March Loves

Annie: 

• You were so brave when you got the bad news that your extra row of shark teeth had to come out.  You sat in the dentist chair, practically catatonic while inhaling your strawberry "silly nose" and enduring the "great pull of 2011."  Then you went back to school and proudly described your heroics to the whole class.
• You rocked Federation!  You walked into that room like you owned the place and sat down at the piano like a famous musician and played your pieces like nobody's business.  Then you got mad at me for trying to sneak a peek at your scores.  For the record, you got a 99 out of 100. :)
• Being the most graceful and beautiful ballerina in your dance class.
• You are my new grocery shopping partner.  I suspect this is because you know I will buy you a treat, but I'll pretend it's because you want to spend more time with me.  Either way, I'll take it!

Jack:

• Jack:  "Lindsay loves Justin Beaver."  Me:  "I think it's Bieber, honey."  Jack:  "Mom, I used to think it was Justin Beaver, but now I know it's Justin Beaker."
• You have reversed your stance on practicing.  Now you claim that you love it, and we really do have a great time practicing together.  Please let this never change!
• At parent teacher conferences your teachers went on and on about how smart and kind and wonderful you are, and about how all the girls in class love you.
• You had a sweet inventive outfit for "mashed-up Monday."  Your quote from school that day :  "I don't need to put on my snow pants today; I've already got my swimsuit on."

Rosie:

• While we were at the store, you walked up to a magazine with Paula Dean on the front and said, "Look, Mom, it's you!"
• You are obsessed with your plastic Disney Princesses.
• You are trying so hard to stay in your own bed all night, and we are trying to resist the temptation to let you into our bed and snuggle with the ever-snuggly rosebud.  We are only about 50% successful.
• You "read" yourself to sleep now--quite literally!  (see below)

February Loves

Annie:
-Being so excited to create your own custom valentines
-Having fun creating our "crayon shaving hearts."
-Being so brave when you tripped on the sidewalk in Toledo, scraping both knees and putting a hole in your favorite leggings.
-Being the best reader in your reading group (which is already the highest reading group). I know this because I am your reading group leader. You are totally cool with me being there--I love that!

-Being so excited to sleep in a hotel during our family trip to Grand Rapids. You wanted to go to bed right when we got there!

-Not being too impressed with said hotel because it didn't have "bead curtains."

Jack:
-Being the continual "ladies man" at preschool. Your teachers told me all the girls are in love with you!
-Being fascinated with the Dinosaur maze at the Imagination Station. You are so interested in all things dinosaur. And space. Actually, you love learning interesting facts about everything.
-Your compositions on the piano are so awesome! You are the king of 5ths. Even though practicing isn't your favorite thing, you are always dying to perform.
-Frequently requesting the song "kick drum" by the Avett Brothers. You've got good musical taste, dude!
-Telling me you loved the music at my recital. Like I said, you've got good taste (and I'm glad you love Beethoven).

-Enjoying the Carniverous Plants portion of the Meijer Botanical Gardens.

Rosie:
-Switching your favorite show from Little Einsteins to Dinosaur Train. And singing the theme song all day long, complete with the "roar!" at the end.
-Constantly wanting to wear your Apple Dress.
-Embracing your sweet little top knot. Every morning as I brush your hair, you say, "How about a ponytail today?" And then I gather every last hair I can into that teeny little top knot while you say, "oooh, pretty!"
-Joining me in zumba class, and often leading me in your own little zumba class afterward at home. You can shake your booty!

-Holding a butterfly at the Botanical Gardens. So brave!

January Loves

Annie:

-Reading all 8 "Ramona" books you got for Christmas by the end of the second week of January.

-Having three loose teeth in your mouth but not daring to wiggle them. Also, having a row of "shark teeth" on bottom.

-Reading to Rosie at bedtime.

-Perfecting your Federation piece in one week, only to have the teacher switch pieces the following week....curse you, "Israeli Dance!"

-Catching you reenacting the Barbie Nutcracker movie.

-Marching off to school completely bundled and encumbered by huge backpack and snow bag when it's only 3 degrees outside. What a little trooper.

-Passing off your Addition Math Minute!

Jack:

-Celebrating your 5th birthday!

-Visiting you at school and seeing that you are a rock star: everybody wants to sit next to you and play with you during center time. Summer even wants to kiss you. Apparently this is also the problem in primary--the is a war between opposing factions on who gets to sit next to you every week, and you just sit there and pretend to not understand what all the fuss is about.

-Announcing that your favorite color is orange.

-A million games of kerplunk, but only one partial game of "tip-it."

-Trying to figure out what kind of "theme" to have for your birthday party, even though this was a non-birthday party year. You finally settled on Pirates the day before, so we quickly picked up some pirate decorations and party favors for our family party. You were so pleased!

-Asking if you can run around the house outside, when the temperature finally got above 10 degrees.

-Building lego airplanes and lego rocket ships and lego guns.....

-Turning everything into an airplane and zooming it around the house.

-Reading--you are getting better and better!

Rosie:

-Running to the bathroom stool in the mornings so I can do your "hair."

-Embracing the "top knot."

-Wanting to wear your "ballerina skirt" (leotard) every day.

-Also wanting to wear your "Apple Dress" every day.

-Wanting to wear your "nightgown, like Annie" every single night.

-Sneaking into our bed, cheerfully requesting our presence in your room at 2 AM every morning. Wait, is that a love?

-Taking "Lego" the kitty and "Kee" the baby doll everywhere you go.

-Asking, "Mommy, you happy?" And if I am not, you start crying.

-Princess dress-ups. I forgot how fun this phase is!

-When asked if your name is Rosie, you say, "I not Rosie. I princess!"