Kayla's first ballet lessons

I posted a few quick pictures that Chris took of Kayla on her first day of ballet previously. I had been searching around for a place in the area that seemed like a good fit for us, and was having a bit of trouble. I wanted something that wasn't too informal, but also something that wasn't over the top with crazy costumes and 'performances' every 2 months. Eventually I found a place, and they offered a free trial class, so I 'signed her up' and Kayla got excited. I forgot until a few days before that I actually had an OB appt that afternoon, so I had to miss out on the first ballet class experience. I fixed her hair in the tight bun they asked for, dressed her in her solid leotard and pink tights, packed her ballet shoes, and gave her a hug before handing over the reins to Chris.

My appointment was over in time for me to be back to meet Chris and the girls at the ballet studio to pick her up. She was SO excited. Her smile lit up the whole room.

The following week we were out of town, so her official start day not counting the trial class was this past Wednesday. This time it was my turn to drive her down and drop her off. She jumped out of the car excitedly, and raced for the door with only a slight glance back. We did follow her in because I wanted to watch for a few minutes and see how she did, but she would have been fine without us. She did bask in the extra attention of us following her in and watching through the glass as she and her classmates stretched and practiced. But we only stayed for a few minutes so as not to distract.



I took the other two girls to a nearby park during the lesson and then we went back about 5-10 minutes early so we could peek again at the end of Kayla's class and see what they were up to. I was impressed. They were practicing some kicks and jumps that were rather impressive considering they are beginners. One of these days, I want to leave the other two girls with Chris and just watch from a place where Kayla can't see me because it's such a wonderful experience as a parent to observe a kid living their dream and in their element. It may not always be her dream or her "thing", but it is right now and I am loving seeing the joy in her eyes and smile as she learns and dances.

7 Quicktakes almost-Friday: May 29th

1. We have decided to homeschool Kayla next year for Kindergarten. We have had so much fun with our "homeschool preschool" and I can't wait to see Kayla expand her knowledge and love of learning. She is sounding out words now and and I love to watch her face light up when she puts the sounds together and it makes a word. "C-A-T. Cat, Mommy!" We are also beginning some sight words beginning with T-H-E. She's getting this one down, so I guess I better move on to another. "Look, Mommy. It's t-h-e. That says the!"

(Thanks Grammy and Granddad for the cute dress!)

2. We'll be heading out for a visit to see my parents and some of my siblings and their families this weekend, but Chris is staying behind to brew some beer that he's been wanting to for awhile and spend some time with his buddies as well. Kayla commented today about how she would miss Daddy and asked if she could bring a picture of him with her so she could look at it when she missed him this weekend. He's such a blessed daddy, don't you think?

3. Don't read this one if you are grossed out by poop.

Are you still reading? Ok, I got the worst mom ever award of the day today. I gave the girls a bath, got them out and dried off, and then Ava ran over to the bookshelf and plopped down to read next to it. There were no diapers upstairs, so I went downstairs to grab one. But then Kayla needed her night gown, which was in the dryer, and then I had to grab all the clothes out, and of course that made me think about the load that also needed to go in, and suddenly Ava was calling me from upstairs sounding a little distressed. She pooped all over her room in little piles. We'll have to replace two of our books (see below). She had it all over herself so she must have wanted to see what it felt and smelt like. I won't go into any more detail because it was seriously really really disgusting. That's what happens when you get distracted after bath time folks. Oh, and then Elise walked into the room after I shouted "Stay out, there's poop in here everywhere!" and stepped right in one of the piles. Seriously?

For the record, I still love being a mom. I did not love anything about that situation though.


4. Elise learned her first two letters. In the bath, she was able to show me the E for Elise and the A for Ava. Several times she pulled them out of the letters floating around the bathtub. Kayla was excited when I told her that she was going to go to school at home next year so that "Now I can help you teach Elise preschool, Mommy, and you can teach me Kindergarten." Looks like Kayla's been a good helper so far; Elise is on her way to learning her alphabet.

5. Some of the parks around here have exercise equipment along the sidewalk/trails. They don't have weights like gym equipment. Instead many are designed so that you are often using your body weight for the lifting. The girls loved playing on the equipment when we went for a walk to a nearby playground earlier today with my brother and his daughters who are visiting. After we all tested out all the equipment, I am rather excited to actually try to make use of it sometime. As you can see, it's quite fun AND a workout at the same time. :)


6. Ava has recently been a huge drama queen. She flops on the floor crying when she is upset and screeches when we won't give her what she wants (generally some kind of food that she's asking for right before we are going to serve a meal). She tires of it when no one pays any attention though, and then it's just funny to see her lying there on the floor, quiet, and sheepish, but not quite ready to actually move yet.

7. This tree is at an intersection that I pass frequently to leave our neighborhood area. I love it. I totally want one in my yard someday (though I'm sure it's a bit of a pain to clean up the leaves and flowers that fall...) I love it anyway. But I would take a lilac bush or two if I couldn't have one of these...

Mommy-isms --3rd Edition

One of the best-used Mommy-isms there is this one...

I use my kids as my excuse for almost everything. Sometimes it's completely true. Sometimes it's somewhat fabricated. But you will never know, and God forbid, you call a mom out on it. You WILL regret that decision immediately.

Once you're a mom, your most time consuming task is caring for your kids. It's a beautiful, wonderful honor, but it is also time-consuming and tiring. So when I'm late, I'm tired, I don't want to work out, I don't have dinner ready on time, the house is a mess, my hair and make-up aren't done, I HAVE to watch a chick flick-now! etc and I blame it on the kids....just nod and smile. It's at least partially true and in my mind, it's totally true and logical--at least at that moment. So just let it go.

Mommy-isms- 2nd Edition

Ever noticed that once people start having kids, all their pictures are suddenly of their children? All their facebook albums and even their profile picture are pictures of their kids. I'm no different.

Most people might assume that this is simply because I am obsessed with my kids. And I am. That is true. It is also because I don't think I have a decent picture of myself since my wedding portraits.

I looked pretty good then. Since then I have pretty much looked like...well--a mom.

I don't look terrible or anything. I just never look quite put together anymore. I rarely have more than about 2 minutes to do my hair. So generally that means it's pulled back in a frizzy ponytail. If I have time for makeup, it's a tiny touch of mascara. I just tell myself I'm going for a more natural me...

I'm always behind the camera now. If I'm not, I'm comforting a hysterical child, hosting their party, making sure they aren't breaking something that belongs to someone else, or having a tea party. So the pictures I'm in recently are one of two kinds:

these kind where you take it of yourself (oh, look I'm at home wearing a sweatshirt)

or these kind where I hiding there somewhere...

I dread wearing anything other than a sweatshirt and comfy pants because I'm just going to get spit up on or pooped on anyway. Even when I do put on a cute outfit that is halfway stylish, I walk out of the house and realize that I forgot my wedding ring or the cute scarf, or that my cardigan apparently got spit up on the last time I wore it because there is now a white smudge on the shoulder...oops!

Plus, the times when I get myself together and actually look nice no one notices me anyway. But I do get a bunch of compliments on how beautiful our girls are. And that's much more rewarding for me now. I must be a mom because that is a definite mommy-ism.

And at the end of the day I don't need a picture of myself. I have a husband who tells me how gorgeous I look (even in the spit-up-covered shirt and frizzy ponytail) and I have little ones who tell me I'm the most beautiful Mommy in the world.

Of course, that being said, I should probably go take a shower so I look decent for Mass this evening...

Mommy-isms- First Edition

I am a mom. The other moms know what I'm talking about. Everyone else probably judges me for what I like to call "mommy-isms".

Still not sure what I'm talking about?

Here's a few to get you started....

Sometimes I don't shower because my day was that busy. Yeah,even when I've been spit up on 9 times and had to change outfits 3 times. Scratch that--I'm on baby #3. I don't even change outfits anymore unless I'm actually leaving the house. Scratch that--who am I kidding? I go to the store all the time in spit-up-covered sweatshirts.

Can you imagine this cute face spitting up on me? Well she does. All the time, too.

On days when I do manage to fit a shower into my schedule, it is approximately 4 3/4 minutes long. And the door is always wide open and usually Elise is pulling the curtain open every 10-15 seconds. That may sound like I'm complaining, but I actually am grateful that I've even had a shower. See the previous paragraph.

Sometimes when Chris is home to watch the girls, I get a mostly uninterrupted shower that lasts 15 minutes. Pure bliss, right there. When you are a mom, you don't take things like a 15 MINUTE LONG SHOWER for granted. Ever.