Well, They Look the Part

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the girls started dance classes and I was super excited!!!  They get to do ballet and tap and wear princess dresses and dance to princess songs.... I was a super excited Mom.

Jerry, was not so excited.  He has it in his head that dance for girls this young is just a waste of money.  "They don't learn anything and just wander around the stage in recitals."  OK, I might agree at 3 years old... but the girls are almost 5 so I put my foot down.

I invited Jerry to watch the 1st session and I was sure I would convince him this was the right thing to do.  The girls looked ADORABLE...  ballerinas for sure.

Well, what can I say... they didn't do so well during their 1st session.  They lack the ability to control their arm and leg movements at the same time, they lack flexibility and all coordination.  While I enjoyed watching them, I think my expectations were too high.

I though all kids were flexible.  I remember being able to do the splits....  well, apparently all kids are not flexible or coordinated.

BUT!!!!!  The girls have now been to 3 classes and they have improved TREMENDOUSLY and they are enjoying it, so we will be keeping it up.  And... I kinda think they won their Daddy over when he saw them dressed head to toe in pink.

Even though they still need to work on their dancing.... the certainly look the part and I couldn't be prouder!!!

I'm also happy to report Jadon has not felt left out at all and has shown no interest in dancing and Cody while he insisted he was a "guirrel" (girl) for a while and wanted to dance, quickly lost interest.  I'm looking into Karate for the boys.

Some quick photos before we left the house:

Dancing and Diving

Just a couple things to report on the home front.

1st, the girls started dance classes this week.  They are in the Princess Series which entails beginning ballet and tap.  They start off in their dance clothes (pink tights, pink leotard, pink skirt, and hair bun with pink bow).  After learning some basic steps and their "daily routine" they change into princess dresses and perform their routines.  Today was Sleeping Beauty and each time the get to dress like a different princess and dance to the disney princess songs.  ADORABLE... what little girl wouldn't just love this.  I tried to get photos, but failed miserably so I will try again next time and will share more about the dancing.

2nd,  the triplets have been official swimmers for at least a month now.  They can swim all over the pool and dive to the bottom of the deep end (7 feet).  They really are awesome.  While I'd NEVER leave them unattended and we have three locks and a door alarm to access the pool, they are now considered "pool safe."  Well, earlier this week Cody asked to swim w/o floaties.  Great!!!  We need to start teaching him I thought...  well, what can I say, but the kid is a fast learner.  He can't go the distance that the triplets can, but he can swim, come up for air and get to safety.  I am hoping before the summer is out to call him a swimmer.

Regarding the photos... Cody stripped off all his clothes during a temper tantrum and hid under a sheet.  After some teasing I was able to elicit some smiles.

I Heart Faces - Water

Let It Rain

I was really wanting a great pool shot, but time did not permit so I chose this picture of Addison sitting by the pool in a light shower of much needed rain.  You know me, I hate not to participate.

Let it Rain

We have had a drought here for sooo long we have trees dying everywhere. While we totally were wanting rain, we thought it was going to hit right in the middle of Cody's birthday by the pool which wasn't what we wanted. But, we were lucky and the rain waited until another day and I grabbed the camera.

Addison thought it was soooooo cool to go out in the rain, get her dress wet, and hold an umbrella all by herself. She was very cooperative.... SHOCKING.

This week was Vacation Bible School. I didn't know when I signed Cody up he was suppose to have turned 3 by June 1st to attend, but I did know he had to be potty trained. On July 18th, the day of his 3rd birthday he went to VBS totally potty trained (we didn't tell them it was his birthday since he wasn't officially suppose to be there).

On Wednesday, I kept Addison home with Strep throat and on Friday I kept Jadon home with the same. Fortunately, 24 hours of antibiotic and they are better and free to socialize once again.

Cody's Real Birthday

On Monday we celebrated Cody's actual birthday swimming at my parents house.  It was really just an opportunity for us all the hang out.  Our neighbor was kind enough to bring over some left over cupcakes on Friday, so we ate those for dessert.  I put a candle in Cody's cup cake and we once again sang Happy Birthday.  He was sooooo cute and excited.  He couldn't contain his excitement and flapped his hands in exuberance.  Here is the aftermath of the cup cake captured by my Dad (thanks Dad).

Finally... Birthday Post (Part 2)

Sorry, this is taking so long but we are dealing with strep throat, Vacation Bible School and some other issues....

OK...

After lunch it was time to serve the cake and the kids were HILARIOUS... as the cake came out and we sang happy birthday I looked around at all the little faces and they had a look of shear awe about them. It was literally...."oooohhhh,,,, here comes the caaaakkkkeeeee."

Cody of course sang to himself, but he knew we were also going to celebrate Blake's birthday the next day so he finished the song, "Appy Birfday Cody... and Blake n Brandon... Appy Birfday to u."  Clearly he was confused given he also included Blake's brother Brandon.  (hhhmmmm who knows maybe he thinks their twins as well????)



Once the candles were blown out, the kids quickly removed the candies from the cake and scarfed them down and the cake was served.

My little Kaylee girl


And of course Cody's girlfriend... what a CUTIE!!!


Oh, I swear I could photograph Alexa all day long!!  She looks soooo pretty enjoying her ice cream.

"Really Mom?  I need a spoon why"?

Ahhh, even at four... no spoon required

The swimming continued until late into the evening and I was happy to send parent's home with worn out children that fell asleep quickly at bedtime.


I may have also sent home some very tired Daddy's and PawPaw's... Here is my Dad playing with Kaylee and Zachary. He is a GREAT GREAT GREAT PawPaw!!!!!!


Blake and Brandon's Dad also did his part in keeping the kids entertained.


Ahhh, water chaos, but everyone is happy!!!


And... Just looking BEAUTIFUL... if you haven't met her yet... my Mom!!! LOVE YOU MOM!!!


It was about 8:00 in the evening after all our friends had gone home that we started opening gifts and we did it at warp speed given it was late. Cody cashed in on everything Buzz, but...


The HIGHLIGHT of the gifts was his new Buzz Lightyear costume which my parents gave him.

He wore it all weekend and rode his new scooter all over the house yelling, "To imfiminy n beyonnnn."


Happy birthday my little BUZZ... may your life be full of joy and happiness to infinity and beyond. I LOVE YOU!!!

My Baby is Three... (Part One)

Ok, it's now official... Cody is Three.

We celebrated his birthday on Friday with a Toy Story theme since one of the 1st things he learned to say was, "To infinity and beyond."  He is in LOVE with Buzz Lightyear.  So, Thursday night after the kids went to bed, I made the cake.  Fortunately, it was one of the easiest cakes I've made thus far.

We've had:
Winnie the Pooh (before I started blogging)
The Zoo (Triplet's 2nd)
Mickey Mouse Toodles (Cody's 1st)
Beauty and the Beast (Triplet's 3rd)
Noah's Ark (Cody's 2nd and maybe my favorite cake)
Wizard of Oz (Triplet's 4th)



Grandma Barb from Oklahoma flew in to help celebrate and we started with a pool "get together" about 3:00.  We didn't have an "official party" but invited over our neighbors from both our old house and new house.  GG (great Grandma) was also in attendance.

We thought the weather was going to be a problem, but it turned out to be perfect. The clouds kept it cool and the kids had a blast. We grilled hamburgers and hotdogs in an effort to keep it simple and appeal to all taste buds.

Cody sat with his little "girlfriend" Gabriella...


The older kiddos sat at the "big kid table"


Our oldest attendee was Alexa... isn't she just beautiful. She's a whopping 8 years old now. Her brother Zachary is enjoying the juice box.


Addison is sporting the blood shot swimmers eyes


And... my birthday boy is LOVING it all!!!


We may have to move before the kids hit puberty... Our neighbor Brandon seems to have a way with the girls...


And here is his handsome brother Blake. (Hope I got this right... they aren't twins, but you could fool me)!!


Ok... this post is getting long... I have a TON more pictures... and I need to go make dinner.... sooooo more later!!

UP NEXT.... CAKE PICTURES!!!! YUMMY!!!