Hip Hop Shake-a-roonie

This was Olivia's first week at her Hip Hop dance class. Check her out groovin' and shakin' her stuff. The last time we signed up for this class I had Olivia really pumped and ready for it. When we showed up it had been cancelled. That was a long car ride home. This time I signed her up and didn't tell her just in case it was cancelled again. When it came time to drive there we jumped in the truck and I told Olivia we had a special outing to attend. I watched her in the backseat watching the road and trying to figure out where we were going. It was awesome when we pulled up. She didn't have any idea where we were. Once I got the affirmative that the class was indeed happening I told Olivia she was there for dance... She was so happy and excited.
Ava thought she was going to dance too but after awhile of watching Olivia she relaxed and danced in her spot all by herself. Next year is her year.

In other school news Olivia created a snow flake in school. They are studying the weather and the letter "P." She has been practicing spelling various words and has mastered, "mommy, daddy, papa, and girl". Everywhere we go now Liv wants to know what the letters are saying or how to spell certain words. She's getting so ready for real school and I'm getting nervous. Things are going to change so much when she is officially in school everyday and we can't just go do whatever we want together during the day. Good thing we have one more year.

New Spot

I love Ikea. They have everything. Saturday we picked up a table and chairs for the girls. Of course we came back with a bunch of other stuff too. The main thing is now the girls have a place to play with their paper dolls, playdo, coloring books and paints without it being at the kitchen table. What a difference this table has made so far. They can start projects and leave them for awhile to eat lunch and everything is still where they left it without little Sugar bites.
Today we left for a bit to go to Kindermuzic and look how happy Ava was when she returned to see her items still in tact.

Dave and I also moved a lot of the small toys to the girls room over the weekend so that our family room can become more of a family room and less of a play room since the girls are old enough to go up and down the stairs to play in their rooms. We put in a bookshelf to hold all the games too. I like the room better now. The next thing is to replace the TV with one a mounted flat screen. All in due time.

Singing In The Cold

Today the girls and I went for a brisk and I mean brisk walk with Sugar. It was freezing outside and as soon as we began walking I thought to myself, "should we just go back inside... maybe I should go get their hats and gloves even though they said they didn't want to wear them... oh jeez let's just get going." So we did. We had a nice little walk for awhile and then we found a penny. Once we were on the hunt for more treasure the singing began.

Now I don't want to sound like a bad or ungrateful parent but there are times in the day that I would prefer to enjoy without the singing. This was once of them. We were having a nice stroll, Sugar wasn't crying to be picked up, the girls were holding hands behind me. The world was a beautiful place.

And then I just had to notice a penny on the ground which prompted Olivia to belt out some of her happy songs for the rest of the walk. Once we found a nickle the songs not only became louder but the jumping began which prompted Ava to fall on the ground. She got up and dusted herself off and continued walking along. We found some more change. The excitement ensued and as well as more jumping. Oh boy, more jumping while holding hands and trying to walk forward. Again Ava hit the ground, pretty hard this time. She started to cry, I told her she was OK, and we were on the move again. Thankfully we were pretty close to home but even with that there is only so much I can take so I ever so politely asked Olivia to be quiet for the rest of the walk.

So much better. Is that wrong to say out loud? I hear Olivia singing sometimes in my head when she isn't even singing. I curse the people who created the sound track to The Little Mermaid. Obviously they must have had boys. Thankfully this singing thing hasn't spread like a virus and infected Ava as well. If that were the case I don't think there'd be enough wine out there to drowned the humming of them both out.

Now we are back inside finishing up the laundry and getting ready to eat lunch at noon. Then the girls will take a 2 hour nap. Can you say, "AHHH?" I can. It sounds like this, "AHHHHHHHH!!!" Silence is a beautiful thing.

Back To School

Yesterday Olivia went back to school. She is now studying the weather and the letter "O" or her letter as she calls it.This is my favorite piece of art that Liv has brought home so far. I asked her what it was and she said that she made a 'picture of playing in the snow at Grammie's house.' Love it!!
And here's her Clifford packet. She just loves these.

For Valentines Day Clifford will be at B & N to read a few books. We can't wait to go. Next week the project is making marshmallow men with frosting after the reading. Ava's pumped. Today the story was about pigs and the girls were able to color a fish tank picture afterwards and apply stickers. They did really well this time. Maybe things are changing in the New Year...

The Gator Project

For Christmas, the girls received hatching eggs from their cousins M & J. We put them in water and in 24 hours they were supposed to hatch. Here's how they looked after just the first few hours.
Ava's decided she wanted the darker alligator and Olivia wanted the green one. A few more hours later they still hadn't emerged all the way from their shell. We were anxiously waiting and watching though.

Here they are at a different angle.

When we woke up this morning this is what we found in the bowl.

Ava named hers "Net" because she is infatuated with the Elefun game that uses a net to catch butterflies and Olivia named hers "Pie" from the movie The Reef. After checking out their great new creatures Olivia wanted to know where their mommy was... I explained that She and Ava were the mommies but somehow that didn't fly with her. Olivia told me they needed a gator Mommy that looked like them. Hum. Well they don't have one unfortunately. She had to swim back to the bayou to lay more eggs... That answer seemed to advert the questions for awhile...

2010

Happy New Year!!!

This year is going to be fantastic.

Dave and Ava's birthdays are both coming up. So exciting!!! Dave will be OLD (ha ha) and Ava will be 3 years old. How time flies by. Unbelievable. Ava was just a squishy little baby and now she is so smart, clever, and outrageously funny. She can do and accomplish things most kids her age can't. She is also very sensitive and does not like to get in trouble or have either of us give her "the look." She uses her manners saying "please" and "thank you" and likes to complement her friends telling them, "your____ is very bootiful." Ava is just perfect. All I can expect from her this year is for her to continue being as wonderful as she already is.

Dave left teaching in the dust in 2009 which allows him to be home for dinner every night this year. Now we can all sit and eat as a family and discuss our day. The girls will be able to get tucked into bed and see his face every night before they go to sleep instead of hearing his voice over the phone twice a week. We've all been waiting for this for a very long time.

Olivia is starting her first hip hop dance class this month which she is so looking forward to attending. She is also finishing up her first year of Preschool. She has changed so much in a blink of an eye from starting school, to riding a big girl bike, to wearing glasses, to just plain growing up. She is definitely a little girl now. Toddlerhood, babyhood- gone are those days. That awkward stage between toddlerhood and becoming a girl- gone. Olivia is officially a little lady. She too is very respectful and polite. She makes friends easily and learns new concepts at lightning speed. She has a great sense of humor and can tell jokes now that are truly funny. She is silly and compassionate and loves all animals, especially her beloved Sugar. She is most likely going to be smarter and more productive than Dave and I combined and will hopefully take care of us when we're elderly. One can only hope.

As for the girls' near future...I am going to try to get both girls on the swim team this summer if they will allow Ava to participate at 3 years old. She may have to wait until she's 4 too.

In the fall, Ava will begin Preschool-Gasp! My baby is NOT A BABY anymore. Who knows though... Maybe this year we will pop out a third just for kicks!

We have paid-off all of our credit cards and we are entering this year virtually debt free minus the everyday bills and the mortgage. Hooray!!

And as far as vacation go- We are planning a trip soon to San Diego via the motorcoach to visit Dave's Grandma, Legoland, the beach, and if we are super lucky maybe we can get a scuba diving day in there as well. As far as where we will be headed the rest of the year- who knows. I'm sure the road will lead us somewhere cool.

This leads us down the path of saying goodbye to the sippy/straw cups for the girls, goodbye to the night pull-ups for Ava, adios to the booster seats for eating, and I am closing the last chapter of Ava's real baby book. Am I sad? Heck no. We are on to better things and more fun days. We bought a year family pass to the Six Flags park to ride the roller coasters. We've jogged every day we've been at Grammie's house and plan to continue on at home. (Both girls really love jogging and are quite fast.) Starting Sunday we begin a fun family competition between my parents, Dave, and I to lose 5 pounds. Whoever loses it first receives $5 from each of the other competitors. I, of course, am going to win. (add sarcasm anytime) Dave and I bought an elliptical and Dave has promised to use it 5 minutes every day. Yes, it doesn't sound like a lot but it is a short time to get him started. And as for me... I want to firm up my flab.

And as far as 2010 resolutions go...I think mine will be to have more sex. Happy New Years Babe!!! I knew you'd like that!!!

New Year's Eve

The princess finally sleeps- for an almost 4 hour nap! Thankfully Ava went to sleep tonight without any problems. Ava ended 2009 with her final dinner by eating a Peanut Butter Sandwich and a bowl of rice.
And we made Cioppino all day long so it cooked and melted together into a bowl of seafood yummy goodness. Grammie and Papa couldn't wait to dig in.
Check out the yumminess-
And who is this eating Cioppino? Why it's Olivia of course. She has become quite the seafood lover especially when it comes to clams. She has always liked shrimp, salmon, and crab, but now there's just no stopping her. She ate a huge bowl of clams and mussels. This picture really doesn't do her justice either because this was just when she had begun eating. I really should have taken the after shot of the mound of shells leftover..
After the fishy dinner, the ladies were promptly escorted to the tub for a bath. Ava was delighted in showing off her mermaid towel.

Liv wanted a picture of her towel and tail too.

That's my girls right there. The little mermaids.

See you later 2009, we had a great year, accomplished our goals, and made some wonderful friends. We have big plans ahead for 2010 and nothings going to stop us.