Giuliana started DANCE class!

Giuliana started a dance class recently and she is really enjoying it. She is starting with “creative dance movement”, in a class with 3 and 4 year olds. She is the tiniest little person out there (just like in her gymnastics class), and seems to enjoy getting dressed up in dance clothes… you know, the tutus and leotards, etc. She took off running into the very first class, not even looking back at me once.

In mid-March, I decided to enroll her in dance because I found her sort of *needing* more than just a gymnastics class to keep her entertained during the week. While I’d like to think the chaos of our house is enough to keep any child (or adult!) permanently entertained (if not overwhelmed), it was just clear to me she needed/wanted more. Another activity that was for HER, rather than sitting on the sidelines watching one of her older siblings in their activities.

Since saying goodbye to our au pair in December, and me being tied to Marco so much throughout the day to nurse and provide the much-needed care that baby’s require…I’ve struggled with the moments I feel like she is bored.

Don’t get me wrong, I know it is very good for a child to experience boredom, as it helps fuel creative play and boosts imagination. And, of all my children, she is and always has been my best little self-entertainer. She frequently sits for an hour at a time flipping through piles of books telling stories, or playing with super heroes or her little pony figures, and she also enjoys spending time building with L.EGOS and playing with the doll houses.

But, in this case, I feel like I often get so caught up in doing laundry, prepping meals, doing homework with the older kids, cleaning up after everyone, etc, just to keep up... that I wasn’t finding/making the time I feel she deserved for her very own fun activities. So, I asked her if she wanted to do dance, and she gave me a very enthusiastic “YEAH!” response.

I am really enjoying watching her in the dance class. They seem to do a lot of the same song/dances, each week… so the kids get familiar with what they are supposed to do. But, the teacher does a great job of also introducing fun props, and a new song/dance each week too. If Giuliana continues to enjoy the class, I’ll enroll her in tap & ballet in the fall.   

Rocco & Gabby Ski Video

Here's a quick video of Gabby and Rocco skiing together. They called it racing... :))

A day of skiing!

I decided that we needed to take a quick trip up the mountain for a day of skiing fun! The kids have never been skiing before. And, I really enjoy skiing... so why not, right?

We had planned to make the 1.5 hour drive many times, especially during school breaks... but it seems the plans always got put on hold because someone got sick, or there was another child activity or commitment that had been made.

OH, and it is also not an easy thing to just drive up the mountain with your kids when you're a breastfeeding mommy. You are constantly attached to the baby, and having that sort of freedom (when they won't take a bottle) just does not exist. Well... stay tuned for that post next, because Marco is also done with the boob! YAY!

Anyway, I took the two big kids up into the Cascades for a day of skiing fun. We ALL had a blast. And, I think I created two little skiing monsters, as I practically had to drag them off the mountain.

Gabby LOVED it and while she was frustrated for the first 30 mins of her lesson, one hour into it - she was hooked! Rocco also loved it and clearly had no fear, as the little guy preferred to go speeding straight down the bunny hill without doing any sort of turning action. Gabby was good at continuing to practice her turns even well after her class had ended.

I can't wait to take them both up the mountain again for some more skiing!

Oh, and for the record, Dan was busy at home being super-daddy with the two little kids. It was a gorgeous sunny day, so he took them on a trail run and out for ice cream. (And watched a lot of hoops and enjoyed naps on the sofa!)

8 Hours of Snow!

We did not have any snow all winter. And, then on Friday, March 22nd, it snowed! Three days into Spring, and we started the day off with snow on the ground! The kids were SO excited... and I could not believe my eyes (in a *no you didn't, mother nature!* sort of way).

Rocco went to school late so he & Giuliana could play in the snow for a little while together. They made snow angels and lots of tracks in the snow, and put their tongues out to catch snowflakes as they fell from the sky.



By 3pm, the snow was all melted. So... I was thrilled! I mean really - that is my kind of snowstorm!

The kids however were SO bummed out.