3, 4....3, 4...

Veronica has started counting in the past week or so...fun! By the beginning of summer she had the whole idea of 1, 2, 3 down due it's use at things like swimming, dance class, gymnastics, etc...

She would often say, "one, fee, one fee" trying to count them out on her fingers...cute cute cute.

Isabella has been really into counting lately, especially with the start of school. She really likes to count things in books and Veronica has been following her big sis's lead. We've heard lots of "fee, four" and also mentions of 5 and 6 with her stringing, "3, 4, 5, 6" together randomly.

Those of you who know us well, know that our daughters are often engaged in WW 3 with each other. There is often lots of yelling at each other and lots of Veronica attacking her big sister. Moments of happiness between them tend to be far and few in between.

So imagine my delight Wednesday night...

The girls were in our bed watching their bedtime Scooby and I went to the garage to take the garbage out. I walked back into the house prepared to hear the normal screams of chaos and cries that usually come with the two of them spending 60 seconds alone. Instead as I walked up the stairs I heard this...

Veronica "3, 4, 3, 4"

Isabella "1, 2, 3, 4, 5...see"

Veronica "1, 3, 4...I did it" (imagine Veronica's adorable cute baby voice at this point...cute cute cute)

At this point I start walking a little quicker to see what I am missing. There is Veronica sitting on Isabella and they're looking at a little counting book and Isabella is 'teaching' Veronica how to count the animals on each page. It was ADORABLE

$1 Store

Remember when $1 Stores first came out? I was probably 12 or 13! I loved them! Sure there's a lot of junk, but there's a lot of fun stuff, and even at times a needle in the haystack kind of find.

$1 stores are perfect for finding little surprises for all the little people in my life that I love to send packages too! They are great for finding surprises and class supplies for my little dancers. And they're nothing but fun for my two little ladies.

One day earlier this summer, I took the girls to the $1 Store and they each got $3 to spend! Oh the excitement. Veronica more so just looked at and tried out every toy in the aisle. Isabella was so excited picking out what she wanted and than changing her mind over and over adn over again! The new treasures, chosen on her own, were a delight.

I was in the $1 Store this week getting supplies for dance class and the girls poured over the toy aisle of trinkets. We were there forever and they were completely entertained. Isabella, spunky and sassy as she can be, rarely ever asks for toys. She will ask to show me the things she likes or wishes she could have someday. She'll ask if she can get things the next time we come. And every once in awhile (but very rarely) she'll ask if she can get an item and is ALWAYS (and I mean always) fine with the response of 'maybe next time'. This is nice, so nice!

On this trip the girls each got a little something - a puzzle for Isabella and a little diary, and for Veronica this little bag filled with 40 tiny elephant erasers:)

Who knew the hours of entertainment a $1 Store find could bring???? Veronice spent the whole afternoon playing with those erasers (see the pics). She would take them all out, than line them up on the rungs of the counter stools, than line them up on the dinner table bench, and so on! It as so darn cute. And big sis had fun doing her new Disney princess puzzle and 'writing' ntoes to Cousin Katie and our dog Tasha (who's in heaven) inside of her diary and than locking and unlocking it over and over and over again! Hurray for the $1 store!!!

Growing Pains

The past week with Isabella has been...awful:( Oh my!!! Being the annoying person I am, I'm always looking for answers...

*Is she just adjusting to the new routine back at school and is tired and cranky?

*Is fatigue from being sick before school started coming into play?

*Is she tired in general...she's been waking up between 6 and 6:30 a.m. instead of 7 or later.

*Gasp...could it be some other child with bad manners influencing her? Unfortunately I'd think it would be the other way around:)

*Is this just part of her personality and who she is at this particular nano second in time?

Bryan and I have both found ourselves looking at each other in utter frustration about every other minute this week. It's no fun having to reprimand/discipline and yes, yell at her multiple times a day. She is really struggling this week, we are struggling.

But we shall carry on:) Truthfully, I think it's the fatigue and adjusting to the new school schedule. I hope and pray it's just that...that I can handle:) And I also say prayers of thanks for a healthy daughter, for the way she 'sets her toys up' for an hour before actually playing with them, for the way she sings sings sings with all her heart, and for the way she always asks me when we will get to see our boys from the African Children's Choir whenever she hears "Here I Am to Worship" on the radio. I also pray that she would be kind and a good friend to all, that she would appreciate the special things she gets to do, and that she would always carry God in her heart and do her best to make good choices. But most of all I pray for Bryan and I to be patient, patient, patient...and firm:)

Tiny Dancer

Oh Veronica...you have this insane ability to just work your way into my heart and wrap me so tightly around your little finger...this is trouble since we also know how naughty and mischevious you can be.

But today, your first day of dance class for this season...oh you were charming, adorable, and oozing with so much cuteness I could hardly stand it!

This is Veronica's second year of parent/toddler dance class. Things are a bit different this year. Veronica is going to class on Wednesday mornings, so in essence, she is my little teaching 'assistant':) Veronica went to dance a few times over the summer and would spend the first 15 minutes in my arms before warming up to class. But in the last two weeks or so, she has been a dance maniac! Any time we would drive past the studio, she would say, "Dan' c'ass, Momma, dan' c'ass?" and she has been JUMPING like crazy around the house, proudly showing off the fact that she now jumps apart and together. She also gets a big kick out of sitting on the floor and moving her legs back and forth between straddle legs and pike legs.

So, today my baby and I put on our dance clothes and headed off for dance class. We were there early to set everything up and Veronica immediately started moving around the room doing the 'routine' of class with so much confidence and independence. Hmmm...this was interesting. But what would happen when class actually started???? We sat down for opening stretches and I moved Veronica right next to me and attempted to help her with her butterfly legs. My baby firmly told me 'NO', moved away from me slightly and from that moment on, basically did class all on her own. She was so happy and full of joy and fun!

Veronica did so great! She was so independent...I really enjoyed seeing that confidence, since she tends to cling to Momma a bit.

Than tonight as we were walking into the bathroom for tubby time, Veronica said, "Tippy toe, Momma, tippy toe" in the most adorable high pitched voice and there was my baby walking on her releves (tippy toes) displaying the high arch that her sister has, her momma has, and her Great Grandma Ruby had.

Veronica and Momma...one on one

The end of summer and start of the school year brought a lot of bittersweet feelings. I was sad to see our carefree days of doing whatever we wanted end. Isabella does only go to school 3 mornings a week, but still those are three mornings where we can't dash off on a last minute adventure or road trip...sigh:)

But with the start of school would also come some real quality one on one time for Momma and her baby love, Veronica Grace Elizabeth. Isabella was in pre-school two mornings a week last year, but Veronica still often napped in the mornings. This year the morning naps are behind us and we are ready to conquer the world together:) And from the first morning alone, it has been such a delight!!! We're doing normal things - reading books, playing toys, coloring...but it's different when it's just Veronica. I really love watching her have all the toys to herself...it's fun to see her play on her own and make little toy puppies talk to one another in her own little language. It's adorable to watch the way she always wants to stretch out on the floor on her belly when coloring or writing.

We've been to Castle Park and have swung on the swings and took turns running across the bridge again and again and again. We visited 'Gamma's wo'k' as Veronica calls it...her first solo visit...and she happily ate up all of the treats on Grandma's desk. We went on a stroller ride.

It has been wonderful...I love it! And it really helps to soften the blow of the end of summer and less time with Isabella. Many of you know that I have a bit of an obcessive compulsion with everything being equal for the girls. It makes me extremely happy to know that for the next 4 years Veronica and I will have some special solo time to share before her Kindergarten years arrive.

It is interesting to have my 'solo' time with the girls at opposite points in their life. It was just Isabella and I until she was 2 1/2...for Veronica, our solo time is starting as she is about to turn 2!

First Day of School

Hope you enjoy these pics of our 'back to school' adventure...getting sick 2 days before school started, the traditional first day pics, and a precious pic of Isabella and Daddy on Day 2 of pre-school when Daddy drove her to school!

Isabella started her second year of pre-school on Wednesday, August 20th at Riverside Christian School! Her teacher is Mrs. Voeller again! We love Mrs. Voeller...Isabella was excited to see her!

Isabella had many familiar buddies in her class! Her class has 10 students and 8 of them were in pre-k 3 last year together.

We had a bit of 'drama' before school started:) We had a back to school picnic on Monday, August 18th...two days before school started. Isabella was a bit quiet before we left and in the midst of eating got very glazed over in the eyes and broke it in a massive fever. She was ON FIRE! We literally watched the fever take over her body...it was so sad...I felt awful for her. We left early and Isabella fell asleep on the drive home, woke up an hour later absolutely miserable. She was crying, uncomfortable, and on fire. We got some Tylenol in her and she snuggled up with Dad to watch a Scooby Doo. A short while later, Bry came to tell me that her fever broke and she was full of energy and chatting up a storm:) The fever came and went for the next 24 hours, coming on strong when it did make it's presence known. Along with the fever came numerous trips to the bathroom, if you catch my drift. Oh boy! I felt like we spent all day in the bathroom:) I was thinking we might miss the first day of school.

On a quick sidenote...so funny I have to mention...even though a bit gross:) Isabella spent a lot of time in the bathroom through the end of the week. During one visit she said, "I just want my normal poop back"...I about fell over trying not to laugh:)

But by Tuesday night the fever was gone, the trips to the bathroom were slightly less frequent, so I decided to play it by ear!

Isabella woke up Wednesday morning excited and ready for school! We dressed her in her beautiful sunflower tent dress and jean jacket! The official 1st day of school pics were taken and we were off!

It was fun to see Isabella go into her room and know the routine of hanging up her coat and bag on the hook. She really is a big girl:) I smooched her up and squeezed her as much as I could without embarrassing her and thought I was going to make it through without tears. But on the final smooch and squeeze, my eyes welled up...will this ever get any easier???? No, I know it won't:)

I stayed for the opening flag ceremony and a bit of chapel for the older students, peeking in Isabella's room just to make sure she was doing ok. She was great and Mrs. Voeller reported that she had a great day and was full of energy and excitement!

Afterwards we went with two of her buddies, Julia and Elizabeth for lunch! That was fun! It is wonderful to know almost all of the pre-school parents and to have friendships with several.

We joined Riverside last year because we felt it was the best pre-school for Isabella. We had never even thought of sending her to a private school for her primary grades. But we find ourselves leaning more and more that way. Mom has been praying about it a lot and will continue to do so. But I would say we are 75% sure that we will send Isabella to Riverside for Kindergarten and evaluate what we will do after that.

Speaking of Kindergarten, we are also strongly leaning towards one more year of pre-school before sending Isabella to Kindergarten. Since she is a June birthday we have the choice. Again we had always assumed we would send her at age 5, which would be next fall. But I started feeling a real strong tugging at my heart for more time with her. I spent a lot of time over the summer talking to all the teachers I know and the general message I got was this - I've never heard someone regret waiting, but I've always heard people wish they would have waited that extra year.