As Steve Miller says,

"You're such a pretty lady. You're such a sweet girl. When you dance it brightens up my world."


Today was the last of 4 sessions of ballet/tap.




I would say that Ava has come a long way, but she hasn't. Really, once a week for four weeks is fun but not too substantial.


Ava was SO excited to take "bow-way". SO excited. I told her she got to take tap as well. But she wasn't too thrilled with the idea and expressed her desire to focus solely on "bow-way". Luckily she became fond of tapping and stomping and clapping after the first class.

And let's just say, tap seems to be much more up her alley than the graceful movements of plies and pointed toes.

But all that really matters is that she had fun, right?! And she did love it! Her favorite part had to be the "outfit". Especially the ballet shoes.



Luke, on the other hand was never very thrilled with sitting in the studio for an hour. And I was never very thrilled with his nearly 40 pound body mass, wallowing all over me as he fussed and cried to "GO!"

My photographic opportunities were severely compromised this morning as I had to hold a screaming, heavy Luke in one arm and my camera on the other.

But here she is performing their tap routine.


"We got to be stars today, Mom!"


Playing her jazzy pretend trumpet,


And here is where I'm thinking she might be more suited for basketball, like her old woman.




Ava loved Miss Susie, her teacher.


Even Luke enjoyed the show.


And I haven't decided whether or not to enroll her in the next session or not. She would love it, I'm just not how much more wallowing I can handle.



Based on how much she enjoyed the classes I shouldn't read too much into this but, even as her career as a ballerina has barely gotten started, she's already hung up her shoes!

2

Now that he's two maybe we should stop calling him Lukey.

We've said from its inception that "Lukey" is probably not a name he'd like to be called when he gets older. But despite our not so fervent efforts to stop, Lukey remains.

And so does his delicious sweetness.


And his paci.


And his fun smile.




And his rambunctious boyness.





And his tender heart.



And his figure-things-out mind.




And his soft skin.




And his big baby blues.



And his ability to melt my heart into a big, sloppy puddle of love.


Happy Birthday, to my Sweet Love-Boy!

As I was putting Ava to bed last week, she was telling me about the kind of dream she would like to have that night. Sometimes we talk about the good things she can dream about so she doesn't worry about having bad dreams.

She listed a few possibilities like dreams about candy and ponies. And then she said,

"Mom, I know my best dream. The best dream is when I went to the hospital to meet Wukey when he came out of your tummy."

I couldn't agree more. He is a dream come true.

Don't be fooled, this whole post is random

First off, a few random items of business that have nothing to do with the rest of this post.

Does this photo remind you of any character from a movie?


Am I strange to be reminded of Elijah Wood in Lord of the rings?

Between the shaggy hair, the big blue eyes, and the dirty face, I think he could pass for a hobbit.

And secondly, I had to write down something Ava said in church last week. During the sacrament, when things were particularly quiet, in her loud voice (whispering has not been mastered), Ava says for me and the surrounding four rows to hear,

"Mom, when Jesus Christ sees us being kind does he make Santa Claus give us presents?"


Also, we had a really great weekend with my parents down here for a visit.

We made Dan this shirt for his father's day present. He loved it. I hope I can keep adding hand prints to it with each new addition.


And having two dads to celebrate with is a good way to go! We are lucky to have Mom and Dad so close!


While they were here, Luke got a much needed haircut.


He needed a haircut reeeaaaal bad.




I know I have written about how much he detests getting his hair cut before, but if it is possible, his hatred has grown. A lot.

Such a conniption of screaming, flailing, and caterwauling has never been displayed. If you were only listening from another room, you might be sure we were performing torture of the cruelest kind.

If he only could have held it together for a minute or two, we could have ended it much sooner. Instead this dragged out into a two part process of horror.


But I think the end result is pretty astounding given what we had to work with!

And now that I am finished with the random stuff, I am thinking I'd just be better served to accept that this was enough to qualify for it's own post and start new, but I'm not. I'm just going to tack this on right here...



I have been feeling very fortunate that we have been staying busy and not feeling too lonely. I guess we have plenty going on because, again, we didn't need all of the activities I had planned.

We did make Peanut Butter playdough and it was a hit!


I am wondering if I made a little mistake by making this edible stuff. Luke has had few encounters with playdough and I'm worried that he will now think all playdough is edible, though I am sure after one bite of salt dough, he'll reconsider.


Raisins and Cheerios make super nice decorations



and it feels good to squish them in.



One other random tidbit, Dan surprised me with a new lens. I'm still figuring it out, but I think I like it!



And in the queue this week, even though I'm sure we won't get to them all:

making regular playdough
Making baked doughnuts
shaving cream and food coloring

XY

We left with a quick kiss for Ava while Luke screamed in the babysitters arms. We went to our appointment. And we looked on in anxious anticipation as the tech rubbed the wand over my belly. She pulled up a little arrow on the screen and aimed it the area that looked suspiciously like boy parts.

A boy! A boy? A boy!

I am still in shock. I was 99.9% sure it was a girl. And actually I didn't really have a preference. Of course I wanted to be right for the sake of being right. And because I have a stockpile of deliciously cute girl clothes.

But a little brother for Luke makes me so happy! And knowing how enchanted I am by my son fuels my excitement for another.

I was worried about Ava's reaction for sure. But she took the news well and is still excited for our new baby. And especially after seeing his tiny hands tucked under his little face and watching his belly bounce with the hiccups, I am too.

In Review

So in regards to "the plan", last week was a success. I didn't even need all of my ideas, but it still felt good to have them ready if the situation required.

We made our bean collages. Both Luke and Ava enjoyed it, I think. Luke mostly loved moving the beans back and forth between his paper and the bowl.


Ava loved squeezing her own glue.


And I found myself having a pretty good time making my own as well.


We got sweet surprise birthday presents from Uncle Bret's family (Thank you!). Ava opened hers and we are saving Luke's till his birthday.

It was a cute apron, chef's hat and pink lip gloss. It was very well received,



And came just in time because I also received in the mail this week, a book I had ordered that I am really, really excited about.

It's called Pretend Soup and it is a preschoolers cookbook. It basically has some simple recipes written out for adults and then in picture form, so that a child can follow it, with a little help, of course.

We've only made one recipe so far, Popovers, but it was so much fun. Ava loves to cook and has since she could push her own chair over to the counter. I let her do most of it herself and she was so excited and proud. I'd ask her, "what's next?" and she would look at the next picture and say, "flour!" or "stir!".

That was another realization I've had with "the plan", is that I am really going to try hard to let the kids do these projects and activities regardless of how I think they should do it. I can clean up a little mess, but them experiencing art and cooking without all the "no, like this!" or "don't make a mess!" like I usually do, will go a long way.

The sad part of our popovers was that Ava didn't eat them. I thought she would like them but she said politely said she had a tummy ache and asked if I could get her some Goldfish crackers instead. Oh well, she was proud and happy with them even if she didn't eat them. Unfortunately for my growing waistline, I ate most of them. They are really good with butter and jam! And she beamed with pride as Dan complimented her with a full mouth, when he got home from work.


To anyone that has kids or knows kids, that likes to cook, or that wants to help kids like to cook, I would recommend this book!

And on the docket this week:
clean mud (mixture of cheap toilet paper and water)
trace our bodies
peanut butter playdough(1 cup pb, 2/3-1 cup dried milk, 2 Tbs. honey)
make father's day presents

That's what I'm talking about!

Yesterday a marvelous thing happened. Well, first a not-so-marvelous thing happened, but it inspired some marvelosity. I know I am a bit weird but this got me so excited!

I went to Motherhood Maternity. I pulled about 300 items off the racks and settled into the dressing room. Nothing was right. I am at the awkward stage of not fitting into my regular clothes but not looking quite pregnant either, just fat I suppose.

But as I tried on thing after thing, I was totally digging the "secret belly" panel that has arrived since my last pregnancy, which consists of stretchy material that goes all the way around your tummy. As I investigated further I found this stretchy stuff was simply serged right to the edge of the pants and/or skirts.

So I left the store with a measly purchase. I came home and headed to my closet where a pile of non-fitting, old clothes has sat for a looong time. I enivisioned using the material for sewing projects, but had yet to do it.

I found an old hippie skirt that was never quite long enough on me. I also found a stretchy pink shirt that was too short for my liking. Do you see where this is going? Come along, I'll show you!


I cut off the bottom of the skirt and the bottom of the shirt. This way I still had a finished edge on each article of clothing.

And I have a serger that I still can't operate, so I settled for a little zig zag action instead. Facing right sides together and lining up the raw edges, I made myself a maternity skirt,



Not too unlike those I tried on at the store.


And then there's a bonus!

After chopping off the bottom of the skirt, I was left with a drawstring waisted, tiny skirt, just perfect for a little girl I know. I just hemmed the bottom and it was instant gratification!


So 45 minutes and $0 later, we have two new, wearable skirts, out of formerly unusable, disregarded laundry. Wahoo!

Bums are in the genes

Hopefully bums are in jeans too.

Dan has long since reminisced about summer evenings growing up. That usually leads to remembering the trampoline, which leads to his retelling of his jumping memories, which usually involves at least one mention of "a bum".

A bum is the childhood name given to the act of jumping into the air and landing on your bottom. Apparently this was a common trampoline trick.

So today, as we played in our backyard water wonderland, I caught a breakdown of "a bum" action sequence. What also must be noted is that Luke pulls this move all the time, usually in the tub and sometimes on the regular floor (ouch!).


Here you can see him winding up...



Getting a little air...



Splashdown...



And success! A completed "bum"! In perfect form!



This boy is a natural! Without a single instruction, Luke performs the legendary trick, which can mean only one thing, it's in the genes!

A new dress, but not a love connection

So I've gotten the sewing itch back since I've been feeling better. I sat down yesterday afternoon and made Ava a new dress.


She is so hard to dress these days. She is very particular but there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason behind her choices other than mood, which is hard to read.

Our mornings go like this:

Me: Let's get dressed Ava.

Ava: Oh...okay. Pick me something, Mom.

Me: How about this dress?

Ava: No! I don't want to wear that one!

Me: Okay, how about this?

Ava: No! I don't want to wear that either.

Me: Okay, then you pick something you'd like to wear.

Ava: I can't! I just don't know! You pick me something, Mom!


And so it goes.

I thought if I could find a dress (seems to be the outfit of choice these days) that she liked and was comfortable, I could just make a bunch and our struggles might be over.

Unfortunately she did not want to wear it until I added a little girly touch (the flower).


Once I added the flower she said she loved it, but as soon as we were home from church that dress was off!

So I'm not sure this is a match. Maybe I'll try it in pink...

P.S. To those of you who signed up to receive something made by me, I am really planning on it happening this year! (For a while there I was doubtful!) But I haven't forgotten!

Work The Plan

Does your mom say that?

Mine does. At least I think she does, otherwise I don't know where I got that.

I've made a plan and I'm feeling good.

To be frank, I have not been looking forward to this summer. In fact to be really frank, I have been dreading this summer. And it all boils down to 3 reasons.

For the past few months I have had plenty of time to ruminate on why this summer is going to be the worst. And don't worry this post has an up side.

1. Though I am feeling so much better now (Hallelujah!) I was really not feeling well a few weeks ago. It is hard for me to enjoy anything, let alone being a mom when I am like that. Now that situation has remedied itself for a major part, but I am still factoring in my tiredness, occasional sickness, and my growing belly in the growing heat.

2. No more preschool. I hear lots of moms express their excitement over school being out and having lots of free time. And I understand that I am not them. I do not fit their frame of mind (someday I hope to) nor do I fit their same scenario. And that is okay. It has to be okay.



This means lots of free time with my Ava. Probably only 3 people who read this will understand what I'm saying, but this is a most demanding endeavor. She loves school and she needs school. Hopefully my plan will help out with the need for structure and meaningful work.

And the other part of this worry factor is that in recent weeks Luke has poured on the combination of irritability and major fit throwing (terrible two's?). So while I was mostly worrying about Ava, now I am worrying about Luke too.



3. Finally, my best friend is gone- the person I could call at any hour, last minute or weeks in advance, and say "Hey you wanna do this with me?", the person who'd call and invite us over when we needed out of the house, the person who would make my grumpy kids and the fact that I was sweltering and pregnant not really matter so much- is gone.

So like I said, I have had this stuff in my mind for months. I have worried for months. And now it's go time! Summer is here! And I decided I could sit by and let my fears play out or I could try my best to make it really great.

I signed Ava up for a ballet/tap class. I have been trying to be more involved in my local mom's group activities. And I made a plan.

I kind of felt like a preschool teacher as I sat down with my notebook and jotted out my ideas. And this is what it boils down to:

I will have an small container with filled with activities (the everyday box) that we can do at home with materials we have on hand. We can pull from this box once or twice a day. It will include activities like the following: (and I would be ever so appreciative if you would leave any additional ideas in the comments)

play in the sprinkler
play with the water table
"paint" the fence with water
play a board game
build a tent
play hide n' seek
have a tea party
make cookies
read stories
play hairdresser
write letters (watch your mailbox!)
rent a movie

And the other portion of the plan involves approximately 3 (we'll see how it goes) special activities per week. These are ones that require more or specific materials or are more messy, that I will prepare for week by week.

First up for June 8-12:

Making homemade pretzels
printing with food
making bean collages

Also, I am hoping to follow a general schedule each day and when I figure out what will work best I will write it down. I also have a list of local places to go and see and do as well as activities that can happen on the same day each week.

It's all a little different for me, because while I really appreciate organization, I fall in the middle of the continuum of winger vs. planner.

My notebook has become a little peace of mind. In my researching of activities I have been reminded of what really makes me tick as a person (making things) and I have even gotten excited about the summer! Excited! I could hardly believe that myself after how doomsday I've been feeling.

So now all that's left is to work the plan and have fun!

Okay, just one more party

May is big birthday month in our family, on both sides actually.

But my Dan turned 30.

30!

And I didn't even write him a special tribute or post on his actual birthday! Terrible!

But better late than never, right.

We did have a little party with my parents over Memorial Day.


Mom made the table so festive,



And I made the cake.




We didn't have 30 candles but he blew out all nine like a pro!



And then we went out to eat on his actual birthday. And as we sat there in our booth, chowing on chips and salsa, while Ava busied herself with the sugar packets and Luke rolled his cars off the edge of the table, we realized that this was the first time we had taken the family to a sit down restaurant since Luke was a few weeks old. At the very same restaurant, incidentally.

The food was good and the kids didn't do half bad, so maybe we won't have to wait another 2 years before we try it again.

So without further ado, in my traditional birthday blog fashion-

I love you, Dan! Happy Birthday!