Dance Recital

To finish up with May, I wanted to post a video of Gabi's preschool class end-of-the-year program and of her dance recital. We were not allowed to video to actual recital, so this video is from the dress rehearsal. Gabi wasn't paying full attention at the beginning, as you'll see, but she did well (and the recital itself was awesome)!



Unfortunately, when I tried to copy the video I made of the preschool Spring program, I discovered that I had recorded over it. Oh, no! But, in searching through old tapes, I did find these songs that I never shared. Gabi sang these last winter, so it's about seven months old, but it's still cute.

Opposites

I've mentioned before that Annabelle, our little tom-boy, loves planes, helicopters, tractors, trolleys, etc. She is also into collecting sticks and leaves.

In contrast, back in Atlanta, our playgroup voted Gabi as the most girly-girl of the group, which is impressive considering her friends Sienna and Ava and Ella (although Ella had moved away by the time of that vote).


Walking down stairs
Bella really enjoys physical activity. These days, I will commonly see Bella walking on her toes or walking backwards. She also likes to try a handstand (which is more like the yoga "downward dog"). Bella had a blast joining in with the "big kids" at a recent birthday party at a gymnasium, walking on the balance beam and jumping on the trampoline. She loves to be flipped upside down, too! She will request "Tick tock, tick tock, ding!" which is where I hold her upside down and swing her back and forth (tick-tock) and then let her flip over while I hold her arms (ding!).

Gabi has never been the bravest or most athletic of children; her talents lie elsewhere. She took swimming lessons this June with her friend Isabella and hit a confidence wall, refusing to participate in most of the lesson. Finally, her second to last lesson, Lolo and Lola came to watch her and cheer her on. Encouraged by her personal cheering squad, she did great.


Intent on painting
Gabi's favorite games include writing letters, art projects, tea parties, and pretend sleep-overs. She is always trying to convince Bella to sit down (or lie down) and join her, but Annabelle cannot stay put. That little one just has to be moving.

Recently, Michael heard this while Gabi was writing a letter to Joe:
Gabi: "I'm going to give Joe some boy stickers. How about some Spiderman stickers? Spiderman is kind of a boy.... Chicks are girls."
Bella: "Chick aw gurr" (Chicks are girls.)


"Cows say moo!"
When I'm getting Annabelle dressed or fixing her hair, I have to chase her around the house. I have gotten quite good at brushing her hair on the move and aiming at a moving target to get her shirt over her head. My friend Adrienne thought it was so funny to watch me following Annabelle around the side of the pool with a spray bottle of sunscreen that she suggested I film myself getting her ready. I face similar challenges trying to take pictures. I need to find some time without the kids to play with my camera.


Louise's birthday cake
This picture begs for a caption contest.
Annabelle's initial language development was slower than Gabi's, but she is definitely a chatter box now! She calls herself "Lella" and Gabi, "Babi." When she is upset and crying, she will tell me, "Lella hrying" (Bella crying). If she gets a little hurt, she will say, "Sorry!" instead of crying, which I appreciate. (She's imitating what I would say to her after I accidentally bonked her. "Sorry!") I am much more sympathetic to that than Gabi's fake cries.

Some of Bella's most common phrases these days are:
"[I] did it!"
"[Where] are you?"
"Sun is hot!"

Today after the girls and I went swimming, while we were getting in the car, Bella asked, "Have fun swimming?" I usually ask that question after we finish an activity. It was cute to hear her say it. Also, as I buckle Bella in her car seat, she now says, "Lella buckle top" (meaning Bella wants to buckle the top part of her car seat strap on her own).


Hiding
Bella is developing her negotiating skills. Last week at dinner, I asked if she wanted some cherry bake, and she said "Yeah! Cheyyey cay!" So I said she could have some cherry bake if she ate all her chicken. Bella said "No kicky!... Rayee?" (pointing at her rice) I agreed that if she ate all her rice, she could have some cherry bake.


Last day of school
The month of June was very busy at our house, so I'm a bit more than my usual month behind on posting pictures. However, these stories are all recent. This set is the last of the pictures from May, though, so I will start on June soon!


End-of-school bouncy party
Gabi started to give up naps before her second birthday, but thankfully Bella still requests her naptime every day! Gabi can entertain herself during quiet time, but Bella has to be watched constantly.


Passive bouncing
Annabelle has mastered her colors and makes a game out of naming all the colors that she sees. "Babi [Gabi], blue plate." "Mommy, green shirt." "[I] see a yellow truck! Vroom, vroom!" She knows white and pink in addition to the primary and secondary colors, and perhaps some others.


At the mall with Lolo and Lola
Bella is also good at identifying shapes: circle, star, heart, and her newest two are square and triangle.


Amelia's birthday party
Michael taught Gabi his favorite joke: "What do you call someone else's cheese? Nacho cheese!" She loves telling jokes and being funny like her Daddy.


Purple ice cream!