Catching up: Ainsley

This was Ainsley petting a sheep that was at our church a few months ago. Doesn't she have the sweetest smile? We here that from so many people. She is such an easy-going little girl, which came in very handy on our trip to Disneyland, when there were rides she wasn't quite big enough to go on!! She can get pretty feisty though, but it doesn't usually last long.

Ainsley & I have been doing gymnastics together for the past few months and she loves it! Her coach says she listens well and is well coordinated for her age. She wants to keep on going so I've registered her in the next session... unfortunately this one is not parent participation. I am sad about that. I love doing these activities with the girls, and can't believe this may have been one of the last ones. She on the other hand is very excited to be doing a big girl class without Mummy, and while I'm sad to not be involved, I am excited for her at the same time.

Photos on the last day.

Balance beam queen :)

Our Ainsley is a sleepy bear... she doesn't nap anymore but probably would if she could! If we're out about in the afternoon, she usually falls asleep in the car. If I take her for a walk in the stroller... zonk, she's out! Sometimes she'll cuddle with me on the couch in the afternoon and crash. The other day Jose was playing Rock Band with the girls and Ainsley asked to lay on the couch with a blanket next to them, and fell asleep, music and all!!! She has always loved her sleep and probably always will.

Ainsley will be starting soccer soon, and we'll probably try out dance in the fall. She has been going to preschool 2 days a week and likes it. She is already printing her name and is quite the little artist! I sat in on her 'show & share day' and she chatted about her teddy in front of her classmates, beaming with pride. She can also be quite the chatterbox, and injects much expression into her stories, with wide eyes and hand movements. Perhaps the Italian in her? She loves to play with her sister and they get along very well. I feel proud and blessed to be a momma to two special little girls.

Catching up: Lucia

Since it's been 1/2 year since my last posts, I'm going to try and highlight what the girls have been up to.

This is picture from Lucy's school at her student-led parent conference. She got her first report and is doing very well. Her one area for improvement is talking to much with her friends, although the teacher says she usually only has to ask her once and she stops. Little Miss Chatterbox!! Lucy loves her school and her teacher. Her interests recently include cooking, reading, colouring, drawing, Irish Dance and singing. We are going to put her in a girls choir in the Fall and start her in piano lessons. She likes playing Rock Band with Daddy and definitely has an ear for music and rhythm.

I enrolled Lucy in a gymnastics session after about a years break. She liked it and did well, but I think it'll be the last class she does. I don't want to over-schedule her and she is more interested in dance and music and singing, and will be trying soccer out soon. Gymnastics gave her a great foundation for strength, flexibility and coordination, and gave her skills she'll use in dance and sports.

Gym sisters! They were in different classes at the same time and on the last day, they got to go through all the stations together, with me :) It was a fun day - they were proud to show me their gymnastics and excited to be together.

Lucy's greatest passion right now is Irish Dance! She was going once a week and was asked by her teacher to come an extra day a week because she's quite good. We talked to her about it and she immediately said yes! Her teacher Sally is lovely... an older Irish lady who just loves the kids. She has told us numerous times how fast a learner Lucy is, and that she's a great dancer. She is the youngest dancer in the new extra class, so I feel pretty proud of her. She concentrates so intently, and picks things up so fast, and has a lot of fun. Sally asked her a few other girls from her regular class to dance at Eau Claire Market (like Granville Island) for St. Patrick's Day

so she did it. Another very proud moment that brought tears to my eyes to see her dance in front of so many people with such courage. I would have been nervous!! She was a little, but it didn't get the best of her. They did 2 dances and the little girl in the middle wouldn't do the second one, so just Lucy and the girl on the left danced.

Five has been a fantastic age and I really really enjoy spending time with Lucy. Recently I had two comments from Moms in her class... one told me that her twins who take the bus with Lucy say that she is the kindest person on the whole bus! The other told me her daughter told her after a playdate that Lucy is the kindest person she knows. Wow - what wonderful things to hear about your child!! I couldn't be prouder!

Catching up: Spring Break

What a difference a year makes!! Last Spring Break was hard... I didn't know too many people, the weather was colder and the girls were more demanding. This Spring Break was great and I did not want it to end!! We spent some time at Bowness Park with our friends, spent a day with Aunty Claire & cousin Jess, and Lucy learnt how to cook! Now that she's reading I thought it would be the perfect thing, since she's expressed interest in cooking and always wants to help in the kitchen. Meals cooked so far...

- scrambled eggs: she cracked the eggs, whisked them, chopped a green onion and added it in, then turned on the element and poured in the eggs and stirred them while they cooked

- cheese cake

- sushi rolls!!!

- meatballs

She picked the recipes and we shopped together then cooked together. It was fun! Maybe she got the cooking genes from her Grandma Frasca & Aunty Fio :-)

Just before Spring Break we had our good friends the Cavaliers come and stay for 4 days! It was a fun visit with lots of action... Drumheller, Lucy's first Irish Dance performance at Eau Claire Market, seeing the Lorax, St. Paddy's day drinks and

lots of great talks and laughs. Fortunately the weather was good so the kids were able to spend lots of time outside on the tramp. We miss our friends a lot and enjoy these visits so much.