Ready for the ballet.

"First I had my bubble bath, I do enjoy it so.
Mommy sprayed me with cologne, the very best you know.

She put some polish on my nails and brushed my hair just right.

Then my sparkling tiara with pins to hold it tight.

Now my lovely costume, I do adore it so.
I feel like a ballet star, ready for the show!

Then at last my brand new shoes,
I'm ready I feel great!

When ever you'd like to applaud for me, 
do not hesitate, PLEASE!"

That was the perfectly worded song for Ellie's first recital.  She rocked it three nights in a row and we couldn't be more proud!

I is.

This was a big weekend.  It was the weekend we brought home this

Isn't she pretty?  I am in love!  And if you could recommend a design/desktop publishing program that isn't as expensive as this computer was, I'll love you forever.

This was also the weekend Madeline began incorporating state of being verbs into her vocabulary.  Except she mixes them up a little bit.  Like when in a full blown tantrum that is starting to be characteristic of our usually pleasing Mads broke out in the middle of Best Buy and I carried her out kicking and screaming to the car.  On the way out I said, "Madeline Claire!  What is going on?  Why are you acting so naughty?" and she replied, "I is.  I is naughty."

Or when I put on her shoes and told her, "Mads!  We're going to the park!" to which she said, "We is!  We is goin' to da park!"

I is typing on a new MacBook Pro and we is working on correct verb tenses with Madeline.  How was your weekend?

The time has come...

for a new laptop.  Looks like we will be shopping this weekend but I could use your help. 

PC or Mac?

I want to be able to edit photos, edit video and all of the usual internet things.  Any suggestions?

Unfortunately the Big Recital post will have to wait until this big purchase is made.  But as one mom so eloquently put it on Friday night, "We are one hairpiece away from 'Toddlers and Tiaras' here."  And so we were. 

Since you're here, why not stay a while and browse the archives?  A lot has been going on the last 18 months!

I'm happy.

Says Madeline as she walks around with a smile on her face.  The funny thing is that she usually says it when we are doing nothing special at all.

Our family of four sitting down to dinner, swinging away at the park. 

"I'm happy."

You know what Madeline Claire?  We're happy, too. 

My Kid Can Read

Caution:  Mom brag moment ahead.  At our last visit with Parents As Teachers, Ellie received the 'reading readiness screening.'  It is given at age 4 and 5.  She did not get a single question wrong.  This prompted Sarah to suggest we get Ellie the Bob Books.

Not having a clue what the Bob Books were, I asked some friends and they all chimed in with success stories.  A friend grabbed the first two collections the next day on a Costco run for me and Ellie was eager to get started.

After a few minutes, Ellie was reading.  Now we're not talking reading The New York Times or War and Peace but the kid was reading.  Ryan thought maybe she was memorizing pages, she 'read' us her first book at just over 2.  But when we handed her book 3 in the collection and told her to do her best?  She was reading!

After a week of having the Bob Books, we are hooked.  Ellie loves to learn new words and continues to amaze us everyday.

How are your kids learning to read?  We would love to hear your tips to keep them encouraged and motivated!

Coming Soon!

Prompt #2 Write a dramatic synopsis as if it was a movie or TV series.

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Debuting next Friday, the preschool dancers will take the stage to perform The Bubble Bath Routine.

Watch as these 3 and 4 year old blossoming ballerinas demonstrate their stamina and precision as they plea, courtesy and sashay their way to stardom. 

Who will crack under the pressure? 

Will a star be born? 

Will their tiaras remained bobby pinned to their heads?

The answers to these dramatic questions plus more will be revealed during The Bubble Bath Routine.  Feature You Tube Video coming soon to a blog near you.

Are you a big girl?

"Uh -huh.  No.  A Bay-bee.  Baby."

Mads is pretty happy with her place in this family and isn't looking to be upgraded to 'Big Girl' anytime soon.  Qualifications like naming everyone on Sesame Street, naming things in books, using a potty (sporadically) or doing Ellie's entire dance routine beginning to end don't matter to her.

At the zoo this weekend she was moo-ing at the cows.  Auntie asked, "Oh, are you a cow?"  Mads replied, "No, a bay-bee.  Baby." 

This morning I plucked a bed-headed Mads out of her crib and made the mistake of saying, "Good morning, Big Girl!" to which Madeline said, "Baby, Mama.  Bay-beeee."  Oh right.

We're not sure when Madeline will be Big Girl Official, maybe when she turns 16 and wants to borrow the car? 

Suburban Camping

What is suburban camping you ask?  Let me tell you.

Suburban Camping is sleeping three in a bed with the windows open.  It's showering by candlelight with and tying your wet hair up into a pony tail. 

When you're suburban camping, you charge your phone in your car and use a lighter to ignite the stove so your water can boil for coffee.  The kids get fruit that doesn't need to be refrigerated, cereal bars and juice boxes for breakfast.

To keep away the boredom you go on excursions.  Fast food and ice cream for dinner, the farmer's market, out to lunch and even a trip to the zoo after naps.

You never know how long your suburban camping experience will last - an hour?  a few days? - and you don't choose the dates of your camping experience. 

Suburban Camping is what happens when a big storm blows through and takes your power lines with it. 

Ellie kept asking how long it was going to take to repair the 'power plant'.  Ryan and I kept reassuring her that they were working as fast as they could to fix it.  Finally she asked, "What does the power plant look like?"

I replied that I thought it looked like a big factory or warehouse.

"Oh."

Then I got it.  "Ellie, what did you think the Power Plant looked like?"

"You know, maybe like a cactus or somethin'."

Suburban Camping was a blast.

The First and The Last

The first day of school (being a 'model' of course).

 And the last day of school.

Our Elizabeth has grown a couple of inches since September and learned so, so much.  Not only is she reading the first few Bob Books (more to come on those soon) 'all.by.my.self.' but she learned how to be independent and how to be a good friend.

The end of the year program and 'graduation' is tonight and then Ellie will officially be ready for Pre-K.  Nine months have never flown by faster.