Sunday, April 1, 2012
Still photos from the solo dance...
I have most of the stills on Facebook... but these are a few from the stage photographer. She had a fit that I didn't order the one of her leap!!! So I've asked a friend to pick up a copy of that one today. These were our faves!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tiny Dancer....
She looked so little on the stage... I was so nervous I almost cried but she was cool as could be. She was the very first dancer of the day.... no one else was on stage... no one to watch and then follow what they did. She went up as soon as they called her name and then had to wait for the music. The big girls from her studio were cheering for he while she waited, and waited, just like they've taught her to. (you may need to view full screen... I don't think I can fit the wide screen on the blog correctly)
I know we're biased... and she's only 6... but it was breathtaking for this Mommy! Daddy had tears in his eyes.
The most important thing to me, was just that she didn't freeze on stage or panic and run off. I didn't care if she was first or last, as long as she felt good when she came off stage. And she did...s she came running to Daddy to see if he saw her. (as if he'd miss it)
For Ella, the joy was in the awards. She asked if she might win a trophy and I said, I'm not sure, but I think you were wonderful up there and I'm sure you'll get a pin for your jacket! (which she doesn't have but is wanting because the "big girls" have them.)
She came home with 3 awards and was thrilled. When I put them in our suitcase to haul to the car she asked:
"Do I get to keep them?"
"Yes you do Ella! They are your awards. "
"COOL!"
She made me smile... because she was so pleased with herself. I was so proud of all her hard work, and how special she felt about what she'd done.
I know we're biased... and she's only 6... but it was breathtaking for this Mommy! Daddy had tears in his eyes.
The most important thing to me, was just that she didn't freeze on stage or panic and run off. I didn't care if she was first or last, as long as she felt good when she came off stage. And she did...s she came running to Daddy to see if he saw her. (as if he'd miss it)
For Ella, the joy was in the awards. She asked if she might win a trophy and I said, I'm not sure, but I think you were wonderful up there and I'm sure you'll get a pin for your jacket! (which she doesn't have but is wanting because the "big girls" have them.)
She came home with 3 awards and was thrilled. When I put them in our suitcase to haul to the car she asked:
"Do I get to keep them?"
"Yes you do Ella! They are your awards. "
"COOL!"
She made me smile... because she was so pleased with herself. I was so proud of all her hard work, and how special she felt about what she'd done.
Monday, March 5, 2012
New camera/solo rehearsal
Ella has been working so hard on her dances this year. She has 2 group dances and for the first time she's doing a solo this year. I think I'm more nervous than she is... she seems so lazy and laid back in rehearsals, that I wonder if she knows it. But yesterday, she had a small audience of "older girls" for the first time and our girl turns on the charm. She did a great job. All I hope is that she'll remember it and not freeze on stage. She's so excited to do this and I just want it to be a good first experience.
Troy and I picked out a new camera this weekend... for my birthday... so I've been experimenting with it to learn how all the bells an whistles work. I'm not there yet, but it's definitely better than my former "point and shoot" camera. I'll be doing a lot more work with it over Spring Break... so hopefully I"ll be ready for Ella's competition at the end of the month.
In the meantime... enjoy her rehearsal! If the full width won't show up on my blog, you hit play and then double click on the video, you can take it full-screen.
Troy and I picked out a new camera this weekend... for my birthday... so I've been experimenting with it to learn how all the bells an whistles work. I'm not there yet, but it's definitely better than my former "point and shoot" camera. I'll be doing a lot more work with it over Spring Break... so hopefully I"ll be ready for Ella's competition at the end of the month.
In the meantime... enjoy her rehearsal! If the full width won't show up on my blog, you hit play and then double click on the video, you can take it full-screen.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
DISCO Diva Daisy and her Daddy
Ella had her Daddy/ Daughter dance this past weekend, an activity for her Daisy Troop.
She and Troy were all decked out and ready to Boogie Oogie Oogie!
Ella told him what jewelry to wear, picked out his sunglasses at the costume shop, and told him he needed to roll up his sleeves, so his gold bracelet would show.
She's already his personal fashion consultant... wonder where she gets that???
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
"She is our Sunshine!"
Ella made her theatrical debut last night in the Prairie Center Elementary 1st grade musical "NUTS."
They were adorable and really practiced hard. Just look at the first first song of the night, "The Circle of Life." They had so much fun! (I had to link through YouTube, because the files are just too large for the blog!
This show had a fox, a bear, a raccoon, a chicken, a duck, dozens of nuts, rain, clouds, a tree, and the sun... guess where Ella landed? Yep, our little sunshine was the sun! That's why she look so bright mixed in with all the other wildlife on stage.
Most of the kids had one line in the show... Here is Ella's line from Troy's cell phone:
And her song, just check out our little Vanna White!!! I was so proud, and look at those strong arms! (I guess the acro class is paying off)
The music teacher made her prop, but she asked if we could bring it home and "glam it up," which we did. Throw on some gold glitter glue and a few leftover rhinestones from her dance costume.. and voila! the sun shines!!!
I was so proud of her, really of all of them. This was a fun show! Max was mesmerized through the whole thing and gave people dirty looks when they clapped like "hey, my sister and her friends are doing something, hush up!" Alex laughed at every single joke, so loudly, that people around us were laughing at him.! It was preschool humor at it's best I guess... but we all had a great time!
They were adorable and really practiced hard. Just look at the first first song of the night, "The Circle of Life." They had so much fun! (I had to link through YouTube, because the files are just too large for the blog!
This show had a fox, a bear, a raccoon, a chicken, a duck, dozens of nuts, rain, clouds, a tree, and the sun... guess where Ella landed? Yep, our little sunshine was the sun! That's why she look so bright mixed in with all the other wildlife on stage.
Most of the kids had one line in the show... Here is Ella's line from Troy's cell phone:
And her song, just check out our little Vanna White!!! I was so proud, and look at those strong arms! (I guess the acro class is paying off)
The music teacher made her prop, but she asked if we could bring it home and "glam it up," which we did. Throw on some gold glitter glue and a few leftover rhinestones from her dance costume.. and voila! the sun shines!!!
I was so proud of her, really of all of them. This was a fun show! Max was mesmerized through the whole thing and gave people dirty looks when they clapped like "hey, my sister and her friends are doing something, hush up!" Alex laughed at every single joke, so loudly, that people around us were laughing at him.! It was preschool humor at it's best I guess... but we all had a great time!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Mommy Day
My last post about Alex was so sad... that I just had to update. It was Mommy Day at his preschool yesterday and we had such a good time together!
It was great for me to see how he interacts in his classroom, plays with his buddies, and where he has trouble transitioning. Right now we're on the fence with kindergarten. I have registered him for another year of preschool and we are skipping kindergarten round-up... but there is still a slim chance that we'll decide he's ready. We're just watching to see how these next few months pan out for him. It was nice to see that some of the things I worry so much about... must be pretty typical, because I saw it in other kids too.
It was so much fun to see how he's made friends and how he plays with them and has this little life all his own. He's not my baby anymore, he's a big boy.
Some days, he's very independent. He wanted me to drop him at the curb, but we've settled for Mommy walking him inside for kisses, and then he walks to class on his own. (I hide by the office to make sure he's okay, and once in awhile I catch him looking back for me... It's amazing how this boy is changing right before my eyes!)
Most of all, it was great just to spend the time with him. Have him show me what he's learning and what he can do.... and lots of hugs and "I love you Mommy." Sometimes, I really miss those days when it was just Me and Alex at home together, snuggling, running errands, playing, etc... It ended abruptly when Max came so early and our time was cut short. This was another one of those days. Just me and my rock star...
It was great for me to see how he interacts in his classroom, plays with his buddies, and where he has trouble transitioning. Right now we're on the fence with kindergarten. I have registered him for another year of preschool and we are skipping kindergarten round-up... but there is still a slim chance that we'll decide he's ready. We're just watching to see how these next few months pan out for him. It was nice to see that some of the things I worry so much about... must be pretty typical, because I saw it in other kids too.
It was so much fun to see how he's made friends and how he plays with them and has this little life all his own. He's not my baby anymore, he's a big boy.
Some days, he's very independent. He wanted me to drop him at the curb, but we've settled for Mommy walking him inside for kisses, and then he walks to class on his own. (I hide by the office to make sure he's okay, and once in awhile I catch him looking back for me... It's amazing how this boy is changing right before my eyes!)
Most of all, it was great just to spend the time with him. Have him show me what he's learning and what he can do.... and lots of hugs and "I love you Mommy." Sometimes, I really miss those days when it was just Me and Alex at home together, snuggling, running errands, playing, etc... It ended abruptly when Max came so early and our time was cut short. This was another one of those days. Just me and my rock star...
Friday, January 6, 2012
Dying babies...
What is it this week that I can't get away from dying babies?! Troy and I sat down last night and watched the Curious Case of Benjamin Button. We NEVER see movies, so TV or pay per view seems to be our only option and we're WAY behind...
It was a fine movie and I knew the premise, but I guess I never stopped to think that I'd see a baby, a newborn, in a woman's arms... dying. I wasn't prepared for that... and as I watched the final scenes where she talked about him forgetting how to talk, and how to walk and how to eat that I realized I'm watching that in reverse. It may be slow and painstaking, but Max is growing. He's growing up, growing older, and it's all part of being alive!
Also yesterday, for the 2nd time in as many weeks... Alex talked about a child dying. Last week, we heard sirens, and he said "a baby must have died." Troy and I both talked to him then and explained that babies don't just die everyday and that it was probably a fire alarm or something... but in the back of our minds.. .we knew where it came from. We both looked at one another, a little sad that this far removed from it all, Alex still has those thoughts and fears.
We were driving after preschool yesterday, and Alex started talking about one of his friends... and his sister. I said 'T" doesn't have a sister and Alex said... "Well, I think he did, but she died." We talked about where he came up with that and why he would worry about that and whether it would make him sad.
Alex is not the most enthusiastic big brother so far. He is a good boy, but you won't catch him snuggling or carrying Max around like their big sister. Alex doesn't like to share his stuff and Max in general, is just a nuisance who messes up his train tracks and sucks on his cars. Part of it is just typical sibling rivalry... but part of it is resentment too.
Both kids resent Max in some ways and while we try to deal with and work through it, there are somethings that just can't change. Alex lost his last 4 months as the baby in our family. He lost his 3rd birthday. He lost his big brother class at the hospital... he lost his family while Max was in the hospital and he was shuffled around from place to place so we could care for Max. Even now, he's losing the ability to go and do some things, just because of the germs and the exposure we have to avoid for Max. It's a constant part of our lives.
There are those there are those tender moments for him, when he'll go in to see Max first thing in the morning and I can hear him talking and saying "hi Bubbaloo!" Or when he makes silly faces or sounds in the car just to hear Max giggle and says "look Mommy! I mad him happy!" He loves him... but he's guarded. He doesn't hug or touch Max often... and I wonder if he's afraid to get too close.
I can only imagine this all comes up because we're getting closer to surgery... and much like the rest of us.. his little heart must be worried about his baby brother. Hoping for fewer nightmares, and less talking of children and babies dying and just more fun as a family. My boys both need that!
It was a fine movie and I knew the premise, but I guess I never stopped to think that I'd see a baby, a newborn, in a woman's arms... dying. I wasn't prepared for that... and as I watched the final scenes where she talked about him forgetting how to talk, and how to walk and how to eat that I realized I'm watching that in reverse. It may be slow and painstaking, but Max is growing. He's growing up, growing older, and it's all part of being alive!
Also yesterday, for the 2nd time in as many weeks... Alex talked about a child dying. Last week, we heard sirens, and he said "a baby must have died." Troy and I both talked to him then and explained that babies don't just die everyday and that it was probably a fire alarm or something... but in the back of our minds.. .we knew where it came from. We both looked at one another, a little sad that this far removed from it all, Alex still has those thoughts and fears.
We were driving after preschool yesterday, and Alex started talking about one of his friends... and his sister. I said 'T" doesn't have a sister and Alex said... "Well, I think he did, but she died." We talked about where he came up with that and why he would worry about that and whether it would make him sad.
Alex is not the most enthusiastic big brother so far. He is a good boy, but you won't catch him snuggling or carrying Max around like their big sister. Alex doesn't like to share his stuff and Max in general, is just a nuisance who messes up his train tracks and sucks on his cars. Part of it is just typical sibling rivalry... but part of it is resentment too.
Both kids resent Max in some ways and while we try to deal with and work through it, there are somethings that just can't change. Alex lost his last 4 months as the baby in our family. He lost his 3rd birthday. He lost his big brother class at the hospital... he lost his family while Max was in the hospital and he was shuffled around from place to place so we could care for Max. Even now, he's losing the ability to go and do some things, just because of the germs and the exposure we have to avoid for Max. It's a constant part of our lives.
There are those there are those tender moments for him, when he'll go in to see Max first thing in the morning and I can hear him talking and saying "hi Bubbaloo!" Or when he makes silly faces or sounds in the car just to hear Max giggle and says "look Mommy! I mad him happy!" He loves him... but he's guarded. He doesn't hug or touch Max often... and I wonder if he's afraid to get too close.
I can only imagine this all comes up because we're getting closer to surgery... and much like the rest of us.. his little heart must be worried about his baby brother. Hoping for fewer nightmares, and less talking of children and babies dying and just more fun as a family. My boys both need that!
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