Dance Recital 2010

Oh where to begin.  (Note, there are a bazillion pictures in this post, if you click them, I think they take you to flickr where you can see the larger copy, if you're my 'friend' on there).  Originally I was excited her dance recital was Saturday at 1 pm vs. the Friday and Saturday night ones that were at 6 (they last almost 3 hours).  Because, I figured my girl would be exhausted (even though the 1 pm was right as nap would normally start).  I learned however at the dress rehearsal (at 6 on Tuesday night) that she was so giddy and excited that she would have been fine!  Unless it's during nap and she's tired and hungry (I fed her before we left, but I wasn't the mom on the ball and didn't bring all these snacks--detrimental to her AND me!).  So, we got there early (Eric and his mom and sister got there an hour before us to save seats, it's hardcore out here in Katy!), my sister came in the back with us and we got her in her first dress. 

Then we took her out to our seats to see Daddy, Nana and Aunt Amanda.

Then it was back to the dressing room to wait.  This is where I could tell things were going downhill.  Not at first mind you, at first she colored with her ballerina friends,

(and can I mention for a mom who doesn't do hair well, and for a daughter who has the curliest fro you can imagine, that bun looks pretty good!!!) :)

then she spent some time twirling in her poofy dress,

then all the girls figured out there was a princess movie on at the other side of the room, so they sat down for awhile and watched. 

Then she got up, came to me and told me her tummy hurt. 

Ok, not good, so we sat down and I asked if she needed to go to the bathroom

Right about then they called us back!

They let me walk back stage with her (they are hard core about no parents back there) and she started crying and I could just tell this wasn't going to end well.  They said I could run her to the bathroom, but HURRY.  So I did.  Of course she couldn't go and she was crying.  (turns out later, I think it was just nerves).  I comforted her, but it was time for her to go on, so we walked backstage (I was carrying her).  Instead of being the forceful Misty I'm known to be, I let some crazy stage woman take my baby from me, screaming and crying and yelling for me, and it broke my heart.  I went and sat down with Eric and told him I didn't think this would be good. 

Insert side note.  This is when I noticed that the dance directly before the 3 year old class was the 'elite company' (i.e. high school girls) and they were dressed in corsets, ruffled practically see through panties, chair dancing and shaking their bums towards the audience.  I was completely appalled.  What trash, and Eric told me that a lot of the 'company' dances were like that.  Even with some of the younger girls!  So since dance recital, I've been searching high and low for another dance studio and letting Cara try out gymnastics classes.  She loves them all, but loves Ms. Kathy more.  Ms. Kathy is why we started going to Becky's Academy of Dance.  Someone at our church referred us to her, she said she is great with the little ones, teaches them manners, respect, and how to act like a lady, and she does!  And she expects lots out of them (which is why Cara spent the first week in time out!), which I do too.  So, after much thought and complaining to my girlfriends, I signed her up for one more year at Becky's with Ms. Kathy.  We'll see how it goes.  The whole year is fine, it's just that one day (the recital) that she has to be around the hoochie dancing.  I guess it's time to teach her there's a time and a place, and though I don't think recital day is it, that's when we have to just love others.  Also, I saw one of the older dancers at our church the next week working VBS!  Goodness, I just don't know what to do with Cara....probably hope she likes sports better, but I don't see that happening at all!  Ok, back to the story....

Sure enough, they walked them out on stage and she was still crying for me, so crazy stage lady ended up holding her on the side of the stage the whole dance.  I was so sad for her, she LOVED that dance.  So I went and met her backstage as soon as they came out the door and took her potty again.  I was misty-eyed for her, but she still didn't need to go to the restroom.  I told her I was sorry that the lady took her from me, and that I didn't care if she danced on stage or not, that she was my beautiful princess and I was proud of her.  I think that was all she needed.  She was ready to get in her tap costume.  Well, not entirely ready, now she was ready to dance on stage in her pretty white dress.  I told her I'd put her back in it for the finale, and, well you'll just have to wait for that....

So we go to the dressing room and get her ready for tap.  (see the face on the left, I was still a little nervous she wouldn't go on again). 

This time, she was still fussing for me, and Ms. Kathy (her wonderful teacher) let me go backstage with them.  They practiced the routine and she was doing great.  Then came time to just wait because intermission was almost over and there were a couple dances before then.  Ms. Kathy let me stay back there with her, and I took some cute pictures of all the girls pretending they were petals on a flower, opening and closing. 

Then, even though crazy stage lady didn't want me too, Ms. Kathy told her to let me and I was able to go right on the side stage with the girls and wait with Cara.  By this time, she was kinda over me, and was chit chatting with her friends, and watching the big girls dance on stage.  More air humping, joyous.  Anyways, Ms. Kathy came back and called them to order, it was almost time.  I asked Cara if she wanted me to watch from the side of the stage, or if I could go sit with Daddy and watch from the front.  She dismissed me, and off I ran to get my seat!  Praying she'd go on! ;)  And on she went....

yeah, that's her front and center shaking her bum bum!

Yay!  I met her right after and she was so proud of herself!

Then she started giving me the attitude poses:

But immediately we had to get back into our pretty white dress because she 'didn't get to dance onstage in it.'  So everyone else stayed in the pink outfit, but we were back to being a princess.  She got a trophy with her name on it (that lasted 24 hours before she dropped it and the ballerina broke off....she still plays with it!):

We went and watched a few dances with Daddy, and he and Nana gave her flowers. 

Then we rushed backstage for the finale.  It basically just brings all the girls out on stage one last time and they all just wave to their parents.  They introduce all the teachers and we clap.  Well, everyone except Cara, she took full advantage of being on stage again in her white dress and stood in the front row and danced the whole time!

When it was done she ran up to me, hugged me, then said she wasn't done dancing yet, so off she went.  I got her to stop long enough to take a picture with Ms. Kathy.

She danced until the song was over.  Ms. Kathy thought it was hilarious. 

Finally, when I told her no more music was coming on to dance to, she walked over to us and took a few pictures. 

Then she danced some more....

Finally, we had to get her off the stage :)

Pictures with Nana and Aunt Amanda

Aunt Bailey

And Mommy and Daddy

She was being quite the ham at this point....as you can tell. 

And where was Micah during all this excitement???  He was napping at my friend's house.  Can you imagine how much drama we would have had if he had been there?? :)

So, the next day was Eric's birthday, and we decided to celebrate a day early so everyone that came for the recital could just go out to eat with us.  Here's Daddy and the kids:

Helping Daddy blow out candles:

And helping him open a few gifts:

After that it was off for a fun family dinner at Texas Roadhouse. 

So there was our June 12th.  My my, where does my girl get her drama? ;)

teaser

Well, this isn't another big update post or a post about the specific events I mentioned last time.  It's just a teaser :).  The kids are at my mom and dad's house from yesterday through Saturday, and so Eric and I are getting a lot done around the house.  We painted Anna's room a very pretty pale pink yesterday.  The plumber came and helped Eric slope the shower floor.  I actually completed all my homework for my bible study today and I started my never ending CPE that I need to do by end of this month!  Anyways, here are just a few pictures from the last couple of weeks, I promise to do a 'real' post soon :)

This is one of our favorite pictures of Micah on our recent vacation.  We were still in Katy pumping gas, but he was so excited! :) hehe

The kids the first night in bunkbeds (this was the awful night, but since then it's been great!)

Our 4th of July picture:

Remember last years?  Look how cute and little the kids were!  And hey, it's a great quality St. Johns shirt baby ;)

Last day of swim lessons for the kids.

and birthday party diva:

More to come soon, I promise..........

Updates for all!

Today was a busy doctor's appointment day for us.  I had an OB appointment, followed by Cara's 4 year well visit. 

All is going well with my pregnancy.  I gained 5 pounds these last 3 weeks (but hey, that was with a trip to Dallas and San Antonio in there!), so now I'm up a net 9 pounds.  If the baby weighs around 4, that's not too bad :).  I look like I've gained 30 or so, but oh well!  My blood pressure was normal, Anna's heart rate was 157.  She's been head down since my last appointment.  I'm 33 weeks 4 days, but am measuring at 36 weeks.  I've been measuring ahead for a few months consistently now, and my doctor and I both have a feeling that I'll be more early/mid August than late August.  I've never been to 39 weeks (delivered Cara at 38 weeks, 6 days and Micah at 38 weeks, 5 days), so here's looking at hopefully 5 ish weeks left!  Eric really needs to get that bathroom done......

Cara's well visit was another story.  I delayed one vaccination, but there was still the finger prick, 3 shots and the TB skin test :(.  She was very very not happy, as you can imagine.  She couldn't even pee in the cup, she was throwing such a fit, so we had to bring it home and now have a cup o'urine in our fridge to drop off tomorrow!  We did go to Double Dave's for lunch and that seemed to cheer her up.  However, all day she's wanted Eric to carry her around, and if she does walk, she walks like she's a 90 year old woman.  Poor girl, going to bed tonight she said when she lays her legs straight her shots STILL hurt, so we prayed to Jesus to come help her feel better.  She said she'd pray and tell him thank you later :).  She did fail her left eye test :(, so we have to go see an opthamalogist now.  She showed she had a slight astygmatism at 1 year, but we never checked anything because she seemed fine.  Now, as she's starting 3 day preschool in the fall, we are going to get everything checked out.  Her blood levels were really low as well, so now we have to go do more blood work (we've done this before and it is even worse than the shots!).  They said she seems anemic (like below 10 is low and she was a 7?). They said with her good diet though that it shouldn't be a big deal. Whatever that means, so next week we go for more blood work and then once we find out the results we go from there.  We signed her up for another year of ballet/tap today.  She's very excited and was quite disappointed when she went with me to sign up, but didn't get to see Ms. Kathy or dance!  Class doesn't start until August 17th....anyone want to offer to take her in case I'm in the hospital? :)

Besides the first night (last Monday) that was AWFUL, we've transitioned Micah nicely to the bottom bunk in now his and Cara's shared room.  We lay him down around 15 minutes before Cara and he has learned that getting out of bed is a bad thing once again.  Tonight, he was still awake when we laid Cara down, but he still did pretty good and stayed in bed.  We do this for both naps and night time, we pray the transition continues to be smooth, especially when Anna comes home!  Micah is doing great.  He's such a little man, and now, for the past week or so, even refers to himself as Micah Man!!  haha, I guess we call him that a bit to much.  He's found a new love of books and will just sit by the bookcase in their room and look and look at all the books.  Such a sweet heart.  He still has the bright red hair, but his eyes are anyone's guess.  Sometimes blue.  Sometimes hazel.  When you really  look at them, it looks like they are blue around the edges and almost brown around the pupils!  Cara and Micah both completed swim lessons a couple weeks ago and they did great.  She is officially a swimmer, putting face in the water and swimming pretty well for her age!  Micah did 'parent and me' and God love Eric because he was a trooper.  He had a lot of fun splashing and kicking, but he's a little young to actually 'swim.' :)

Eric has been keeping busy.  Most Tuesdays I teach at church from 9:30-2:30 and the kids attend Terrific Tuesdays, so he's been getting lots of bathroom work done then.  We are very close to finishing the bathroom, he has to lay some concrete/slope the floor of the shower, then tile!!  We picked out paint today for Anna's room and our bathroom, so we will be doing that this week.  Did I mention my parents are coming to get the kids on Wednesday and keeping them until this weekend!!  My to do list will finally get a bunch of things marked off (I pray!).  If only I could stay awake and not take a 2 hour nap each day.  I'm truly spoiled with Eric being home right now!  And that to do list keeps getting longer and longer.  Not only normal things that need to get done, sewing things that have been ordered that need to be completed, baby things that need to get finished, amending tax returns, finishing a BUNCH of CPE hours for my CPA by end of this month, making Eric his own pre-baby to do list :), but also Tot 2 Tot things, since that is only 3 weeks away from registration opening up!!  Oh, and I must (it's a pre-baby tradition) get a pedicure soon!  Ok, I'm stressing myself out, so onto other things.....

Jack had his surgery last week and is doing well!  You can keep up with his progress on my sister's blog.  Hopefully I get to go up and see him soon!  (first time since he was 8 days old!).  He took his first ever bottle today, another major milestone complete!  Oh how we can't wait to hold him at his house!  Cara can hardly contain herself with the thought of finally getting to meet baby Jack and baby Anna in the next month or so!! 

Ok, I promise to post more soon.  I still haven't posted about the famous dance recital, or her birthday party, or our trip to Dallas, or our recent family vacation to San Antonio, all of which were great!  Now, off to sew......or maybe go to bed..........I still haven't decided!

All things Girly!!

It's amazing how you come across people in your life! :)  We originally had a 'bow lady' for our Tot2Tot sale this past spring (by the way, our next one is 9/18).  We had another, Sara, contact us and ask if she could be a boutique seller.  We had to turn her down as it was first come, first serve.  Well, long story short, our original bow lady had to drop out, and Sara literally had 2 days to tag all her items (OVER 300!!) and make lots of fun bows, etc to display at our sale.  She did amazing at our sale.  Who doesn't want to walk over and get a matching bow for that perfect outfit you just found??

She has been great and was so easy going as a seller!  I've since purchased a few things from her, and they are all GREAT quality, I love them all!  We got Cara a tutu and some bows for her birthday, and I've already began purchasing a few for Anna as well, and matching hats for the girls!  I absolutely adore her yo-yo bows, so different!  

Anyways, I noticed a month or so ago that she had sellers!!  What a great way to make a little extra cash (and you even get more if you take it in Girly Girlz Dollars!!).  Who doesn't need more bows?  If not for your own child, for your friend who is having their first girl? :)  So I sent her my application, and am now pleased to announce that I am a new seller with Girly Girlz Bows!!     

This is a bad picture, but here's Cara wearing her new big blue flower, that she LOVES!! 

And here she is on her birthday trying on her new tutu!

Just wanted you all to be aware of a great company out there that has reasonable prices and GREAT sales!  Be sure to follow her on facebook as well!  And if you do purchase items from her (which I recommend!), please use my name as your sales rep!