Spring Concert 2.0

Was it really just a year ago that we went to Athena's Kindergarten Spring Concert?  It seems like the blink of an eye.  I looked back at the photos from last year and I know all these kids, but in the photos they seem so small.  Tonight was our 2nd annual K-2 Spring Concert with our little hammy center stage act in the role of first grader this time.  Watching tonight, the Kindergarteners seemed so little and tiny (and the 2nd graders impossibly big).

The theme was "Music From Around the World" and the kids learned an impressive array of songs from other countries.  The Kindergarteners sang in French and Spanish, Athena's class sang in Hebrew and Nigerian and Filipino (oh yea and "Australian") and I don't remember what the 2nd graders sang. 

Before the concert, they had an art exhibit for the kids.  The pictures are the answer to the question "Where Do I Find Love."  Athena's answer:  Dasher and Tess.

Zoe found her best friend Caitlyn at the event (as "Kate" has a 2nd grader sister names Alexandria, or "Allie"- anyone who lived in the 80's will get that reference!).  But Jack could not be wrangled to take a decent picture with these gorgeous girls.  How many pictures do I have of this kid with a sister or someone holding him down?



Athena was dropped off in the sanctuary and quickly found her closest buddies, aka Wyatt (her "boyfriend") and her sweet friend Jeaninne who is sadly moving to Orange County after the school year
 and, of course, her very BFF (going on three years now) Amelia. As I was taking this picture, Athena's newest friend (she just moved here last month) jumped in.  
MacKinley is fast becoming a very good buddy.  We are loving this darling girl lately (and her Mom too).

Of course I tried to take pictures of my girls together (I bribed them with marshmellows) but they have little patience for me and my camera at this point.
 And THIS is my favorite pic of the night - random spinning after the concert.  Can I tell you about the dress?  I found a perfectly lovely pastel pink eyelet and satin dress on sale (for $7! 80% off Easter dress) perfect for the event which requires "dressy" dress.  But Athena tried it on with a sour face and said it was too "babyish."  She begged me for something turquoise instead and when I found this the next day (it wasn't $7) she declared me "the best Mommy ever!" 
And luckily, only one other girl in the concert was wearing the same dress (sigh) - we all shop at Target.

And then I took this shot.  Oh I know it's not that great. But the colors and the light and the background tulips struck me and reminded me of a minute seven years ago when Athena was just a few months old and MorMor and I tried to take a few photos of her propped up against the Spring flowers.

 

And my heart aches.  

Not only in remembrance of this sweet funny little baby,
and for that day (which doesn't seem very long ago)

but in pride for the beautiful being she is now.

Sassy Little Fox

For her Spring school performance, Zoe became a little Fox tonight.  From the moment she put on her costume she totally inhabited it, she was a fox and a sassy one.  Swishing her tail and jutting her hip out for photos, she completely transformed.  "It's the commitment to character!" Chris and I always say to each other when observing her impressive pretend play.

Hardly anyone but us and a few good friends ever get to see this talent of hers.  She is terrible shy, when she wants to be.  She says she "gets embarrassed" and won't perform on command.  But tonight, as the Fox #3 in SJCC's "The Little Red Hen" she was a shining star.


This is how my crew rolled in after a rush of after school stuff and homework and baths and dinner and costuming and hair.  We were out the door again en masse (it takes alot of effort to pull this off) and made it in time with minutes to spare.

 Just enough time in fact to snap a few pictures of Zoe with her best buddies, aka "Fox #2" and "The Cow".

During the bulk of the performance the little foxes were hidden in their "Fox Lair."  Zoe peeked out the side.  When they were called up for their songs, Zoe didn't walk, Zoe pranced...



and pawed the air...

and snarled..

and licked,

stealing the show from the other foxes who just kind of wandered onto center stage and stood there.  There was no shyness onstage, just a crazy little fox where Zoe used to be.  It was hilarious, seriously.  Well, at least I thought so. 

We're totally buying the DVD.  Anyone want a copy?

Coneheads

We come from France.

Easter Bunny Party

Two years ago, John John's Mom from Zoe's class introduced herself and personally handed me one of the invitations she was stuffing into each child's folder. "It's an Easter party...it's what we do instead of birthdays," she said "Bring the whole family!" For whatever reason (I think because we were in Palm Springs?) we didn't go that year. She invited us again last year and again we couldn't make it.

But this year we went and oh what a party. They live on a huge estate near the outside of town, right by the horse farms and almond groves. The invitation had a beautiful picture of her son in the middle of the blossoming almond groves, white grey flower blooms framing his bright sillouette.

Every time I drive by the almond trees in bloom I dream of such a photo of my children. She told me when and where and how she gets the photo. The farmers don't mind, she said, but every other tree has a hive of bees that pollenate the trees and to be prepared because you will get stung. Good to know!

There were 350 eggs hidden, a bounce house, a personal playground, ponies
and a bunny, baby chick and goat petting zoo.

All of Zoe's beautiful besties were there. Athena got a little jealous, actually, Zoe's friends were clammering to sit next to Zoe for lunch, displacing Athena from her usual seat.


Luckily she had her Daddy.


When the egg hunt was on the kids raced around the manicured lawn collecting,
Zoe never far from Caitlyn and viceversa.


After gathering as many eggs as their baskets could hold, the girls positioned themselves in the petting area and did not leave.

They. had. bunnies.


Even Jack emerged from the bounce house long enough to pet a few bunnies.

And then...they trotted the ponies out. The girls were so excited.

"I a horse rider!" Jack said.

It was a lovely time, a nice start to our Easter. We are so thrilled to be getting to know the families of Zoe's friends, and blessed by the wonderful friendships she is forging.
We'll absolutely go again next year!

Lavish Praise

We went to Athena's second parent teacher conference of her 1st grade and I couldn't be prouder of her. It was nothing but praise on top of praise from her teachers and the picture they painted revealed a remarkable well-roundedness and ease to her many strengths.

Her report card was "E"s straight down the line for the third time this year. With the exception of a third "P" for "Listening and paying attention" and a first "P" in Handwriting, it seems her letters have become quite "free form" as she is getting more adept at writing. The teachers praised her for her artistic ability, her writing, her reading, her testing, and her social graces - she's friends with everyone and well liked.

Then the Math teacher chimed into say that she never pegged Athena for being a "Math kid" - as she is such a creative type. And she sometimes has a problem keeping her attention during the Math lesson, so she wonders if Athena is really getting it, but then always always always finds her on the top end of the curve in Math Assessments, getting a 90-100%. This she finds so wonderful - the ease at which Athena grasps her Math concepts, and her ability to be top of the class in both creative and analytical areas.

Her writing is also a big bright spot. Her other teacher has the kids write three or four sentences multiple times a week and struggles with the ones who write "It was fun" every time. Athena, she says is always imaginative and very creative with her sentences.

They did mention they felt she may be a little behind in her speech. She still struggles with her "TH" and "R" sounds, so they suggested an assessment. It effects her phonetic spelling and the teacher will often find her in the "F" or "D" for sounds that are "TH" - that kind of thing. They then went on to say they have decided to award Athena the class Core Virture award for showing the most "Compassion" to her classmates and she will be honored at assembly next Friday. Hmmm, wish she could show some of that "compassion" to her little siblings...

So that was awesome. And Chris and I were pretty much bursting with pride throughout the whole meeting, it was almost a little awkward the lavishness with which they praised her. She is certainly setting the bar pretty high.

Jack and Lil' Leo

Sometimes it's rough being the little brother of two overpowering big sisters.  And, even though, Jack is very much a boy's boy (trains and dinosaurs and monster trucks!) when the only thing going on is a "Princess Dance Party" you bet he's going to join in.  Across the street there is a little boy named Leo, born less than three months before Jack and named after his daddy.  Lil' Leo (as he is called) has three big sisters and when his Mom posts pictures on Facebook of Lil' Leo dressed up as Strawberry Shortcake, I shake my head in understanding and send her a text that says simply "send him over."

Lil' Leo is walked across the street by one of his big sis' dragging two plastic light sabers.  These toys are not allowed in my home (although Jack desperately wants one) if they were I fear Zoe would have so many bruises her teachers would call CPS on us.  Jack always must have the red light saber, or Darth (aka Anakin) and Lil' Leo has Luke's blue light saber.  From the moment Lil' Leo walks through the door, the light sabers are "lit" and an epic Star Wars battle commences.

They twist and turn, spin light sabers over their heads, pose and then lightly "tap" the others' sword.  They are surprisingly gently with each other and the death scenes (Jack always dies) are elaborate and drawn out.  All of this is done in near silence, yet they play totally in synch with each other.  So different from the constant chatter that goes on in girls play, I observe with fascination, this is all new to me.

(I especially love the death scenes.)

Jack really loves Lil' Leo, and vice versa.
These little guys are sooo lucky to have each other.

Three

This is what three looks like.

And this.


And, after a long day with no nap, this.

I had plans for a super hero party to celebrate Jack's third birthday. I've been collecting ideas for awhile which included cardboard boxes painted to look like buildings and personalized capes and different super hero abilities given to each party guest. But when Chris' Dad called to invite us down to the desert the weekend I had pin marked for the celebration, I was relieved to put it off - it's been a rough winter.

I know we've had fairly elaborate third birthdays for both Athena and Zoe, but the third time around reaching three, I also know that this birthday is not the most remembered. Plus, I was at a loss as to who to invite. There is some mention of "Nicholas" and "Keenan" at school, and a budding friendship with little Leo across the street, but other than that, his sisters are his favorite playmates.

And we love a trip to Palm Springs, especially when it includes a golf tournament for Chris. For me, the most recent cool thing about visiting Grandaddio and Grandma Andree in Palm Springs is that Baba and Nana now live there too! It's the Land of Grandparents and its pretty easy ricocheting our crazy crew between the two households when the chaos and noise become too much in the usually quiet and sedate homes.

So we were happy to abandon plans for a big party and postpone for next year. Instead we left the planning up to the Granddads.

Baba prepared a sweet 3rd birthday breakfast, as is the family tradition.


With super yummy chocolate cake, the strawberries made it "breakfast."

And lots of presents to open. Many we brought with us, sent by family members across the country.

In true Third Child tradition, Jack's main present from us was unwrapped and still in its Sears bag from whence it came. It was a long couple of days before we had to pack our crew and road trip to Palm Springs. Sigh. I promise I will make it up to you my darling little Dude.

Regardless of my lack of birthday preparations, this little Dude loved all his presents and celebrations.

After Birthday Breakfast, a day at the ZOO was the next on the agenda. Palm Springs has an excellent Zoo for African and Central American animals, "The Living Desert"
not a bad way to spend one's third birthday.


Athena tried to show Jack "three" but he kept on saying he was "six."


The Living Desert Zoo was nothing short of awesome: cheetahs, zebras and warthogs.

The girls declared it the "best day ever" even before the day was fully complete.

Any day that includes BABY GIRAFFES has got to be one of the best days ever.


Zoe had to have her picture taken with the giraffes as they are her second favorite animal in the world (Zebras being the first, of course).


And poor Baba was on triple piggy back duty, carrying little ones all throughout the park, nevermind the 89 degree heat.

There was also a massive train model train set that we could have watched all day.

And a carousel.

Which the little Dude preferred to enjoy for a bench rather than an ostrich.

While the girls chose a more wild ride.
And then we all went home for naps.

And stayed up way too late snuggling and talking by the fire pit.

The reason for the trip, besides being able to celebrate Jack's third with family, was so that Chris could be a part of a long standing family tradition - a men's golf tournament at Grandaddio's club. All the uncles were there, and David, cousin Matt, a hearty sampling of Liebels. In past visits to Palm Springs, its been alot of work for me because Chris always wants to golf and when he golfs, I am left with all three kids for hours. Either nervously by the pool (I dislike being with all three non swimming kids and just myself in the pool) or impatiently at the condo. But, now with Dad and Patricia just 10 minutes away, Chris can golf the day away and we...

have Bocce ball tournaments in Baba's orange grove, or

go kitty hunting, trying to catch sight of one of the four kitties who live there and make themselves scarce when they see little people, or


chill in the sun by the pool, or

swim the day away.

Each day of our trip started with a very early dip in the pool. The girls begged to get in the pool the minute they woke up and it was hard work getting them to wait until the grownups had had their coffee and the sun was fully risen and it was warmer than 68 degrees outside. At 9am one morning, Zoe complained that she hadn't been in the pool "all day" and when was she ever going to get to swim.

See Baba heats the jacuzzi up to a comfortable degree and they would spin around their "little pool" for hours. Its shallow enough so they don't have to be attached to a parent and the pool is cleaned by salt, not chlorine, its practically a large bathtub. They spent so many hours in Baba's pool they nearly grew fins.

We had such a lovely time. Thank you Baba and Nana!
The kids are already begging to go back.

****

Grandaddio (and Aunt Barb, Andrea, Aunt Fran and Grandma Andree) also threw Jack a little third soiree. Making his one birthday dream come true, a "Star Wars" cake. See the little finger marks on the bottom left hand corner, yeah, that was Uncle David...

We got a chance to reunite with our lovely summer bride,
Andrea, now happily married to the Big Guy, Matt. So great to see them and catch up.


And Jack got a Liebel serenade. Uncle David filmed and promptly put it on Facebook.


followed by lots more presents to open.


And with that my little Dude is officially three.
We love you to bits and pieces little boy.
I can't believe its only been three years as I can no longer imagine life without you.
Even your big sister Zoe thinks your awesome.