Safety Town

Since Hannah is going to start Kindergarten in the Fall she got to participate in the same beloved Gahanna tradition Alyssa did...Safety Town.  I love this program so much.  It is so great to know that my girls learned so many life safety lessons and had a blast while doing it.  Of course she loved riding the bus over to the graduation.  Alyssa was really disappointed she didn't get to come to the ceremony because she was at GS camp, but Hannah's smile says it all.  Now the only thing that stands between her and Kindergarten is a few short weeks of summer.  It will be here before we know it :(

 Wearing her hat from Fireman Dave and patiently waiting for her badge from Officer Bill.

 Best friends in class together!  I wish they were going to the same school for Kindergarten!!

 She has such a great smile!  Congratulations, Hannah...you are one safe little girl!!

First Day of School '12

It is that time of year again!  And, now our baby is a 1st grader!

That is a million dollar smile.

 With our girls!!

 Another million dollar smile.  Our girls really have the most beautiful smiles in the world!  Hannah doesn't even start school for 2 more weeks!

Having this smile makes going to school myself so much easier!  Plus, Alyssa is going to love her teacher, Mrs. Sengstock! Have I ever mentioned we LOVE her school?!?!? ;)

Bring it on 2012-2013...It is going to be such a great school year for all of us! 

Kindergarten...check!

It has been one heck of a year.  Even though second semester was a bit of a roller coaster year, we made it!  Alyssa has officially graduated Kindergarten!

I can not believe how much she has learned in just a year.  Putting her in the full-day option was definitely the right choice for her!  It gave her the perfect blend of structure, confidence and challenge that she needed.  She is even reading (above grade level) and writing on her own...with occasional help.  I don't remember being able to do that after Kindergarten!  It seems so surreal that she is old enough, but it is so fun to see her personality come alive as she discovers her strengths and work through her weaknesses.  She is self-motivated and has such a strong natural love of learning.  She says she wants to be a teacher...I can totally see that!  There really isn't anything she doesn't like about school (except riding the bus and gym class...both of which make her cry ;), so I can't wait to see what kind of extra-curricular activities she gravitates towards.

  

And, let me tell you, a good teacher is worth their weight in gold...Mrs. Bourgeois is worth every penny.  She has been such a blessing to our family.  I am praying that she sticks around long enough for Hannah to have her.  Here is Alyssa with her on the last day of school. 

I found this idea on Pinterest and it is one of my favorites.  I bought a copy of "Oh, The Places You Will Go!" for each of the girls and I am planning to have their teachers write them a little note to them somewhere in the book at the end of the school year.  Then, we will give it to them when the graduate high school.  This is what Mrs. Bourgeois wrote to Alyssa this year.  Have I mentioned we LOVE her school? If not...we do!

We are so proud of you for finishing the year so strong, Alyssa!  You have such a bright future ahead of you! Oh the places you will go...

Going to the Ball

A local dance school held a Father/Daughter Dance as their annual fundraiser tonight.  Of course I bought tickets...what can be sweeter than a bunch of Daddies showing their daughters how a man should treat them?!?!?  The girls were ecstatic and had so much fun getting dressed up for the 'Ball'.  They kept saying how beautiful they felt in their dresses and how handsome Daddy was.  Dan said they had a blast at the dance and that Hannah was quite the little dancer.  I am so glad they got to have this night together!  It is something the girls will remember for the rest of their lives!    

Happy New Year!

I know, I know, this is a few day late.  Better late than never...right?!?!?

There is no doubt 2010 was good to us! It was the first in a while without any major life changes.  No new jobs. No new houses. No new family members. Just quality time together!  And, I believe, 2011 will be just good...if not better!  

The girls will hit a few important milestones this year: Hannah will start preschool (Which I have already had to register her for. They sure don't waste any time!) and Alyssa will start kindergarten. KINDERGARTEN. They will be ecstatic and I will probably cry.  I can't believe how big our babies are getting...

Maybe Dan will get a new job...hopefully, I will not need a new job ;) Beyond that, our year is wide open! Lots of time to love each other and laugh together, invest in the relationships around us, get to know our new church family and love on high school kids.  We are going to grow a lot this year and God is going to stretch our faith...I can feel it!   I just pray that we are seeking Him in our decisions!

We hope 2010 was a good year for you and your family and we will be praying for you in the new year as well.  So, here's to a blessed 2011!!

First Haircut(s)

This morning we took Hannah to get her first haircut!  It didn't start off so well because she 'didn't want her hairs cut' and would not sit in the airplane chair, so Dan had to sit with her.  We took her to Cookie Cutters so they are prepared for kids and have TV/DVD players at each station...Thank God for Cinderella!  The stylist just told Hannah she was going to brush her hair.  It must have felt good because Hannah had a glazed look on her face like she was under a spell.  We only got the ends cut off her hair so that it is even and it actually curls more at the ends now! 

After Hannah was done, Alyssa decided she wanted to try so we had the ends cut off of hers as well.  She thought it was really fun, but still needed to sit on Daddy's lap this time.  I am so glad we got hers done, because it actually looks like it is supposed to be short now.  It is so sweet...and she picked out a bow to put in.  

I didn't get many pictures because I was afraid of freaking Hannah out so I just used my phone.  Here are a few of Hannah:

And a few of Alyssa...

They both look beautiful and their hair looks so healthy now!  They are already talking about going back ;) What a way to end the year!

Operation Potty Train

It's time.  Time for Hannah to graduate to 'big girl panties'.  I am sick of buying diapers...sick of changing them...sick of a diaper bag.  We waited to start the intense training until we were on break from school, so last Monday we dove right in.  

I thought it was going to be a battle from the beginning because she didn't want to and she is majorly stubborn, but we were pleasantly surprised.  The first few days she went around with panties and didn't have any accidents!  She wore a pull up when we went out, but she would even tell us she had to go and used the toilet.  A sticker chart worked great with Alyssa...M&M's are gold to Hannah.

I don't know if she is getting lazy or if the craziness of Christmas screwed her up, but the last week hasn't been as smooth.  She has been peeing in her pull up even thought she knows what to do...as soon as she does it she tells us she 'accidentally peed' and giggles.  Even more frustrating than that though, is the pooping.  She won't do it in the potty.  She has asked for a diaper, gone in her pull up, in her panties and even on the middle of the living room floor (with several people over, might I add ;)...but not in the toilet.  We have begged, bribed and threatened.  Nothing has worked!  

So, as Christmas break comes to a close, this is where we stand: she wears panties (or nothing) around the house and uses the potty with few accidents or prompting;  when we leave, she wears a pull up and it depends on her mood if she decides to use that or the potty; poop, like I said, is anywhere but the potty!  I guess it is just going to take some time.  I know it will happen eventually.  I doubt she will be going to prom in a pull up ;)

In the mean time, it is frustrating.  Potty training is gross.  I'm so glad there is light at the end of this tunnel... 

**Update**
Hannah pooped on the potty for the first time on New Years Eve and hasn't looked back since!!  I think we are finally over the 'hump'...