High 5s!!

Luke learned how to give High 5s today! Of course he loves it... it's another Bam-Bam activity and it's acceptable.

Note... he's a huge outdoor guy already. He loves the outdoors and begs to be let out to play in the dirt, etc. When he sees daddy each day, he screams and begs to be taken outdoors. He's also a huge water fan and begged Emily's swim teachers yesterday to let him be in a class. They found it very funny. The poor thing just wants to be let go so he can swim... except he can't entirely float all on his own and needs help. He just cannot wait to grow up!

Emily's first day of ballet...

Today Emily had her first ballet class. Ms. Suzanne showed Emily some basic steps. DOXA Dance Studio is a Christian based dance studio with the motto "Let them praise Him with the dance."

Emily learned the First Position, the Second Position (À la seconde), plié, Bras bas (or preparatory position), and a version of the promenade or Pas de valse (waltz step) wearing masks.

Ms. Suzanne is expecting a baby girl in August, named Elana. (The girls were delighted to hear about her during class.)

When I asked Emily what she thought of her class she said it was good and that she liked it. She then asked if I would practice her steps with her. I promised we would do it every day! I then asked her if she liked having other girls named Emily in her class and she told me that she was only going to be friends with girls named Emily who have brown hair like her. (Don't worry, we talked about that. She was reminded that it's not Christ-like to not be friendly to every girl in her class. We then talked more indepth about some of the girls whom she was concerned about their behavioral choices.)

Emily was super excited about starting dance class and kept asking me all day long if it's time yet. Enjoy the pictures!

This is the picture Emily made for her teacher. She said it is a birthday invitation for her. Ms. Suzanne was thrilled to receive it following class.

PS - When she's asked whether or not she's taken classes before, she says, "Yes, the Genevieve dance class from my video. I've taken it several times."

Too Funny!!!

Emily gives advice to Luke during one of his screaming phases

This morning, as we were going about our normal morning routine, Luke began his screeching screams. They are so shrill and so loud that they pierce through your ears and hurt. Well, big sister had some very practical (and super funny) advice for him. She looked him straight in the face and very matter of factly said, "Luke, if you want to scream then you need to go and get married and live in your own house." I'm sure she got this from my numerous comments regarding the rules of our home and how we all have to be able to live with one another under the same roof... thus we must make wise and considerate choices. Needless to say, we all had some really big laughs after that one... and the screaming stopped with the laughter.

Emily Dreams Big... her future career/profession

Emily has been telling us of her career dreams for over a month now. Are you ready???? She wants to be a Confectionary Technologist (better described by her as a Chocolate Girl). She says she's going to be an Inventor of new chocolates at Disney's very own Goofy Candy Company. She says she will also be the Head Chef at the Animal Kingdom's Kilimanjaro Safaris® Restaurantosaurus. Whatever she decides in the end, I'm sure she will love it and will thrive at it!

By the way... Luke is climbing! I found him on the top step of Emily's step stool in the bathroom reaching for items on the counter. Yikes! He's now trying to climb on everything!!!
Hope you enjoyed reading...
-Angela

Pool Time

Luke loves to SWIM in the pool. He kicks his little legs as fast as he can and loves every moment of it. At times he will arch his back as though wanting to swim on his back. Once I put him on his back to float he screams and acts as though he doesn't like the water in his ears. (I'm sure it's a scary experience.) Today he spent most of his pool time crawling around the edge of the pool. From time to time he would fall in. He never cried, just gathered himself and went back to crawling. He was really excited when he found a snorkle and a mask. He tried to wear the mask, but gave little attention to the snorkle. He loved the splashing effect from crawling along the edge.

Luke thinks he's a big boy now...

Well, he no longer wants a bottle or sippy cup. They were short lived. He has advanced straight to a regular cup (thankfully we have little ones for kids). We can't put too much in it or he's surprised by the splash of water that leaves him soaked... but when we only put a little bit in it (~0.5 oz.) we find ourselves constantly getting up to fill his cup. He has also gotten really good at shaking his head "no" when trying to tell us which mystery item he is asking for.

He likes sign language, but just thinks it's neat to see Emily and I do it. He knows how to ask for milk, but it's also the same as hello and good bye to him. We will keep working on it. Emily and I are enjoying the new adventure of learning sign language together and laughing along the way. For now, Luke just points in the direction that he wants to go (if we're holding him) or points to the item that he wants and waits for us to figure out which item it is.

Have a great day...
Angela

Bath Time is Lots of Fun

Luke loves the water, and loves his bath! He will now stand up and try to climb up and out of the tub. When I ask him if he's all done he will shake his head from side to side and then sit back down. When he is done he will reach for me. After his bath he pulls his towel up over his eyes, wanting to play peek-a-boo. When I say, "Where's baby?" he will giggle and then wait for me to say it again before revealing himself. He loves to play this game and will do it over and over.

First thing this morning he greeted Daddy and I with lots of smiles and silliness. Then he decided to start hitting our faces. We followed through with telling him, "no." After he did it a couple of times I asked him if he wanted his first Time-Out and he quickly sat down and shaked his head from side to side and was a good boy. He's a smark cookie... and appears to know what Time-Out is (probably from watching Emily in Time-Out).

Luke also likes to draw on magnadoodles and on paper with crayons. So far he seems to realize that he should only draw on paper or the magnadoodle.

Keith and Emily love to spend their evenings swinging in the hammack. They tell stories of make believe. Their favorite is to pretend they are on a pirate ship and Captain Hook and croccodiles are in the waters around them. (I believe they are Peter Pan and Wendy.)

Right now Emily is dangling a prize filled easter egg from a ribbon while sitting on a chair... calling Luke to come and get it. As he crawls closer, she moves it up or to the side. He distracted her and got it within seconds!

That's it for now...

Angela