Happy Camper

Addie just finished a week of soccer camp. While I know Addie would prefer anything but, I wanted to give team sports a shot. While sports are very much not my strength, I didn't want to assume the same for her. After the first day she wanted to ditch soccer camp for science camp. I almost did it too and then Cap talked some sense into me. It's 4 days. She can handle soccer camp.

On day one she said she didn't like it when all the kids tried to kick the ball at the same time. By Friday she said she was having more fun and was able to get a few kicks in herself.  When I asked if she got a medal, she said she didn't know they were giving them out and that if she had she wouldn't have spent the day wandering around the field. Ha! Monday she starts a week of 3-D Art Camp. I'm guessing she'll be a happier camper next week.


I wonder if she's the only camper that decorated her soccer ball.

Floaters

Last Sunday we started swim lessons for the girls after taking a 6 month break. I was frustrated with our old swim school as I didn't feel like Addie and Eliza were progressing fast enough. I'm super excited about starting them at this new one. The focus of the new school is all about water safety first, then strokes. You must be able to jump into a pool fully clothed and float. Safety first!

Both girls took swim assessments and I was shocked when the they ended up being placed in the same level - Level II: Floaters. Eliza, I was told, has great floating potential and was very comfortable in the water. Addie, was strong enough to be in the next level up but not until she can master the art of floating on her back and know when she needs to use it in an emergency. After her first class on Sunday, her teacher (although he was a substitute) said she was definitely ready for the next level up and could possibly move at her next lesson - now that sounds more like it!

I am really excited to get them both really swim safe this summer and I know this school is the right choice.  The girls are super excited to go too. We were lucky to get a spot for each girl in private swim lessons at the same time on a weekend but it means stopping Eliza's gym class, at least for now. Choices, choices.

The Runaway Note

I really hadn't put two and two together when Addie, right up to the end of the school year, was melting down more over trivial things. While she said she was excited for kindergarten to end, I think it was a bit more complicated. After an evening scooter ride around the neighborhood Addie got upset over something that normally wouldn't have bothered her. But she was mad. So mad in fact that when we got home she wrote this note and stormed off to her room.

Poor us. Locked in a cage. But how cute is a stick-figure Xavier?!

Spring Recital

Xavier and Eliza had their Spring Recital on the official last day of school before summer. They won't really notice the difference though since it's the same routine for them.  The toddlers started out singing but after the first song all you could hear was the CD and the teachers. The kids just stood and stared. Eliza also spent a large part of it holding her dress up over her face. Oh well.

Cap and I went to see some music of our own - Van Halen! My office has a suite at the Staples Center and gives out tickets to staff on occasion. Eddie and Alex Van Halen still rock but David Lee Roth is ready for Vegas. Did you know he now has a sheep farm and loves dogs?

Eddie's solo

The Gap Days

LAUSD, for budget cut reasons, shortened the school year by three days. Instead of ending the year on  Friday, Tuesday was Addie's last day. Summer Camp doesn't start until Monday so we had three days without a childcare plan. We did a kid swap with Addie's friend Danika - great idea! Wednesday, Addie spent the day at Danika's house with her mom baking cookies, playing dollhouse and swimming -- and going a little Lord of the Flies too (I'm told this is their own mixture of sidewalk chalk turned face paint and moss).



Thursday, I took off from work and the girls did Shrinky Dinks and then I took them to the Griffith Observatory planetarium to see the star show. This has been a dream of mine for years. You have to 5 to go to the star show so we never went because of the little ones. This was the perfect opportunity with Eliza and Xavier in school and a free day with two six-year-olds. Danika was somewhat terrified (she thinks Tinkerbell is scary) but made it through the half hour show. Addie, of course, wanted to go again.

Friday, Cap and I switched off at home with Addie and Danika. They jumped in the bounce house (poor Addie got stung twice by a wasp!), played house and dress-up, walked to get lemonade from the kids down the block, and then I tricked them into going to Target to get Addie's comfortable clothes for summer camp with the promise of an Icee.

The girls are amazing together. No fighting and they always have tons of fun. They don't go to the same elementary school during the year, but they start a week of soccer camp together on Monday, followed by a week of art camp and then the rest of the summer they are doing regular camp except for vacations. Next year we are thinking of sending the 2 of them off to sleep-away camp for a week in the Hollywood Hills. Addie is already super excited!

Good-bye Kindergarten

It has been a mad dash to the end of school. Field day, water day, spirit week, and oodles of art and school work coming home in her backpack. I don't think I've worked a full week this June with the different end of year events between kindergarten and Montessori.

I am so proud of her. She can really read like a champ and on the second to last day of school she brought her own book to read to her class. To practice sight words, the kids, depending on their individual reading level, once a week tackle 20 "turtle" words. Her teacher calls them the Turtle Kids. I told Addie if she got to Turtle 10 by the end of the year she could pick out a toy. I would have gotten her an American Girl doll if she wanted but guess what she chose? A chocolate bar. Yup. That's my Addie.





On the last day of school, I picked Addie up at 2:29 instead of sending her to STAR in the afternoon. I had arranged with another Mom to take our girls to get frozen yogurt after school as a treat before going to the end of year party at another classmate's house. This is a story of managing expectations. I thought I was being the best Mom in the world taking a half day off from work but when Addie saw me she told me she didn't want to go with me to get a treat and only wanted to go with Sofia's mom. Did I cry? Almost. Addie thought she was going on a drop-off playdate, something she really loves, and I thought this was going to be a magical Mother-daughter afternoon. After we both adjusted expectations, we all had a great afternoon. Addie's teacher come to the party too and it was so great for Addie, and all the kids and parents, to say good-bye. I feel so lucky we had Mrs. Carman as her kindergarten teacher. I wish we could have her every year through fifth grade! How great is this photo. Of course Addie insisted on wearing vampire teeth in the photo. Why not?!

After the party, I took a reluctant Addie home and then went back to work where I was until 3 am. I worked 13 hours that day even though I was away for six hours. Busy times for everyone.

Hello First Grade! (thankfully there is a summer in between to get both of our heads around the concept.)


Practicing our 'do for Crazy Hair Day at school


Fancy Dress Day

Popsicles, Butterflies and Ball Pits

We said good-bye to Gran last Saturday morning after a lovely 2 week visit. Now that she's retired we get to enjoy longer and more frequent visits from Mom. Addie remarked after she left, "I forgot how fun Gran is." What a sweetie!

After art class, the girls ate the orange juice popsicles they had made with Gran the day before. It was a tough lesson for Eliza in delayed gratification. That afternoon we visited the butterfly pavilion at the Natural History Museum too. My favorite were the monarch butterfly caterpillars. We also saw a lot of California Dogface caterpillars too which I learned is our unfortunately named State insect.

Sunday after Eliza's class, I somehow convinced Cap to go to IKEA. The idea was to check out the outdoor furniture and bunk beds. I was actually impressed by their super duper cheap model (only $159!) but can already see that I'll be apoplectic trying to pick a color to paint the raw wood. I like the idea of teal or orange but have a feeling I'll chicken out and paint it white. We didn't actually buy it yet. While the minivan is big, it can't fit all 5 us and a bunk bed and there isn't a huge rush to get one anyway. I've always wanted these gorgeous Jenny Lind twin beds with trundles from Land of Nod for the girls room but the space (and cost) savings offered by the IKEA bunk bed is alluring. Decisions, decisions.


The ball pit is pretty cool and the free babysitting is very much appreciated. She looks like a cranberry here.

Book Time

Gran read Leonardo the Terrible Monster to Addie's kindergarten class on Friday. They loved it!  Addie introduced her saying, "This is my granny. Her her name is Gran."  Cute.

Beam me up!

Addie participated in her third and final school musical of the year on Thursday. We were lucky Gran was here to see it. This was the second musical put on by her after school program, and they really do an impressive job in just a few short weeks. Along with the singing, each kinder got a line. Addie's was "If I don't find something good to do, I'll scream. AHHHHH!" which she said with great dramatic flair and comic timing.

When Eliza saw her on stage she screamed, "Addie!" Addie gave her a little wave. Xavier kicked back in his stroller the whole time happy as a clam even thought the play started after his usual bedtime. Eliza, however, after about 30 minutes had already turned into a pumpkin and was bouncing all over the place going back and forth between the seats and the aisle, which was actually an improvement over last time when she walked around the darkened auditorium with Cap in pursuit.

And Addie's hair style isn't part of the costume. She looks like a comb and brush might be alien objects on her planet.

Art School Confidential

I can't tell you how excited I am that Addie is finally enrolled in a serious art class. Saturday mornings for an hour and half she gets to sit in a light filled studio drawing and painting with kids ages 6-12. After class she said she wanted to stay enrolled until she's 7 and then quickly changed her mind, "until I'm 10!" Seeing her admiring all of the art supplies was like a kid in a candy store (which she also super likes too). Her friend Emi is in the class so it's extra fun.

Eliza has her gym class and Addie has her art class on weekends. I just need to figure out how to get them both back into swim lessons. We have a trial swim evaluation class tomorrow after school. Summer lessons are already booked so I'm going to see if we can make it work at this new swim school. I'm eager to get Eliza swim safe this summer and give Addie a chance to work on her strokes.





van Gogh's Mulberry Tree

Tooth #3

Addie lost her first top tooth on Friday afternoon. It has been loose for ages. We were home early after Eliza and Xavier's school picnic when Addie called me from the living room to announce she had been wiggling her tooth and it just came out in her hand. No blood and gore. No swallowing. The tooth fairy is very generous and left not one but two gold $1 coins. One she put in her piggy bank and the other is momentarily misplaced somewhere in the house.

Don't you just love her toothy smile?!

10 months

Saturday wasn't just Addie's birthday party, but also Xavier's 10 month birthday.  He is such a sweetheart!  He has 6 teeth and is growing a fine dusting of blonde hair on that big noggin of his. He can pull himself up and still crawls on one knee - tripod style.

Xavier is a total delight. And funny. Like his sisters.