Visit from Papa and Grandma Julie!

 

(Thanks, Julie, for the first few pictures!)

Elsie's first ballet class!

So excited while they wait for class to start!

Learning first position.

Practicing walking on their toes- Elsie ran.

Practicing sashaying...Elsie ran.

Elsie was supposed to be on the teacher's left, but didn't want to be apart from Adah.

I think this was the only point where Elsie was actually doing what she was supposed to be doing...

Elsie and her friend Adah had their first ballet class together last week.  After MONTHS of anticipation ("Can we please go to ballet class today, Mama?  Well, can you at least sign me up for ballet class today so that I can go tomorrow?"), the big day finally arrived. 

Elsie's actual performance in the class was less than stellar, but I am going to partially blame that on the fact that she did a road race a couple of days before, so she didn't quite understand why she should sashay or walk between the two lines in the room instead of RACING between them.  Why practice walking slowly on your toes when you can RUN???

While following directions during ballet class wasn't exactly Elsie's forte, but she LOVED the experience and can't wait to go back again next week!  I am hopeful that with another week's distance between her and the memories of the race, she will be a little more interested in actually doing the ballet lesson this time around...

Big Kid!

Sitting up, crawling, reading books, growing teeth...
you know, doing important Big Kid Stuff.

The Big Race: The Melissa Court Caper of 2013

Warming up and milling around the starting line,
where we learn that corralling preschoolers is much like corralling cats.

Final mental preparations.

Ready to go!

Last minute "strides" with a friend.

And they are off!

Daddy shows the way!  The backs of their shirts say "Future Marathoner"!

Some more happy cheerleaders!

Determined girl!

Coming 'round the bend in 3rd place!

A dramatic finish (no one wanted to go through the tape and they all had to be prompted).

Hooray!

Yes, she ran the whole race without letting go of her dandelion.

Contemplating her metal.

Sylvie enjoyed the festivities.

Can we do it again, please?  Let's go again!

 

A family pic.

Elsie was not entertained by the funny dance Mr. Bart did while trying to get her to smile.

Sylvie and Elsie shared a sister moment.

Tired out after the big run.

Eating like a big kid!

Devouring two Mum Mums in one sitting.

Drinking berry smoothie with Daddy and Elsie.

Loving Zucchini and Apple Puree.

All smiles after carrots, zucchini and chicken...and two new teeth (at 6.5 months!)

Elsie's first day of school.

Elsie's school career didn't start out in the most promising fashion.

She finished a round of antibiotics for an ear infection five days before her first day of class was scheduled, but woke up 24 hours later with a rebounding infection.

We spent our Labor Day in urgent care getting a second round of antibiotics, and being reassured by the doc that she would be pain-free and ready for her first day of school on Wednesday.  Instead, we had a horrible night of no sleep and headed back to urgent care the next morning only to be told her ear drum had ruptured.  More antibiotics, and a firm reassurance that she would be ready for her first day of classes in the morning since the rupture had allowed the pressure to be relieved.

Instead of a restful night, though, we had our second night with a very sad girl.  By morning her whole ear was swollen and red.  When I called the clinic, we were told to come in immediately as it was likely she had developed a rare but extremely dangerous complication.  Yikes!

After a very thorough evaluation by her primary care doc, we were told that it looked like her ear was developing mastoiditis, but was not actually acute yet. We were told to watch it very carefully, and immediately go to the ER if we noticed any changes. As we were heading out the door to go home, our sweet doctor said, "Well, with all the antibiotics she is on, she should either wake up happy and healthy and be ready to go to school tomorrow, or it will go the other way and I will see you tonight in the ER."

My dear friend Heather had called that morning to see how Elsie's first day had gone, and when she hear that we were in urgent care again she said she wanted to do something special for Elsie. I got a text a few hours later saying there was something waiting in the mailbox for her. When we got home from urgent care, Elsie ran to the front door and found a signed copy of one of her favorite stories, Chrysanthemum, along with a finger puppet of the main character. On the title page was a lovely little illustration and note from the author himself!

Needless to say, Elsie was THRILLED. Yet another reason why we are SO INCREDIBLY BLESSED to have Miss Heather in our lives.

And, in the end, after getting up to check on the monkey every hour that night, she woke up with a pain-free ear the next morning and made it to her first (second) day of school. The following series of photos outlines the rest of her saga, beginning with a picture of a sick girl with a red, swollen ear, reading her new book, and ending 24 hours later with her happily walking home after a successful first day of school.

Her first read-through with Chrysanthemum...and a very swollen ear.

Fourth read-through...making sure that Chrysanthemum can see the pictures!

The next morning she woke up happy and pain free, so we jumped in the car for her first (second) day of school!

She was pretty overwhelmed, but felt a lot better after grabbing the hand of her good friend and classmate, Lucy.

Waiting in line with her good friend (and classmate) Antoinette.

Walking home after school let out three hours later with a happy girl!

Daddy's night out

A few weeks ago, Andy took a much-deserved night off to have some fun with our neighbor, Tom.  While Sylvie was napping, Elsie and I built an elaborate doll house out of blocks.  After awhile, I noticed Elsie spending a lot of time working on the "living room" of the doll house. 

Eventually, she said, "Look, Mama...it's Daddy and Mr. Tom!   They are having a Daddy's Night and are watching TV with their special drinks.  Like coffee."

Yep, I'm pretty sure that's not what they were drinking :)

August Quotes by Elsie

A great pic taken by Grandma Julie of the little lady recovering from her bad sprain.  It took about 10 days to heal, rather than the 3 her doc estimated.  It turns out she isn't very good at "taking it easy"!

***

Elsie:  "Mama, I really want a goose."

Mama:  "Ooh, that would be fun.  Geese sometimes bite, though, so they probably wouldn't make good pets."

Elsie:  "Oh.  That's okay- I'd rather have a pony."

***

Reading Jamberry at storytime before bed...

Mama:  "...a band in Berryland!"  

Elsie:  "BERRYLAND???  Oh, wow!  Maybe when I grow up I can go there, too!"

And reading Bear Wants More, and explaining hibernation and springtime hunger...
Elsie:  "Bear eats grass?  Will bears eat my grass so I don't have to mow?  How very nice of them!"

***

Sleepy Sylvie on her walk with Daddy and Elsie

***

Elsie:  "Mama, you can dip this (saltine) in your coffee!  That will make it more yummier!"

Mama:  "Oh, yum!  This is actually tea, though...do you want to try some?"

Elsie:  "No, tea is not my favorite.  What kind of tea is it?"

Daddy:  "Tension Tamer Tea."

Elsie:  "Tessin' Tomer?  That is my favorite kind of tea!"

 ***

In the car:

Elsie:  "Mama, what are you eating? "

Mama:  "Just a piece of gum."

Elsie:  "Can I have a gum?"

Mama:  "Well, gum is really just for Mamas and Daddys."

Elsie:  "Hmmm.  But I am growing up!  Maybe tomorrow I will be big and we can go to the gum store and get me a gum that I can try for my own self!"

***

After changing songs in the car:

Elsie:  "Mama, this new song is NOT my favorite."

Mama:  "It's a good song!  It says, "Everything will be all right."  Isn't that a good thing to say?"

Elsie:  "Oh, Mama, you are so silly!  Don't you know that songs can't talk?" 

***

Playing with friends

***

While discussing dinner options...

Elsie:  "Or we can have toast!"

Daddy:  "Toast?"

Elsie:   "Yes, toast is a great thing to have outside!"

We think that this idea sprung from the fact that we recently moved our old couch onto the curb for garbage pick-up, and Elsie and daddy have been having nightly "popsicle picnics" for at snack time, on the couch, watching the cars go by.

***

Mama:  "Look, Elsie!  You got a letter in the mail from Grandpa David!"

Elsie:  "Oh, boy!  A letter for me from Grandpa David?  How very nice of him!  Maybe I should open it up and see what he has to say!"

***

***

Elsie:  "I want to go outside and play on my swing set!"

Mama:  "Oh, no.  That swing set is just for bunnies.  Girls can't use that swing set, just little bunnies."

Elsie (looking dejected): "Oooh..."

Mama:  "Unless...well, if you are a really good jumper, maybe the bunnies will let you play, too.  Are you a really good jumper?"

Elsie:   "Wait!  Oh, Mama, you are making a JOKE!  Ha ha!  You are FUNNY!"'

***

Reasons Elsie can't go to bed:

-she needs to go outside to catch lightening bugs

-it's too stinky in her room (after using the potty chair)

-Daddy read her stories, but she actually wanted a song instead
-she is hungry (after choosing not to eat dinner)

-she can't see the "Rowcare" (scarecrow) in her book
-she has panda jammies on and wanted to wear dinosaur jammies

-Baby Pongo (stuffed animal) doesn't have his jammies on

-she didn't want to read the bedtime stories she chose, she actually wanted to read different stories
-it's actually time to get up, not time to sleep
-she already DID sleep
-we might need to go outside and make sure that Kermit is okay
-her animals aren't in their beds
-it might be time to go to Papa and Grandma's house instead of sleeping

***

Playing with my new Marble Run from my Heather friend!

***

Driving in the car:
Elsie:  "Look, Mama, it's Panera!"
Mama:  "You are right!  How did you know that was Panera?"
Elsie:  "Because that is where Daddy brings me when we have special times!  And I pay attention.  And maybe Daddy can take me for another special time tomorrow!"