Dancing makes her heart so happy

Today is Grace's first day of dance class!  She was so excited and wanted to put her dance clothes on as soon as she got home from school.

First she put on her tap/jazz outfit.

I can't believe how growny she looks!

Then Grace tap, tap, tapped across our tile.

And proudly exclaimed, "I just LOVE to dance!"  That she certainly does.

Next, we put on her ballet clothes.

And Grace showed me how a ballerina dances.

I think Grace may have gotten her dance skills from her Momma.

She definitely got my coordination.

After dancing for a while, Grace plopped down at her desk slightly out of breath and pronounced, "Momma, you make my heart so happy."

 "You see, Momma!  My heart sees you!"  And my heart just melted.

Before we knew it, it was time for dance class!  Grace had so much fun and came home full of excitement.  She told me how they started with running around in a great big circle and then they jumped on a "Jump-o-lene" (trampoline).  Next, they danced and danced and danced some more.  Unfortunately the parents aren't allowed to watch the classes.  They don't want the students distracted.  But I did stay for the first half hour and the director peeked in the class and told me that Grace was "dancing all over the place" and was obviously having a great time.  

I just knew from all the little dance parties we have here at home that Grace would absolutely love dance class.  I'm so glad she enjoys it.  Seeing Grace so happy dancing around in her tap shoes and ballet slippers "makes my heart super duper happy."

Letting Priscilla go

This morning I woke up and checked on Priscilla before getting Grace out of bed.  I had to check to make sure her Show and Tell was still breathing.  For some reason, I was a bit paranoid about that frog.  I worried about it most of the night, thinking things like what I was going to do if that Priscilla croaked in the middle of the night.  Fortunately, she was fine.

Although I was a little weirded out by her just staring at herself in the mirror on our buffet.  But what do I know about frogs and their vanity.

Grace was very excited to see Priscilla this morning.  She couldn't wait to take her to Show and Tell with all her school friends.  Her teacher told me Grace's frog was a real hit at school today.  Grace just told me "It was good.  My friends like Puhsilla." 

And when we got home from school, Grace was okay with setting Priscilla free.  It was so cute watching her talk to her frog.  She said, "Okay Puhsilla.  We're going to let you go back home to your family.  Okay?  We'll miss you!"

Then Grace tried to dump Priscilla out of the jar, but that frog clung on for dear life!  Eventually Grace shook her hard enough that she came tumbling out.

Then Grace gave her a sweet, heartfelt rub on Priscilla's back as she said goodbye.

I think that Priscillas was somewhat sad to leave us.

Then again, maybe not.

Regardless of how that frog felt, I sure was glad to see her hop away.

Then Grace exclaimed, "Look, Momma!  Look what I just found!"

"It's a baby Puhsilla!  Can I keep her?" 

And I just didn't have the heart to say "No."  So instead I said, "Just for a little while.  Okay?"

Catching a Show and Tell

Grace is learning about amphibians in school and each Friday they have Show and Tell.  So I promised Grace that we would catch her an amphibian for this week's Show and Tell.

 So we headed to the pond hunting for frogs today.  But it was too hot to find any.  I'm not exactly certain what amphibians do during the hot of an Alabama summer day, but apparently they do not loung around in the sun waiting for a 3 year old and her Momma to catch it and put it in a jar.

 So Grace and I went inside to cool off and enjoy a snack.  Then we came back out when the skeeters (mosquitos) came out.  Frogs eat bugs, y'know.  And what better time to catch a frog than when the bug eating is best?  As soon as the sun starts to go down our state bird, the mosquito, comes out in full force!

We had quite a bit of success!  Grace caught this small frog in her net.  We already captured another, bigger frog as we walked out the door.  She (Grace insists it's a she) was sitting by the door to our elevator.   After telling Grace she could only put one frog in our Mason jar, she decided to let the little one go.

 So her is Grace's Show and Tell for tomorrow. 

Grace named her "PUH-seel-uh!"  (Priscilla)  I have no idea where that name came from!  But as soon as we brought Priscilla inside, can you believe that frog relieved her bladder all in my jar?  Apparently Priscilla had been holding her bladder for quite some time.  She put a good 1/2 inch in my jar!  Therefore, according to Grace, Priscilla needed a bath.  oh boy. 

So I grabbed the net and dumped Priscilla in it over the sink.  Then I rinsed out the jar and tried to hose that frog off.  I even made sure the water was tepid so as not to scare or kill the frog.  Priscilla, however, didn't appreciate the efforts I went to and tried to hop away to freedom.  I did what any woman would do.  I screamed.  And so did Grace.  But David just laughed like a coyote.  All our commotion managed to encourage Priscilla to hop even harder.  Fortunately, I caught her mid-air with the jar before she got out of my sink.  Now Priscilla is safe and sound and semi-dry in her Mason jar home for the night.  I can hardly wait to see what Grace's teacher thinks of her show and tell tomorrow.  And then tomorrow night that frog is going back to the pond.  No matter what.

Mother's Day tea with Grace

Grace's class invited all the Mommas for tea today.

 Faith and I arrived a little early so we played on the floor while they finished Show and Tell.

 Then the kids got their handmade flowers ready for their Mommas.

 Here is my flower.  Isn't it beautiful?

 And what is a tea party without a hat?  Don't you just love my hat?  Grace made it just for me.

 We had muffins, grapes, orange slices, and cheese. 

And lemonade instead of tea.

 After Faith ate a bit, she wanted to play on the floor some more while Grace and enjoyed our food.

 Then we went outside to play.

 Grace showed Faith the playhouse.

 And I climbed inside to play with my girlies.  Soon we had a few more visitors.

 Quite a few, actually.

In fact, at one time I counted 13 children inside that playhouse with me and Faith.  We had a lot of fun playing restaurant and seeing who could bark most like a dog.  Don't ask.

 Then Grace showed me how to ride a hand bike.

Isn't that the neatest thing ever?  I want one!

And much too soon it was time for Faith and me to leave.  As Grace went to the fence to play with her friends, I noticed that she was heading towards the boys.  All the girls were playing "house."  I took a moment to talk to her teacher and she laughed as she told me that Grace rough houses with the boys just about every day.  In fact, she hardly ever plays with any of the girls.  If she wasn't wearing a dress you'd think she was one of the boys.  She runs and jumps and climbs on things.  She plays in the dirt and rolls around in the mulch.  Just like all the other boys.  She gets that from me I think.  When I was a kid, I was the same way... 

And if this picture is any indication, Grace apparently has a bit of her Aunt Hope in her, too.  I still remember Hope's first day of kindergarten.  Hope got into a fight with an older boy on the playground (and was probably the instigator of it).  Not only was she fighting with him, she was sitting on him pounding away at him until her teacher finally pulled her off... 

For the record, it was obvious that Grace was playing too rough with her friend so I pulled her away and made her apologize.   I most certainly do not condone bullying whatsoever.  Nor do I allow overt rough play where she or another child could get hurt.

And after Grace apologized and gave her friend a hug, they were best buddies again.

Just like Daddy

Grace wants to be just like her Daddy.

So she insisted on taking her "pack back" to school today.  Just because her Daddy has one.  Isn't that sweet?

Last day of school

Today was Grace's last day of school for a while. 

Lately she hasn't been wanting to come home from school when I arrive to pick her up.  She keeps saying, "I don wan to go home now.  I jus wan to stay at stool!"  (I don't want to go home now.  I just want to stay at school!)  I have to admit it kinda hurts my feelings, but at the same time I'm really glad that she enjoys school and learning as much as she does.  And it's great for her to get regular interaction with other children her age.

I think she really has benefited quite a bit from being in this particular school.  I love the way everything in the classrooms are at her level.  Each child gets a lot of one-on-one time with the teachers. There is a 6 to 1 student teacher ratio at her school.  And each child progresses at his or her own pace.  They are taught to be self suffient along with manners.  They have regular storytime and naptimes, individual learning time called "work" and one-on-one lessons with the teacher.   It's amazing what all Grace has learned in the short time she has been attending.  Her vocabulary has grown to impressive levels and she can say all of her ABCs. 

After the baby is born we plan to let Grace re-enter school again.  I'm certain Grace will miss it in the meantime, but with all that is going on now it just makes sense to take her out for a while.  And I have to admit that I'm looking forward to spending more time with just her before the baby comes.   Montessori schools, we are going to miss you but will see you again this fall.

Sprinkles after school

I woke Grace up this morning to get ready to go to school, but she just wanted to go back to sleep!  She kept saying "I seepy, Momma.  Doe back tuh bed.  Tose your eyes!"  (I'm sleepy, Momma.  Go back to bed.  Close your eyes!)  I told her she needed to get up so she could go to school.  Her response was, "I dun wanna doe to stool!  I need a nap!"  (I don't want to go to school!  I need a nap!)  I couldn't believe it.  She throws a HUGE fit when it's naptime and now all she wants to do is go back to sleep.   She even voluntarily used the word "nap."  Unbelievable

So I bribed her.  I told her that she could help me bake some baby cakes when she got home from school.  And it worked like a charm.  She said, "Oh-tay.  I help you mate bee-bee tates."  (Okay.  I help you make baby cakes.)  Baby cakes = cupcakes. 

So Grace hopped out of bed and headed straight for the kitchen to start baking.  After explaining that we had to wait until after school to bake, I finally got her to cooperate and get dressed.  We had a quick breakfast, brushed her teeth, and headed to school.  As soon as we walked in the door, she informed her teacher, "I help Momma mate bee-bee tates today."  (I help Momma make baby cakes today.)  And off she went to "work."

As I was leaving another parent came in with his son.  His son is in Grace's class and was climbing like a monkey all over his dad.  He was also screeching like a hyena.  He did not want to go to school at all.  After the dad manhandled him to the floor and escaped through the door, I saw Grace walk over to the little boy and say, "Dawn tie.  It's oh-tay."  (Don't cry.  It's okay.)  Unfortunately, the poor kid couldn't be comforted so Grace eventually left him and went back to work.  She looked like she was about to cry, too, though.

Finally I left.  When I picked her up from school, Grace said she had a lot of fun.  They got to play outside at the playground.  And she colored a dinosaur "peent and purpeel" (pink and purple).  And she told me that the little boy cried all day.  As we walked inside, she said, "We mate bee-bee takes, Momma!" (We make baby cakes, Momma!)  And so we did.

We I had an extra special treat for the cupcakes today.  Sprinkles!

Grace selected pink sprinkles for her cupcake.  No surprise there.

She was very meticulous with her sprinkles.

It was the prettiest baby cake of the bunch.

And apparently, the tastiest.