Happy 3 months {and more}

Madeleine and Luke had their official weight check today

They are growing like weeds despite my constant concern and obsession with how much they are eating and how long has it been. I blame the NICU for warping my mind/attitude/approach to how my children eat. It isn't bad, but I feel like my entire focus is almost hyper-focused on them completing their bottles. Thus, it was a nice relief to hear they are doing so well at gaining. Now we await the 4 month check-up in January.

Here a few candids of the two of them this past week. {Madeleine was kind enough to show off her smile to the camera}

In the rest of our family, Faith has been busy at school

First there was Ornament Night full of singing and ornament making as a family. She insisted on picking out her out fit "see it says 'rock' star"{she points to the star} My favorite is her facial expressions and dance moves.

Next there was her talent show : can you pick her out the crowd?

She was thrilled to do her 'Paris Lion King song' and rehearsed at home, singing "oh i just can't wait to be QUEEN" her own little change up. The poor thing was so tired by the time all the other kids went, she sang and danced about 1/5 of what she was showing us at home ... stage fright or exhaustion --- well maybe it was hunger. As soon as she was done, hugs and applause were given, she ran over and said "mommy, im really hungry"

She also had 'Observation Day' at ballet. This meant we could come in the classroom and watch. Of course, we watch every week, peeking in the door, seeing her reflection in the mirror, but this was a little more special. I personally loved capturing my little ballerina in her quietest of moments.

August: Last day of Summer/First Day of School

It was only fitting, on Faith's last day of summer she got to do the one thing we talked about doing all summer, but never did:

Celebration Park  : Splash Park

10 Things I learned from taking her there:

1. The splash park & surrounding park are HUGE, thus, it is important to follow your child at all times, or they will get lost in the madness of water & gigantic maze of slides/stairs/park fun
2. Don't try to stay dry. It's no fun, and the other moms will laugh at you. Especially you, the one in nice clothes trying to keep her shoes dry. You look silly.
3. Get wet. Get drenched, have fun. Its a lot more fun for you and your kid, and all the other kiddos around whose parents don't care or are sleeping in the shade.
4. Don't expect the other kids to follow the rules, behave appropriately or demonstrate behaviors you want your kid to follow.
5. Don't expect those kids to have parents who actually parent. 
6. Parent your child, don't let them run into other kids, splash kids in the face, aim squirt guns at little ones and remind them to share... and that just because s/he is doing it doesn't mean they can too
7. Stay for about an hour & if the crazy kids and their parents don't leave by then, they never will so either a)hang in there or b)get out of dodge, they probably called some friends.
8. Allow your kid to explore
9. Explore with them
10. Finally, bring some hand sanitizer & take a nice bath when you get home, ya,know, just to play it safe.

Then it was back to school. Faith is there everyday for half days only, but she was super excited to see her friends and be in her new classroom. Here is to starting school in the US and finishing this year in PARIS. :)

Faith's First Day

PS - Did you see these amazing pics by Diana Busch Photography

Our Little Dancer

Dallas Arboretum Pumpkin Fest & Faith's 1st School Presentation

Mom's birthday was Monday so we headed down to the Dallas Arboretum for some fun with their pumpkin fest for kids.... on Mommy & Me Monday. This of course meant hundreds of strollers, combined with Moms of every kind, coupled with kids of all sizes and tons and tons of pumpkins, hay, mud, free face painting, crafts, Kindermusik and more.

Never-the-less... we had a blast. We took so many pictures that I have to upload the album (on the left to share them). Enjoy - we did. :)

Tuesday Faith had her first school presentation....tear. She had to present some of the skills she has been working on to me. Her first skill was "knobless cylinders" She got her supplies, sat down and removed then replaced all the cylinders. Here is some video of that for all you interested educational people out there....

next we had to demonstrate "wet pouring" This was simply her showing us how she can pour water from one small cup to another....thus bringing to my attention why she has had a great interest in doing this at home and everywhere.... nevertheless, she mastered that skill and immediately said "okay, we go play outside now" so we did :)

Dance, Swim and SCHOOL!!!

Traditional School Photos

Excited to go to her classroom

Waiting

Getting her First Day of School Flowers & Treat

Jabbering on about Ms.Dora & her new friends

Exhausted... passed out at Grandma's while Mommy teaches her HipHop Class

Faith has been working hard to become a real kid with all her activities and now SCHOOL... sure it is only a half day 2x/wk but she loves it and I am certain full days are ahead of us. She had absolutely no problem letting go of my hand and immersing herself into her surroundings. No tears, no sadness, all happy and ready to go. I didn't cry at all, in fact I was so excited because of this...

we arrived in the parking lot, Faith was familiar with the school because we have driven past it and talked about it. We got there and Faith looked a me and said "Mommy, I'm so happy" and then kept repeating it over and over as we walked inside. Adorable. Check out the candid 'first day photos' ps-I asked her to stand by the big magnolia tree we have and she told me she wanted to stand by the little tree (which everyone else refers to as a bush). oh well.

Here are a few more dance photos and some video of her swimming this summer. What a little fish!

This is Faith's bed...

Well we had a wonderful Faith moment this evening.... David had a long day at work and Faith and I were out most of the day, yet I did manage to make a nice dinner and we enjoyed it as a family.

When the dishes were clean we headed up for munchkin's bath... here is the set-up...  Zack, our adorable dog had curled himself into a small ball, which in itself is pretty amazing since he is so large (tall, not fat), and was located right next to Faith's crib. 

Faith was running around trying to avoid the undressing step necessary to get in her warming bath and she suddenly stops...now here is the moment... walks over to Zack, places her hand on his head and says...

"this is Faith's bed...this is not Zack's bed... this is Faith's bed... silly puppy....read book...okay, I get it" then walks over to her stack of books pulls out one of her favorites "Hop on Pop" and sits right next to him and begins to read it to him....

I loved it and was amazed at our little munchkin!!!! I did manage to sneak away and steal some camera footage of this... I swear, I will post it (i actually have to relocate the cord, yikes, it is somewhere up here... grr)

Until then... some information _Faith will start Montessori school this fall, two days a week for the morning sessions.... we are so excited. She has visited the school and is so interested. THis summer she will be taking some fabulous swim lessons at a swim school called Emler and we are pumped. We signed her up today and she was already asking to go swim as she watched the other kids in there. We had a great time with our lessons last summer, but they don't offer a lot of options for young kids and we didn't want to repeat what she learned last summer... yay! we promise to get more videos up here. She has grown so much. 

Lastly, I took Faith to Hathaway Academy of Ballet which isn't far from our house to inquire about kids classes and it was one of the sweetest moments for me. Faith has really been interested in dancing girls and tu-tus and ballet and such and when she saw real girls in ballet clothes and shoes with there hair pulled back, the look on her face was priceless. She turned to me and said "mommy, dancing girls" I was speechless. I just wish I could have a permanent video feed on me at all times so I could capture these things.