Trip to Fresno

Christmas evening we arrived in Fresno to visit with Mommy's cousins Michael and Edna and their families.
Sascha has been asking on when we're going on a trip for months now. She was excited! The kids did great on our very smooth 6 hour drive, so we were off to a great start.

When we arrived we were greeted by Mike & Amy's 3 dogs (besides Mike, Amy and their 5 kids). Sascha and Cameron are not used to dogs... there were tears... scared faces... I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out... but slowly with each day we were there the kids adjusted to them and actually really liked them. Sascha became almost obsessed with the smaller dog "Jack" and went looking for him so she could pet him and be near him. It was really amazed at how they took to them.

Our first day there we took everyone to a trampoline place. The kids had a BLAST! It was us, 7 kids and their nanny to help... wow craziness! But it all went well, and we even stopped by and had pizza on the way home. Total success!

The next few days we just chilled out and the house, played tennis, relaxed. It was just nice to get away for a little bit and catch up with everyone. Edna and her family arrived the next day, so we got to hang out with them for a bit as well. Its been over 3 years sine we saw Edna's family because they live in Connecticut and they have never met Cameron before...

The kids were so well behaved while we were there, Sascha really enjoyed playing with the girls, and Cameron was just easy going as he usually is. On our last day there Cameron got sick with a fever so I was really dreading our drive back. We decided to leave a bit later than we originally planned and it actually was the best decision ever. We got home late, and were of course tired (especially daddy who drove the whole way back) but it was a very peaceful drive. We all had dinner already and only had to stop once for gas and bathroom, and hit almost no traffic. I gave Cameron some medicine which I had hoped would last 6 hours and it did! So we just transferred the kids to their beds once we got home and they hardly fussed.





 ( More Pics to come...)

Winter Dance Recital

It's hard to believe that we are on our 3rd year of dance lessons. This is definitely an activity you look forward to each week. This year we weren't able to stick together with your other dance friends, but you still had a few familiar faces, including your good little friend Sadie. You also had to adjust to a new teacher. The first few times you kept asking why it wasn't ms. Jackie, and I had to explain to you that she no longer teaches your class, and now you will have ms. Julia... it took a while to warm up, but I think you are liking it just as much as before. The class does get a bit too crowded at times, and I don't think you do too well in that environment, but when you are focused on listening and learning, I can definitely see a lot of improvement. This year your recital routine was a lot more complicated than the previous, and you weren't really willing to practice much at home... that could have been our fault for not encouraging it more too, but either way you learned it and were excited to perform.

We were very proud to see you on stage... I think I was even a little less nervous this time around than the previous few, and you seemed to be a little more apprehensive about it than the last few times. But you did great, and greeted us with a huge smile when we came to pick you up backstage. Baba and Deda of course came to your recital as always, and enjoyed watching the Nutcracker with us too. It's so touching to see Baba watch you dance, I can tell how much she enjoys seeing you dance and how many memories it brings for her because of all the years that she danced as well.

Daddy thinks that you might be getting bored of ballet, and we may try something a bit more upbeat for you next year if the schedule works out.

 Here are a few photos of you in the angel costume... so sparkly and cute!

This was at the rehearsals... since we are not allowed to take any photos during the actual recital


After your performance


All smiles with Sadie, Mae and your current teacher Ms. Julia as well as your last years teacher Ms. Jackie

Sascha turns 5 ... and a little party at Pump It Up

I am pretty sure we say this every year... she's 1,2,3,4,5... where did the time go?
We don't really realize how much the kids change until we play an old video or a see a photo where they just look so small compare to now. 5 seems like a big milestone... although every birthday seemed like a big milestone to us. So many things to look forward to, and also so many which are now behind us... things that we can't experience again... it's those things that make me a bit sad and weepy on every birthday, but then I remember about all the wonderful things I have to look forward to and I begin to feel normal again... Yes it's an emotional roller coaster .. especially on a special day like your child's birthday. To see that excitement on their face when they wake up, it's hard to describe the emotions! She could hardly fall asleep the night before, i think we heard movement in her room until past 10pm. She's really been looking forward to turning 5!

We got to go to Sascha's preschool to bring little treats for the kids and see their traditional celebration that they do for their kids birthdays  where they light a candle which represents the sun and they carry the earth around the sun 5 times (= 5 years old). She proudly carried the earth while Ms. Heather showed the class her photos and talked about her year. We brought a treat for the kids, took a few photos. That evening Sascha requested Hawaiian food for dinner and Pinkberry Yogurt. We enjoyed both and then went home to have a little cake that we had for her along with a couple of gifts. She could hardly wait for the weekend of her Birthday Party to come.

A few months ago we started asking Sascha where and what she would like to do for her birthday party. She picked Pump it up, after we've gone to 2 parties there, and was set on it, no changing her mind. She also requested a theme for her party. This changed from Hello Kitty to Strawberry Shortcake.
Since it was at Pump it up, there was really not much planning involved. We did go to Party City where she got to pick out a few decorations, balloons, and lollipops to give out as party favors. She really enjoyed running around the store looking for things, making suggestions, and gathering stuff to put into our basket, it was a lot of fun for both of us.

 I can honestly say this is the 1st party of hers where she really enjoyed herself. I think she was super overwhelmed by the previous parties she had... but not this one. It was fun for the kids and adults as well. She was thrilled to see all her friends and jumping, sliding and everything else that Pump it Up had to offer. Oh and the gifts, she could hardly wait to open her gifts once we got home and brought them all out.

Definitely a successful Birthday Bash for our big 5 year old girl!

As for her favorites well there was a list made:

At the moment Sascha really enjoys letters and books. She is starting to put sounds together and read short 3 letter words which is so cool to watch. She loves dance class, and Tumble bus and Music class.
She has also started Rhythmic Gymnastics in fall, and is doing well in it. She attempts cartwheels and does all sorts of stretches that she couldn't do before. Baba especially loves watching her because she is the one taking her to the classes on Mondays. On the playground her absolutely favorite thing to do is to go on the monkey bars. In fact if the playground doesn't have any monkey bars she starts to complain. It's crazy how fearless she is on them, going all the way through and then turning her body around and going right back.

She is doing well in her Kindergarten class. It's fun to watch her take an interest in writing and reading. Sometimes she will see words written on something like a yogurt bottle and she will sit down and start copying the letters on the paper asking me to read it back to her. She also really likes signing Birthday cards as well as making them. She has figured out how to get Cereal from the pantry, by pulling up a chair to grab the box as well as the bowl and although the milk carton is pretty heavy for her to tip over and pour out of, I am pretty sure if we had it in a container that was smaller she would be able to have breakfast ready for her and Cameron on her own. May be soon...

She is really starting to get into some pop songs, she requests to hear One Direction and Katy Perry songs while riding in the car with daddy because she knows he can play anything she wants in his car.

Majority of the time she plays very well with Cameron. Of course there are fights over things, but in general, she loves to show him new things, or teach him, or play ball with him. On rare occasions, they will go in the room and play quietly together where we get at least 10 or 15 minutes to finish our dinner and look over at them and enjoy their sweet interaction.

Happy Birthday sweet girl. We love you to the moon and back!