Videos

Just because I love hearing their sweet voices ~

and I find their interactions entertaining : )

The first video also includes Ella saying her ABC's.

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Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A Big Day and a Fun Night

Preschool Day 4 was a SUCCESS!!

Both Ella and Zoe woke up excited to go to school,

drop-off was smooth, and both girls had a fun morning.

Their favorite part? Playing -- of course!

I did get a few pics of them on the playground.

I think it's really cute and sweet that they hold hands while walking from one area to another -- see them way back by the slides?

And then it was time to play in the big sand box : )

They also played with the balls, a lot. Whew!!

So no issues there : )

I also love how they walk as a class from the school to the playground (and vise-versa).

It always reminds me of prisoners

out getting some exercise : )

My favorite part of the morning?

When the girls noticed me and Ella yelled

'It's my MOOOOOOOM!!',

and Zoe turned, saw me and her whole face

turned into a smile.

It's so fun to have people genuinely excited to see you : )

I love being their Mom!!

On the way to the car we saw another mom

with a newborn baby.

Ella and Zoe adore babies so we as we passed by we took a quick peek.

Ella said 'Look at that baby, she's such a little penis.'.

The she stopped, gave me a funny look and said

'I mean she's such a little PEANUT!'.

That is still making me laugh : )

Then in the car on the way home, Zoe was busy telling me every detail about their morning and said something about singing to Ms. Lisa. I couldn't understand everything she was saying and thought she said they sang the 'I Love You' song to their teacher. She told me she did not sing that song to her but that she loves her, but she didn't tell her that, but that she will maybe next time.

Okay.

Did you get all that?

I'm just so happy

they are so comfortable and having fun.

When we got home they had lunch with their Dad

and then helped give the backyard birds

(and squirrels) their lunch --

a favorite activity Tom does with the girls

every couple of days.

At 5:30 we went back to school for dinner,

which Zoe and Ella thought was so great.

It was Family Fun Night,

and as Ella put it -- we had 'Great Fun'!!

We ate hotdogs and cheetos for dinner, with lemonade,

and a cookie for dessert.

And we ate dinner with friend Maddie

(and her brother Cooper and Mom, Stacy).

Maddie, by the way, was born on April 19th 2006 too!!

The EXACT same day as Ella and Zoe -- how fun is that?!

The girls even got their cheeks painted.

After dinner we watched a Magic Show.

I only took this one picture, which isn't that great.

But the magician was (perfect for a young audience) -- he was kind of like Mr. Noodle from Sesame Street and did a lot of 'Dad Humor' type of silliness. All of the kids were hooting and hollering and Zoe and Ella thought his show was THE FUNNIEST THING EVER.

So it was a Big Day and a Fun Night!!

Vegetable Soup

I had no idea making vegetable soup (with meat)

could be so much fun!

And it even tasted great!!

Ballet = Happiness

Even though Ella wasn't too thrilled about preschool last Thursday,

ballet class on Friday was WONDERFUL

and helped end the week on a positive note.

Ella beamed the whole time.

Except for when she was giggling.

Or when she was belly-laughing.

Zoe just loves dancing. 

And being with her sister.

So it was a great combo for her.

2 things about the video:

1.  Ella did not fall, part of her dance was laying down --

her bird took a rest. 

2.  The laughing in the background?  It's Ella and Zoe.

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September 17th 2009

Day Two of Preschool:

It went okay, but Ella doesn't seem too into it right now.

That morning she told me she wanted to stay home and play with me instead of going to school, but she went (without any issues) and even though she was on the quieter side she seemed fine.  At dismissal though, she flew into Tom's arms and then burst into tears.  She told us she was sad because on the playground she didn't get a turn playing with the ball.  Later, when I asked what her favorite part of preschool was that day she told me 'playing with the ball -- if I would have played with the ball'.  I had to laugh at that one, poor thing.  She has been more quiet and more easily brought to tears, and is very tired, so we're taking it easy this weekend and not talking much about school unless one of the girls brings it up.

Zoe, on the other hand, seems fine.  She squeezed my hand so hard walking into the classroom and likes having me by her side until she gets settled -- but at dismissal she flew out the door with a huge smile on her face and was  talking a mile a minute about everything she and Ella did that morning.  She also told me later (very politely and matter-of-factly) that Eunice is her friend and that 'Eunice' sounds like 'anus' -- that they rhyme.  She said it like she was so happy for Eunice, and not in a teasing way, so I didn't make a big deal out of it.  After baths we were talking about Ms. Lisa and I said I like that she has such a great big smile.  Zoe replied,  'and she has a great big tummy!'.  Again, she didn't say it in a way of making fun but in a very 'happy for Ms. Lisa' kind of way.  It was all very innocent and not mean at all, so I decided not to make a big deal out of that either (even though both comments made me laugh a little on the inside) -- but I also decided if those sorts of comments continue I may have Tom be in charge of those sorts conversations : )

And speaking of Tom, he told me he thought maybe he'd bring binoculars to school at pick-up time, so he can sit in his car and really watch the girls play on the playground, without being a distraction to them.  But then he realized how that would look, that the police would probably be called, and that that would be a huge distraction, so he nixed that idea.  I got another good laugh from that one.

So these are the things I'm dealing with here.

Wish me luck  : )  

On a separate note:

Day TWO of Preschool was also my Birthday!!

After class Tom took the girls to buy some balloons for me,

and once the balloons were in the picture it was sooo hard to get a picture of the three of us : )

I had a GREAT day ~ I didn't party like a rock star, but I did celebrate like a 3-year old : )  There was lots of singing, a little dancing, bright red balloons, dinner out with Grama Dianne, ice-cream and birthday cake too.

I'm not going to say what I wished for

as I blew out the candles on my cake,

but I will say my wishes are continuing to come true . . . . 

But the BEST part of my birthday

was one of my gifts from Tom.

He gave me my own brand-new shiny penny for good luck.

So I can remember how much he thinks of me and loves me,

even when we're not together.

Awwwwwwww.

Love that guy.

And this, listening to Zoe and Ella sing 'Happy Birthday' to me : )

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First Day of Preschool

Right now (2:00pm) Ella and Zoe are both zonked out.

They had such a FUN and FULL morning at preschool,

and they think they are so big now.

I do think they both grew a bit while they were gone though : )

This morning the girls had an 'I Love You SOOO Much Breakfast'

(a super cute heart-shaped egg and toast recipe I saw in Parents magazine -- mine didn't look as good as the picture in the magazine, but the girls thought it was the best and ate it all up).  They also got brand-new shiny pennies from their Dad -- their 'Good Luck Pennies' (which I think is going to be a yearly tradition between the three of them).  They tucked their pennies in their backpacks and will now always have that little extra good luck with them when they're at school, and will remember how much their Daddy loves them and  how much he thinks of them, even when they're not together.

I thought that was SOOOO sweet!

Then it was time to smile for pictures before we left.

Little Miss Preschooler Ella

Little Miss Preschooler Zoe

I had to get a few of both girls together,

but they weren't too into it . . .

. . .  until I started talking about wearing underpants on my head,

which they thought was pretty funny.

Then it was off to school,

and the Big Walk in . . . .

After adding their names to the sign-in board . . . 

 . . .  they found their places at circle time and looked at books.

I stayed in the hall for a little bit, listening without being seen : )

And had a good laugh when Ms. Lisa individually asked the children to say their names.

Some kids answered loud and clear.

Some kids answered quietly.

Some kids wouldn't answer.

Zoe was one of those kids, but when Ms. Lisa said 'Your name is Zoe, right?  I am sooo glad you are here today!', Zoe answered 'YES!' (which was very typical Zoe -- concise and to the point).

Then it was Eunice's turn (the little girl between Zoe and Ella).

But before Eunice could say her name,

Ella said 'and I am Ella -- Zoe's sister'.  Ha, so Ella : )

Ms. Lisa said 'Hi Ella, I am sooo glad you are here too!'.

And THEN  it was Eunice's turn : )

At 11:30 Tom and I picked up the girls.

Zoe was dismissed first . . . .

. . .  and then Ella was dismissed.

They both talked the whole way home --

at the same time.

They had a great first day, so Tom and I did too.

Their favorite parts?  Playing, the story about 'friends', the song about 'Wibble Wobble' (even though they didn't dance but they will next time), the 'First Day Floats' for snack, the hooks for their backpacks and of course -- the playground.

Ella and Zoe -- they think they are so big now.

And I really do think they grew while they were gone --

at least a little bit : )