Fun with the Finger's: August 2013

Today Kate started her Mommy & Tot gymnastics class. I basically wanted something fun for us to do together and thought this would be fun. I'm glad I did because she LOVED it! We go to Pendleton which is where Cohen used to take gymnastics. We did not tell Cohen because this would be one of those situations that she would cry about. She does know Kate has a class, just not where :) When we got there we went right out on the floor and started stretches and I saw immediately that Kate was going to love it! She did every move...her way of course...I mean who needs to bend over to touch their toes when you can squat and do it :) She loved the jumping! After that we went right to "playing". Miss Kip sets up several stations and shows you what to do, then you just go to each one as you want. Kate was busy running from one to another. I think her favorite was the rings! She would swing and hang, and then she learned how to kick the big "mailbox" mat over in front of her and did that several times. She climbed, threw bean bags, slid, jumped and had a ball! At the end they have a few minutes for music where they sing a song with hand motions. She loved this as well. Miss Kip gives everyone their stamps before leaving. Kate got her hand stamped and got up to walk away, but then she noticed Miss Kip gave 2 stamps and she had to go back to get her other hand stamped as well. She was very proud of those stamps on her hand! It was too much cuteness! She wore Cohen's leotard, which I think Cohen can probably still wear! It was a little big but with a diaper on it wasn't too bad. haha!

She was so proud every time she threw one in...& she was good at it!

RINGS!!

This has to be my favorite!! Her eyes say it all!

Waiting for her stamps

Checking them out!

So proud!

She is still looking at her stamps!

I love this kid!!

Last week was our first full week of school! Adjusting would be the key word for all of us right now. We are learning to adjust to this new "school" schedule and trying to figure out what a normal routine MIGHT look like now. Cohen absolutely loves school but the initial excitement that had her jumping out of bed that first day has faded. I now have to do everything I can to get her awake and ready to go. Once she's up she gets going ok, but getting her out of bed is pretty tough. She takes after her Mama :) Last week Kelly walked her in on Monday and I did on Tuesday. We wanted to make sure she knew how to get to her class on her own, but Wednesday through Friday she rode to school with our neighbor Keyes. Dawn took them both and I felt a lot better with her being dropped off and having Keyes there too. Their classrooms are right across from each other so they can walk together. I love how close these 2 have gotten lately. Its so funny watching both our girls play with both of the boys. Kate loves Elliott and talks about him all the time. She thinks she can just run on over to their house as soon as we pull in and she can get a glimpse of Elliott in the yard. They crack me up. Dawn sent me this picture of Cohen and Keyes getting ready to get out at school.

I love picking Cohen up each afternoon and getting to hear all the details of her day. Last week, at the end of the week, she ate in the lunchroom for the first time. She had really been looking forward to doing this and we had planned which days she would eat based on the menu and what she would eat. She ate 2 days and hearing about that was so cute. One of the first things that had made me sad was thinking about my little girl in that big lunchroom carrying her own tray! I know she does great but it really sinks in seeing her do all these things that she is turning into such a big girl. She loves her CAMP classes too! (computer, art, music, p.e.) I think computer was her favorite last week. She also has informed me that she has a brand new computer in her room that is so new that even Mrs. Kellum hasn't even turned it on yet. I've heard a few new names from her so I know she has made some new friends. They got to play outside about 2 days, when it wasn't raining! She was excited because she got to see all of her friends on the playground. She said her friend Rylie waited on her and that they met up with their other preschool friends. That made me feel so good. It was so sad to think these girls who had went to preschool together for 2-3 years would be separated. I know its life but I get sad about these little things...or this big thing called change! I do look forward to hearing all about her days and I know they are only going to get better. I have really enjoyed my time with Kate at home and I know Cohen is in good hands. Seeing her so happy helps a lot too!
Last week Cohen started back to baton. We do this on Monday nights just like last year. Cohen had been looking forward to going back and she knew most everyone in her class. Her friend Korah started in this class this year so she was even more excited about that. Even Kate was excited to be there :)

We spent the rest of our week playing outside in the afternoons, since that is when it would clear up, and enjoying our neighbors. Dawn and I were saying how its so hard to get a good bedtime routine down right now. We have set a goal of between 8:30-9:00 but right now it is still a little light out at 8:30 so we like being able to enjoy as much time outside as possible. Its fun to get out and see all of our neighbors. Our street can be like one big playground at times!

Notice how Elliott & Kate are hugged up!

While Cohen is at school, I have been enjoying some good one on one time with Kate. Kate is so much fun, not that Cohen isn't, its just that right now Kate's personality is coming out and she is so funny! Last week we had our regular lunch date with Suzy and Nanny, we also had lunch with my friend Mandy one day. My mom and I went shopping with her on Wednesday and she was so good for me. She was excited when she got rewarded with a carousel ride, even though halfway through it she was ready to get off so I had to hold her. I'm trying to find some cute learning activities and crafts for us to do on Pinterest. I feel like we need to have some learning time, but on her level since she is just 2. We have played with Play-Doh and I let her paint. It was only with one color but it was fun to watch her. I wanted to paint her hand to make a handprint and she has always hated having someone paint her hand. She watched me paint mine and that was all she needed, she started painting her own and loved it . She just wants to do it herself. Cohen saw our prints when she came home and started to cry, telling me Kate was getting to have all the fun and it broke my heart. I told her we would paint her hand too so we could all have our hands together in the picture. Lesson learned...no talking about what we do during the day and HIDE all artwork if there is any. Even if it is scribble! I know she's just adjusting...our magic word. Here are some pics of Kate's week. She is a hoot as you can probably tell!

She went right up & said "tate my picha" Cohen always did (& still does) the same thing. What is it with my girls and mannequins?!

Riding the merry-go-round!

This is how I found her eating her spaghetti o's one day! She never heard me sneak up either!

Painting her picture

We really enjoyed our weekend too! Friday we celebrated Devin's 19th birthday! Saturday we had another birthday party for Cohen's friend, Juliette. It was a pool party so thank goodness it was a lot warmer this weekend and it didn't rain on Saturday! We have enjoyed having so many fun birthday parties this month! Kate really enjoyed the party too. Between swimming and the cupcakes, she was in hog heaven. When we left the party we went to Chuck E Cheese with Cohen's friend Mylie. The girls had a ball! They were running around playing all the games. Kelly was excited to get to do something fun with the girls. It had been a while since either of us had been...we took my nephews the last time, and we had no kids yet! Cohen really enjoyed spending some time with Mylie. She had wanted to have a playdate with her earlier this summer and things got so busy we had not been able to do it.

Cohen & Mylie

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Kate goes straight for a truck...this is while it was not moving

Check out her face when the truck started moving and bouncing around...she was outta there!

They loved this game where they got to lay back!

We headed to Nana's after Chuck E Cheese and had a nice visit with her. We always look forward to visits with Nana. The girls and I had a little tea party too out on Nana's porch!

We ended our weekend with a big church cookout and baptism at Tugalo Park. What a big crowd it was and lots of fun! Both girls love playing on the playground and swimming in the lake. Our baptism is also in the lake and I can't tell you how awesome it is to watch all the kids and adults give their lives to Christ. It was a beautiful night for sure! A lot of the kids we know well because we are close friends with their parents and through church. We teach the 2nd and 3rd grade Sunday school class so they all have mostly passed through the class! We are so proud of them and I know my girls are watching these older kids and what a great example they have set. God is GOOD!