Cheap Manual Labor ;-)

Before you ask to hire out this labor, they only finished about one-fourth of the car, got bored, and then moved onto another activity! Good thing they were cheap! ;-)

Ninja Henry

Lately Henry loves ninjas and imitating ninja moves. He especially loves for me to take pictures of him doing ninja moves in the air.  ;-) 

"Hi-ya!"

Charlotte showing me her ninja moves (haha!)...

Where does he come up with this stuff?! :-)

Charlotte and Mommy Time

Charlotte loves to play! She is very easy to play with because she will play anything you suggest. The only thing she requires is a playmate.  She is definitely not a "play by herself" kind of a girl!  :-)  I love having Mondays and Fridays with her but unless she can help, not much gets done around the house! So what do we do on our days off together? 

She loves stickers, any kind.  She thinks it is hilarious to put them on anything but paper...our couches, the kitchen table, her car seat, my legs....

This girl loves dance parties!  She loves to turn up Henry's Kidz Bop CD's, play her guitar, and dance, dance, dance!   

Charlotte loves, loves, loves the park! She squeals whenever we pull into the parking lot! :-) Her absolute favorite thing to do is swing. She would let you push her in the swing for hours. "High to sky!", she says.  ;-) 

She loves to include her stuffed animals and lovey in on our activities.  She sets up slumber parties with all of her animals "tucked" in.  :-)  

She loves to color, play with Play-Doh, use glue, scissors, and stamps, but she especially loves to paint!

Charlotte has never been one that will sit to watch television any longer than twenty or so minutes.  Lately she loves Paw Patrol and Peter Rabbit on Nick Jr.  I try to use TV time when I desperately need to get something done.  :-) 

She loves, loves, loves puzzles!  You might think that playing with puzzles is something she could do on her own but she really loves when you sit next to her and she pretends to put the wrong piece in and you laugh and tell her she is silly.  It never gets old to her!  ;-)

(Look at that girl striking a pose!)

No matter how much fun stuff we do throughout the day, her most favorite part is always waiting for Henry to get off of the bus in the afternoon.  That girl LOVES her brother!  :-)

Super Star Henry

I was so excited to receive this email on Thursday from Henry's teacher...

"I have nominated Henry for the October Character Education Trait of Responsibility. Congratulations, Henry, you deserve it! I can count on Henry to make responsible choices every day!"

We let our Super Star choose a place to celebrate and he chose...

...Chuck 'E Cheese! ;-)

Every Super Star deserves their very own monster truck!  ;-)

Charlotte was excited to celebrate with Henry...

...and Clifford! ;-)

Henry and I share a great love of Skee-Ball but already he is much better than me!  :-)

The hooligans taking a trip through outer space...

Henry, your daddy and I could not be more proud of the big kid you have become! School can be tough but you are thriving! We could have never dreamed of a son as wonderful as you! We love you a googolplex! ;-)  

On a side note, Henry's red face is Fifth disease. He woke up with a red, splotchy face and neck on Thursday. When I told him he was going to have to miss school, he cried. :-( He kept saying he didn't want to get behind. We saw the doctor and he told Henry that he could go back immediately. Once the rash appears, he is no longer contagious. So we stopped and had Chick-Fil-A and then I dropped him back at school!  ;-) Henry was not sick at all the few days before the rash...no fever or upset stomach.  Since Thursday the rash has spread all over his body so I am glad that he has the weekend to hopefully clear it up.  

Ballerina Charlotte

Charlotte is taking a ballet class at our YMCA on Monday mornings. It is probably one of the cutest and most entertaining things I have seen in a long time! Their teacher is clearly a ballerina...tall, long legs, very graceful...and she is trying to teach seven two-year olds the positions and graceful movements of ballet. Precious! :-)

Surprisingly Charlotte started crying halfway through the first class and didn't stop until it was over. I hadn't told her that I was not going to be in the room and I think she got upset once she realized I wasn't there. The moms all wait outside of the studio but can watch their class on a TV screen. She likes to know exactly what is going to happen at all times. Before the next class I showed her where I sit and how I can watch her and she had a great time from then on!

How adorable is she?!  :-)

She and her best friend, Mary Wynne don't get enough of each other at school so they are in dance class together too! :-)

I am not sure that Charlotte is destined to be a ballerina but you just never know! :-)

Friday Night Football

We have a private school right down the street from us and we love going to their football games on Friday nights!  Maybe it is because it is a private school but it is unlike any high school game Trey and I have ever been to.  There is tailgating in the parking lot, they sell Moe's and Chick-Fil-A in the concession stands, and they give out different favors at every game!

This particular Friday they were giving out Mardi Gras beads, noisemaker whistles, and blow-ups that make noise when clapped together...

...or become weapons for our Super Henry! ;-)

Trey and Henry watching the football players run into the stadium...

"Go Bucs!"

Friday nights are made for football...

...and for time together! :-)

Charlotte's First Week of Preschool :-)

Charlotte started preschool the Tuesday after Labor Day. She is going to the same preschool that Henry went to last year. She goes Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday from 930a to 1p. (The first week was only 930a to 1130a.) When Henry was age two we only sent him two days a week. We decided to send Charlotte three days for several reasons. Charlotte is a social butterfly. She loves being around people and thrives in social situations. Charlotte is also not a huge fan of playing by herself and I knew that would be difficult for her (and me) at home with Henry at school all day. We also have several friends in each of the three day classes but did not know anyone in the two day class. Plus we have never had a problem with separation anxiety with her so it never crossed my mind that she would have any difficulties with this transition into preschool.

Our beautiful big girl all ready for her first day of school...

We were really lucky to get into this class. One of her best buddies, Mary Wynne is in the same class. Mary Wynne's brother, Charlie was one of Henry's great friends from preschool last year and we have become really good friends with their family. Also the teachers she has are "legends" (as one friend put it) and are amazing with the children.

Charlotte and Mary Wynne fashionably coloring with purses in one hand and crayons in the other...

The first week of school went well. She seemed anxious in the morning before school. She would say that she didn't want to go but as soon as we were at school she would confidently take her school bag from me and walk right in. Her teachers said she was really excited about everything and was always very happy. They even got her to pee pee on the potty!  :-)  

Best buds sharing some quiet time in the reading nook...

Charlotte, I miss you when you are at school but I love picking you up and seeing that sweet smile excited to see me! You are our beautiful big girl and we love you!