Dancing Queen!

Maya loves to dance. When she was about 18 months old she and Chris 'made up' a dance they would always do together during our dance parties. Though we still have our dance parties, she has moved on to wanting to do more. Last year we took a Mommy and Me Creative Movement class through community education with the awesome Miss Sarah. Not only is she an amazing dancer but she is a beautiful singer and awesome at nurturing each child. This year Maya is on the cusp of the age for the 'big girl' creative movement class (3 1/2). Because the class worked better with our schedule AND her cousin Sarah wanted to dance also, we decided to go for it. I was a smidge nervous that she wouldn't be mature enough to listen or follow directions. She did great at that. I think the only issue was invading her cousins space a little too much (though Sarah never seemed disturbed by it) but it was ironic because Maya tends to get very edgy if her space is invaded without permission. Silly girl! At the end of each class, each child gets their '30 seconds of fame' to dance in front of the class. In the above photo Maya's back is to the camera (dark pink leo & black tights). Here is a video of Maya's first dance!

Film Maker

Maya has learned how to make videos on my camera...perhaps not a great idea to let her BUT she's having such a great time and I love looking at her little videos. Here is a silly one!

Drawings

Tonight while waiting for dinner to be ready, Maya sat down to draw a picture of our family. I thought it was pretty darn awesome! From left to right is Chris, Maya, Owen, Me and Cally is on the ground.

Girlfriend

This morning I told Maya I was going to go jump in the shower because he friends Emilie (3 yrs) and Ellie (16 months) would be here soon. As I walked in to my room I overheard her tell Owen "Ellie is coming soon Owen. She's your girlfriend, remember?" Owen loves girls and women so much, I really don't want to encourage that, ha!

Halloween

Owen's Halloween costume cracks me up! Here is a partial preview!

What is that thing?

Today we went to downtown Seattle to go to the Aquarium with our friends (Owen's first time..but I forget my camera so I don't have a single picture to post). We go in to Seattle about once or twice a month but mostly it's only to the zoo so we don't get to really see the city. Today we drove by Seattle Center and saw the Space Needle and EMP. As we were driving by Maya first asked (in reference to EMP) "Is it soft and squishy mommy?" After a little laugh I explained it's made out of metal but looks very curvy. Then she exclaimed "What is that thing gong up the Space Noodle?!" It was the elevator but obviously the bigger giggle was from the giant Space Noodle in downtown Seattle. Such a silly goose. I love when she calls things by the wrong name...like the Pumpkin Pie where we go to get our pumpkins at Halloween. Ha!

Chocolate Pudding

Tonight for dessert was chocolate pudding!

The Adventures of Blanket Boy

Owen has decided he likes to pass his time playing blanket boy; he basically covers himself with his blanket and walks around running in to things. So funny and super cute!

Ribbons

I like to think I have a little crafty side to myself. Sometimes this instinct creates dismal results. Sometimes it creates great projects like my new hair ribbon obsession. Maya is my official 'cutter' and I am the 'gluer' Thus far we have made 13 hair ribbons. The first five we made for Maya, Charissa, Emilie, Addison & Sarah (all friends or cousins) with their favorite colors. The second 5 were Halloween themed and the last 3 are Fall themed. Next we have some Christmas ribbons and a few more Thanksgiving ones. It's a new obsession which will result in way more ribbons than one girl can wear.

Owena

Maya likes to dress Owen up in her clothes and quite honestly I find it funny, so I help. Here is 'Owena' in Maya's nightgown and headband drinking from my water bottle.. He probably would have worn the outfit all night had I not decided I was done thinking he was Maya every time I turned around. By the way, my husband took this picture of them...on our dining room table...drinking from my water bottle. Silly daddy and silly kids.

A Singing Nap

It's been quite awhile since I have put Maya down for a nap only to listen to her sing the whole time...alas, despite my efforts, she has been laying in her bed signing for 46 minutes. She only naps about twice a week maybe three times if I'm lucky. Today, however, I have been listening to her rendition of Taylor Swift's You Belong With Me...oh how she makes me giggle. At least she has only tried to come out once. 14 more minutes now on her clock til she's allowed to get up from her rest. Let's all commence praying she doesn't begin melting down at 7 p.m....

You did what?!?!

This afternoon Maya was playing with the long attachment for the vacuum cleaner. She was told not to swing it around, but of course, she did anyway and hit Owen. When I asked her what she was doing she said "I smoked him with fire." Huh?? Oh man.... Where did she get that? It took awhile, but then I realized she has watched The Little Mermaid quite a few times recently and I believe she is thinking of King Triton and his trident. Sheesh!

Zoo Days

I woke up this morning thinking about the fact that we had not been to the zoo in quite some time and decided we should head down there. Owen had not been to the zoo since he has started walking and Chris had not been since early last spring. Off we headed and much to our surprise, it was members appreciation day so there were lots of free activities (like face painting, bounce houses, etc.) plus it turned out to be a beautiful, sunny day!

Owen & the Penguins

Maya's supermodel pose at the penguin exhibit

Free Face Painting!


A ride on the carousel


Owen making friends at the elephant exhibit

And so it begins!

Maya came running down the stairs this morning asking me to come up to her room. I wasn't sure what she wanted, but it was to show me that her clock had turned green (the indicator that it's OK to get up). Then she looked at me with her eyes wide and asked "What's today?". When I told her it was her first day of preschool she was ecstatic. It was 7:45 and we had a lot to do before we could leave the house at 9:25. We had eggs, toast and peaches then Maya needed a bath (not our usual routine but we ran out of time last night) and finally she got dressed in her new first day of school outfit we bought yesterday. She was most excited about her new Twinkle Toes sketchers. She had been wanting them for months but I finally found a great deal on them yesterday. When we were all ready, we loaded her things in to her new Ariel backpack and went out front to take a few pictures.

The preschool is only about 5 or 6 miles from my house but it takes me about 10 minutes. On the way there we were talking about the construction we were driving by and Maya suddenly said "Mommy, I am so excited for my first day of preschool." My heart melted. Though she had been so excited and had been asking about it for months, in the back of my mind I was just hoping she wouldn't suddenly decide it was not such a great idea.

First we found her cubby and got her name tag to wear for the first day:

Then she decided to pose in at one of the art tables (she was looking at Owen):


It took her a minute to decide what she wanted to do first, but she settled on building a tower:


I had been there lingering for about 10 minutes and decided it was time to hit the road (though most of the parents were still holding out). I told her I was leaving and she said ok, I'll see you in a little while and off I went. Or so I thought. I was opening the outside door and heard, "Wait, mommy!" I thought uh oh! But, she only wanted to know where she could see me to wave goodbye. Luckily I had parked by a window and so I showed her it and out I went. Of course, by the time I got out there, she barely stopped what she was doing to wave, but she did.


Owen and I spent out time at Target then at home playing. Man, it's quiet without the continual chatter of a 3 year old girl! Alas, the time went quickly and I went back to get her. She was so excited to tell me all about the puppet theater, the book they read, the two projects she made, circle time, the clean up song and playing out on the playground. She had a great day and as I was zipping up her sweater she asked me how many days it is until she gets to go to school again. I was so happy for her that she had a fantastic day!

Questions

Lately Maya has been filled with all sorts of questions. At lunch the other day she wanted to know which animals eat without chewing then she wanted to know which animals have flat teeth and which have pointed teeth. Last week while driving in the car she wanted to know how dogs swim (we had just crossed over the Snohomish River). Today she wanted to know what kinds of animals jump and if spiders have teeth. I love all the questions but they make me realize I need to do some studying or something. I once saw a book about questions your kids ask you....I think I need to buy it! Not only will it have answers but I love demonstrating that we can find information in books (always an English teacher at heart).

It's the end...

I am finding myself singing "It's the end of the world as we know it...." because summer is over. I am not, however, singing "and I feel fine." That first day of 'fall' in the northwest is always shocking; I wake up and suddenly realize I must delve into the part of my closet that has been left ignored for a few months. I went from shorts and sandals to jeans and a sweatshirt overnight. I need to ease into fall...not, well, fall into it. It shocks my system. I do not like being shocked (electrically or mentally). I am holding out for summer to make a momentary reprisal. Just a couple days would be lovely. Oh fall, today I loathe thee.

Fair

The kids and I spent a total of 7 hours at the fair! Thankfully it was in two trips; it was very nice that we live close enough to go twice in one day. We met our friends in the morning to go on some rides, get our faces painted and check out a few animals. After the daddys were home from work, we all headed out again for more rides, dinner and games! The girls are right on the cusp of the 42 inches required to ride alone (Maya is 42, the other two were a hair or so under) so each time they went to get on a ride we would all hold our breath. Sometimes it mattered and sometimes it didn't. The girls road the roller coast at least 3 times but only once was Lora required to ride with them (they singled out her daughter Addie though Sarah is the shortest...funny!).

Maya, Sarah (in back) & Addison (front right)

Sarah (left ) & Maya(right)

Owen & his buddy Brody

Lora chaperoning...though the only time
required to do so ...

Face painted!