute, wears grown up clothes and knows all her letters and numbers. Olivia spent a weekend with us for Nana Bubba Birthday Fest and we loved every second of our time together. She is growing up so quickly, I'm afraid I'll forget all the adorable things about her at age three.

I want to remember that whenever she leaves a room and then returns, she announces loud and clear "I'm back!" Or when she saw the neighbor girls jumping on the tramp in our back yard she called out with all the confidence you've ever seen in a three year old "Hey girls, it's me Olivia...I'm here!"

Upon waking one morning, I scooped her up in my arms and declared it was time to use the potty before we had breakfast. She quickly placed both chubby hands on each of my cheeks and turned my head to face hers..."First kisses, then potty!" If you insist my sweet granddaughter!

Olivia has this delightful little growling grumbling giggle when she is super happy. Being extremely brave and adventurous...she prefers climbing up the slide instead of sliding down.

When it comes to negotiating this little girl has stellar skills. "Olivia I'll give you 2 gummy bears if you let me take a picture of you." Which she quickly responds..."How about 9 Nanny Goat!" Yes I use bribery/motivation efforts on the grandkids. And yes I even love her term of endearment "Nanny Goat!"

Twirling, spinning, giggling, prancing...life is one big Princess Party for this cherub. Often I'll ask her if she is my sweetheart to which she replies "No...I'm a girl Backson." It's a Winnie The Pooh thing...which incidentally, you should hear hear sing "Deep in The Hundred Acre Woods." Swoon...it will melt your heart!

One shoe off and one shoe on...I can't believe how blessed I am to call this little one my granddaughter and I still marvel at the miracle of her arrival in our family. 

Princess Olivia...Bubba and I love you to the end of forever and back!