Sunday at Edgerton Park

We love this festival. I think it's our favorite festival ever. We always see tons of people we know because, like us, they all love this festival too. (It is seriously awesome.) We started off with a visit with a fire truck and real firemen. Scarlett was actually scared to touch the steering wheel.

But she wasn't scared to go on the zip line!
Or the slide. Or Kellogg the pony who had pink ribbons in her hair. Holden liked the slide too.
And he collected balloons. Goose got her face painted.
And the Edgerton Park festival wouldn't be complete without lollipops.

Letters!!

2 letter t's
A big a and a big t

Have marker will draw

Scarlett has totally and very suddenly grasped the concept of drawing and writing. I asked Scarlett to draw a picture of Holden, and she did. And it's actually noticeably a thing with two arms and two feet and eyes and hair. I was expecting scribbles when I asked her to draw Holden, but called Joe over when she started with a circle for the head. We just stood behind her, jaws dropped, as she drew this. (I know. We need to get out more.)

Bill Murray

Holden has a shirt with Bill Murray on it. (See picture above) Holden was wearing this shirt yesterday and Scarlett was asking Joe about it.

Scarlett: "Who's on Holden's shirt? Abraham Lincoln?" (???)
Joe: "No...it's Bill Murray."
Scarlett: "Ahhh. Bill Murray. (As if she had any idea who Bill Murray was.) So...you guys are big Bill Murray fans, huh?"
Joe: "Yeah." [Who is this kid talking to me?!]

She writes!

We were driving home from school today and Scarlett was playing with her mini Magna Doodle in the back seat. She says "mommy, I wrote the letter C." Not believing but ready to humor her, I glance over my shoulder to peek. She had written the freaking letter C. I almost crashed the car. She erases it and tells me she's going to write the letter T. And she did. She wrote U and then told me she wrote F, but then laughed at her F and told me it wasn't a real F because she "forgot the line that goes across," so she added it and it was a real F. Scarlett JUST started drawing circles if we ask her to draw a circle, but prior to that she did no more than scribble. I apologize for not having proof, but I was cameraless and came very close to crashing my car and it was a Magna Doodle. Rest assured, I will be asking this kid to write the letter T non-stop until it's properly documented.

Guess who's starting ballet?

For those of you who know me, one of the things I complain about regularly is the lack of lessons for toddlers of working parents. It drives me crazy. After about a month of research I came across two options with hours we could do - Our town's preschool soccer clinic, but she had to be exactly 3.5 - which she is not so that one was eliminated. We were left with a hip-hop dance class. Fine. I brought Scarlett to the first lesson only to discover there was a typo in the paper and the class was, ahem, being held at a time not convenient for working parents after all. I dragged a sobbing, ready-to-dance Scarlett from the lobby and I sucked it up and signed her up for ballet at Lee Lund Studio of Dance in Milford, which offers a Saturday morning class. It's more than I want to pay for lessons for a 3 year old, but it lasts from now until June and I will be happy no longer struggling to find something for her to do.
We picked up her mandatory dress-code dance outfit so she's ready to start tomorrow morning. She had to try it on, of course, and ran downstairs to show Daddy...and then asked him what, exactly, ballerinas do. I told her to reach for the sky and stand on her tippie-toes, which is the gist of my ballet knowledge. I YouTubed ballet, and she studied it pretty intently. Here is her first attempt. Notice she stops to watch the computer screen to see what the ballerina is doing.

Then she got a little more comfortable. Graceful? Not at all. But comfortable is good.

So she starts tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to watch the class until the end of October. Apparently, it's pretty serious. But if I'm able to catch a glimpse of it, rest assured that I will have my camera glued to my hand to try to get a picture or video! Good luck Scarlett!

Five Year Wedding Anniversary

Once upon a time there was a little girl - we'll call her Lauren. (And, if I recall, she was pretty awesome.) About four blocks over from where Lauren grew up there lived a little boy - we'll call him Joey. (He was alright.)

Lauren and Joey went to most of the same schools, but they were never friends. In fact, the only thing Lauren remembered about Joey from those days was that he wore an Itchy and Scratchy t-shirt way too frequently. (And it was a really stupid shirt.) Lauren and Joey graduated high school fully prepared to continue on with their non-speaking relationship. Until...

A keg party in someone's basement 5 years later. Initially, Lauren was hesitant to go; Joey was hesitant to go; I don't know why they would be hesitant to go - I mean...parties in basements are usually REALLY awesome, but the important thing is, they both did go. And they are both very lucky that they did.

Lauren remembers being re-introduced to Joey. Lauren made eye contact with Joey for the first time and remembers white doves fluttering through the air and harps playing in the background. (Although it's quite possible that the doves were really ping pong balls and the harp music was bad rap.) Lauren and Joey started hanging out a lot. They got a dog.And then, if you'd believe it, they got married - 5 years ago to the date. They had baby girl who brought them more joy than they'd ever known.Then they had baby boy who, in addition to joy, brought a feeling of perfection. They had a great life owed completely to a keg party in someone's basement. So, Joey, I'd like to thank you for these past five years. While I'm not typically one to quote Fatboy Slim, I randomly and quite ironically woke up with his song, "Praise You", in my head this morning.

"We’ve come a long, long way together.
Through the hard times and the good.
I have to celebrate you baby,
I have to praise you like I should."

Ain't it the truth. I love you, puds.

First day of Pre-K

Today was Scarlett's first day of school. It went about as smoothly as I could have hoped for. I was expecting all hell to break loose when Scarlett had to put on her uniform as opposed to one of her dozen dresses - but she was fine. (I think the new purple mary janes helped. She told us she simply needed them because she loved them so much. I couldn't argue with that.) Here's Goose modeling her "ufinorm." And her new backpack "with letters" (monogrammed initials).

We made a pit stop at my office.
And then headed to Scarlett's big school. This school goes up to 8th grade, so Scarlett was a little shocked to see really, really big kids going into the school too. (As. was. I. It made her seem just that much older - despite the fact that she is probably the smallest kid in the entire school.) The second we got into her classroom, she asked me if she could go play. I had to beg her to take this picture with me. And then - she was off! I picked her up and she told me that a few kids were crying because they missed their mommies but she didn't cry because she didn't miss me. She only cried when a boy tried to take her food. "There is a playground with a climbing wall and there is a Snow White dress in dramatic play and they got folders with their names on them!"

So that's it. It went perfectly. With the exception of missing her "Minnie and Marino and Amanda" (best friends from the Stork Club) she loves the new school. Yay Pre-K!

Scarlett says goodbye to the Stork Club

This morning was bittersweet. Scarlett went to her last day at the Stork Club.

Scarlett started at the Stork Club just before she turned 2. In fact, you may remember this post all about her first day. We've all had a great time while we've been there - and I do say "we" because I'm quite certain that I've enjoyed the daycare as much as Scarlett. We've laughed, and we've [admittedly] cried at how much we love this place. The teachers and friends we've made there have all had such an impact on us, and, so she can read them when she gets older, I'm going to post what her closest teachers and friends said about her departure:

Miss Elyse "I'm going to try and keep my composure today while I say goodbye to this tiny blonde bombshell. curse you Lauren Adams and your adorable children!"

Miss Michelle "Scarlett really broke my heart Monday- i was subbing in the 3s and she was crying..first because she said she really wanted a pony, but then she told me she was going to a new school and i asked her if she was excited and all she did was look at me and say 'i'm just really gonna miss you'"

Miss Nikkie "Give her a big hug for me and amanda plz...Can we do a play date soon she's gonna miss her so much !!!"

Miss Angie "GOOD LUCK BEAUTIFUL AND HAVE LOTS OF FUN IN YOUR NEW SCHOOL WE WILL ALL MISS YOU"

Miss Kailey "Aww we're gonna miss her :("

Emma's mom "Minnie is going to be so sad, I don't think she understands that Scarlett won't be at school with her anymore. Good Luck Scarlett at your new school you will do great."

Scarlett starts her new school tomorrow. I can only hope that we meet the same caring, funny, and loving people there too. Goodbye, Stork Club! Muah!