Hard to Believe - Charlotte is 3!!

I know it is cliche but it is REALLY, REALLY hard to believe that Charlotte is three! Three!!! How can that be?? Two - maybe. But three?? 

We kicked off the day early! My plan was to blow up a bunch of balloons and put them in her room as a little surprise. But at 5:30 am, as I started blowing up the first balloon, I could hear both girls chatting with each other!! They share a room so this is expected...but 5:30!??! How could they possibly be awake?! I blew up about 10 balloons in about five minutes and made myself terribly light headed in the process. Obviously, I couldn't sneak them into their bedroom but I did manage to get them on the landing about 15 seconds before they came bounding downstairs demanding breakfast. 

Birthday breakfast.

Followed by being on TV!!

Then we went about our business - gymnastics, Costco, grocery store...but we did make a stop at Red Robin for a special birthday lunch!

Charlotte picked out a special birthday cake... 

and we ended the day with dinner and a present from Mommy and Daddy.

Charlotte was excited to turn three 

but not as excited as Grace was for Charlotte to turn three...nonstop chatter!

It was a sweet day.

A simple day.

A great day.

Happy Birthday my sweet Charlotte Katherine!

To many, many more!

xo

Shiver Me Timbers!

Normally, I pick out the outfits the girls are going to wear the night before - to save time and tears in the morning. Last night, I watched World War Z. No outfits were picked. Obvi.

Luckily, the award-winning, newsworthy-news-oozing Today show brought to my attention at 7:02 am that today is National Speak Like a Pirate Day! (Thanks Savannah and Matt! Argh!) 

So to honor this nationally recognized day, I had the perfect outfit for Grace to wear to school! 

I made this outfit earlier this year but of course the second I finished it, the weather turned crazy hot!

So thanks to the on point reporting of the Today show, Grace got to wear it on the perfect occasion!

Oh and don't worry! Charlotte has one too - she just didn't have school today. 

She'll just be a day late to the party!

Aaaaaarrrrgh!

Hard to Believe

This time next week will be my last night tucking in a two year old. 

Sigh. It snuck up on me so fast tonight - thinking about it - and now all the weight of my thoughts, heavy as an elephant, are sitting on my chest, slowly crushing my heart. An end of an era. 

Back to Ballet

We are lucky to have a ballet studio here in town. Not only for the exposure to the art, but also because the owner provides classes to little, little ballerinas! Poor Charlotte hasn't been able to get out much. The Mommy and Me class I did with Grace was cancelled the year Charlotte was eligible as was the music class. So it is nice Charlotte finally has her own activity! 

She is loving every minute!

Grace is back in ballet too! She is in a class for five and six year olds and it is much more rigorous!

I can't even begin to explain how happy I am to haver her surgery behind us so that she can begin to build up her strength, balance and confidence!

Ballet has been hard for her. The movements require a lot of leg strength which she is slowly re-gaining. She has asked to sit out several times because her legs get wobbly or she "feels weird" (i.e. embarrassed) which breaks my heart. But better now, when she's hopefully too young to remember, young enough where it doesn't really matter and that the other kids haven't picked up yet on ostracizing the kid that is different. How thankful I am too that her ballet teacher is so patient and understanding. Pushing her when she needs to be pushed, understanding and patient when that is what Grace needs too. Taking extra time to help Grace re-learn her body and how to use it again.

It is comfort to an anxious heart and I am beyond grateful

So while it is just ballet, a sport I do not see my girls investing many years of their life, it is the perfect opportunity and activity for exactly what they each need - right now. 

First Day of School {2013}

I like to celebrate all the big and little moments of Grace and Charlotte's life. Some may think that is stupid or needless or that I indulge them. But parenthood has taught me a few things.

One - you can only do what is best for you and your family and two - these moments are fleeting. I feel like that is the theme of this blog as of late. All the fleeting moments. It will all be over before we know it. Sure, that is not totally true. But it is kinda true too. I feel like I am in the sweet spot of the best years, the most fun years (I know they are all fun but I think toddlerhood might be a little sweeter than teenagerdom - just guessin') so I just want to take advantage of all the cuteness and sweetness while I can!

That being said, the first day of school had to be celebrated!! This was a special day because they both had their first day of school on the same day! Next year, that won't be the case! So even though I was bone tired and sick as a dog, I put together a little First Day of School breakfast celebration!

It was a simple breakfast. Blueberry muffins, donuts, cereal and of course, apples!

I used free printables and supplies from the dollar store. 

I love this sign. Sums up what we want them to do, right?

Each girl had their own place setting, with a first day of school questionnaire! 

Those will be fun to look at it in the years to come! Their answers were pretty fun!

A note from Mommy and Daddy!

Each girl got a new art folder with their name on it.

Not sure what it is like at your house, but the artwork around here is coming out of our ears! Which is a love hate relationship. Love the art. Hate the clutter.

Grace with her rainman-like memory will ask to see something she made six months ago and heaven forbid if I can't instantly find it! So problem solved. They can now stuff everything into this folder - except for a few items we hang on their art wall (which I am hoping to create one of these days!)

Above their folder is a little apple pom pom garland I made! 

When the food was finished, we did a fun little scavenget hunt to collect a few new school supplies!

Nothing like a new box of crayons to kick off the year, right?

All the teachers got new tote bags filled with freshly picked apples!

This was a fun project! Grace helped do all the painting!

Then it was off to the first day of school!

First up - Charlotte!

She was SOOO excited and carted her school bag around for about an hour before we had to leave asking every 30 seconds if it was time to go! I was assigned to be a parent volunteer the first day so I got a few pictures of her in action. 

She goes back again on Friday and I won't be in the classroom, so things will be a little more interesting! I think she'll do just fine but Charlotte likes to keep us on our toes!

Since I was in the classroom with Charlotte and Court was at work, Grace spent the morning with Shelly, her babysitter, who I'd like to take a moment to publicly thank. I have no idea if she reads this blog, but I couldn't do all the things I need and want to do with each child without Shelly. She is patient, sweet, flexible and kind and I am so thankful for all that she does!

Once Charlotte was done with school, I had exactly one hour to get home from Tri Cities (a 45 min drive) and to get Grace to school on time. It was a bit hairy and I drove a little too fast so Court and I are working out the kinks this week to make future weeks run a little more smoothly! Thank goodness we live so close to Court's office now! A true lifesaver!

Court got to join in Grace's first day drop off. I think she was a bit overwhelmed! There were two classes of 12 kids and their families all milling about taking pictures. 

But in she went and out she came, three hours later, with nothing but smiles!

Success!

Everyone had a great day!

Charlotte words sum it up best...

Charlotte, did you like school?

Yes, I LOVE school.

You do! I am so glad! What was your favorite part?

I LOVED EVERYTHING!

So with that, we are back to school!

Did you do anything fun to kick off the year?

Resources

ABC Garland - Dimple Prints

Back to School Flags - Catch My Party

School Rules - Eighteen 25

Scavenger Hunts - Happy Home Fairy

Meeting Mrs. Anderson

Charlotte's orientation was this morning. She played in one room while the parents chatted and got the 411 on the school policies. For a solid hour she played in the other room with no problems! Hoping that it goes just as well next week when it is two hours and I am not anywhere in ear shot. A few pictures from the morning.


On the way in...

So excited. So big. 

We'd been practicing for weeks. When the teacher asks you your name, what are you going to say?

CHARLOTTE KATHERINE.

CHARLOTTE KATHERINE.

Then, just like we practiced, there was Mrs. Anderson crouched down in front of Charlotte asking her name. 

Charlotte wilted and hid behind my leg. 

Not what I expected. 

On the way out with the school bag she picked out.

"Lellow!"

So much fun awaits you Miss Charlotte...so excited to watch you grow and learn!

Off to the Races...and School (Almost)!

While the school year has not yet started, my job as chaffeur has officially begun.

We are going to be spending A LOT of time in the car...let me rephrase that...I will be spending a lot of time in the car.

My first realization of this came today.

The new dogs had their BIG appointments at the vet and needed to be dropped off by 7:45. After that, I took the girls to our old house to take their "First Day of School Pictures" by their trees. We know the people who are occupying are old house so it was cool we swung by and did our little photo shoot. Eventually, we will move the trees but all in good time. 

Monday real school starts and because the trees are not at our house, I decided to do a pre-first-day-of-school photo session. Monday is going to be hectic enough. We don't need to make a field trip to our old house on top of everything else.

So I dressed the girls up in their first day of school outfits and headed to the old house!

Keep in mind, these photos were taken at 8 am and while they are dressed in the outfits we've picked for the first day, their hair is out of control.

They woke up with TOTAL bed head and I am NOT fluent in hair...whatsoever.

This is the best I could do.

I am not proud of my hair abilities....or lack their of....

First up, Charlotte.

Charlotte will be wearing the outfit Grace wore on her VERY first day of school.

And if I didn't think time was flying by fast enough....

Look at this little nugget!

Two years ago on Grace's first day of school. 

Speaking of Grace....

Grace will be wearing a special couture ensemble. 

She was not quite awake. Gonna have to work on the ole bedtime-early wakeup-early routine!

So the story behind Grace's outfit.

I found this fabric a few years ago.

It has little girls all over it and the name Grace.

I fell in love with it but didn't know what I wanted to make with it. I showed it to my mom earlier this year and she suggested a blouse!

I loved the idea of a special Grace blouse for the first day of school so that is what I made.

I used this pattern and then decided she needed a suspender skirt as well!

After our quick photo session it was off to Grace's orientation!

She'll be in school four days a week and boy was she excited!

Grace's cubby.

They are "diving" into school with an ocean theme! Cuteness!

After orientation, it was off to Mana's house. As I was locking up the house, the girls hopped in the car to get themselves buckled in their seats. 

Charlotte - scratch that - Princess Charlotte thought she was soo clever!

Only 12 more years until this is a reality.

{gulp}

She is like a monkey steering with her feet. 

Anyway, that was our day in a nutshell. 

Lots of excitement. Lots of smiles. Lots of miles being put on the ole 'Burban.

Tomorrow, we meet Charlotte's teacher - Mrs. Anderson.

Good God let's hope she's ready...Mrs. Anderson that is...because Charlotte is R-E-A-D-Y!