Our Little Gymnast

My class went on a field trip to the Allen ASI Gymnastics on Friday and it was much better than the location I had gone to in the past with my classes. While I was there I inquired about their toddler programs and signed us up for a preview on Monday night at 6. They offer classes on Monday and Thursday evenings and Saturdays. Since their make up policy isn't as liberal as Gymboree's we knew that Saturday wasn't an option. But loved the month to month and no contract that they offer.

The class started out on the trampolines. Jack wasn't too sure about how to jump since he gallops when asked to jump lately (most get that on film for ya'll...it is priceless) and he rather jumped from one trampoline to the other. I'm sure Coach Taylor at that point was real excited about the new ADD kiddo in her class.
Then it was over to circle time where we worked with following directions to music with stuffed animals and tapping sticks. Jack was having some concentration issues with all the people everywhere and the bell ringing whenever someone did good (then everyone in the gym stops to class) or when a class ends.

The obstacle course was a true test of his concentration and trust. He wasn't too sure about the tumbling but by the end he picked up on most of it except for the back roll....wasn't too comfortable with that. Loved climbing the foam stairs though.

And you know that jumping into the foam pit (my least favorite thing EVER) was a huge hit.

Looks like Dad will have to join him since we signed up (minus the $30 registration fee thanks to a student who is a member and they scored a $30 credit too) because I WILL NOT go in the foam pit...my throat closes up just thinking about it. Looking forward to Thursdays in January with our little Gymnast at ASI.

Snow Day

Tuesday morning we woke up to find out that school was delayed by 2 hours because of ice on the road. We all crawled back into bed, but Jack had different plans for us....up and ready to go. I slept a little later and around 8 Jack came running in to announce he was wearing purple pants-which was super exciting since it was a new and challenging word-but it threw me off even more because he wasn't in his uniform. That is when Nick told me school had been cancelled. Jack's school was still only delayed but we decided to stay warm as a family all day. So to pass the time we baked holiday cookies!

Nick showed Jack how to use the sifter once...
and little man took over and sifted the rest.

Jack stood on the counter (I know...not safe and probably a bad habit we'll have to fix later) but he was in amazement at how the mixer worked.

Again....show the little baker once and...

away he goes cutting the rest of the cookies.

Here he was instructing us that we had enough trees and needed more Js, As, Cs, and Ks.

TROUBLE!

After the cookies had baked the Tavares crew came over for a playdate, lunch, and of course decorating cookies.

Jack thought Jonah was too cute. Priceless!

Here is Jack laughing at me and Dad because he knew after I saw Nick holding Jonah I'd be wanting another baby...sorry grandparents...not going to happen. :(

The decorating artists.

Taste Test.

Yum!

Do you think it was good?

A bit more cleaner than Jack wouldn't you say?!?

Jack was having trouble sleeping that night so we snuggled up on the couch with his pillow, blanket, and Glow Worm. I know that it is bad and he should cry it out...but I LOVE snuggling and it happens so rare, especially with Nick on the other couch, so I'll fix those habits later too....One day he won't fit on the couch with me so I want to live it up now while I can.

Happy Birthday Nick Weekend!

Saturday was Nick's birthday and when he woke up Jack and I had hung the Birthday banner that my kids decorated for him Friday afternoon.

Jack and I offered to go get Dad donuts for his Birthday Breakfast but the boys insisted that I stay in bed and they would go out and get breakfast...you don't have to tell me twice. :)
This was the first taste of donuts for Jack and he was a fan to say the least.
The McWilliams were the first to arrive to wish Nick a Happy Birthday (& Celebrate the Holidays)...while waiting for others to join us the kids ate, played, and...
helped Nick open his gift. That's right...his one gift-a package of Styrofoam cups that say, "You don't know how many friends you have til you get a big screen.". Appropriate huh?!?
Jack was a crazy man that night...spinning around, jumping from room to room, playing up a storm with Johnson and Miley, and loving the continued pattern of tons of sugar....Cookie Cake...Yum!
The evening ended with a goodbye kiss between Jack and Willow....Olivia won't be happy that she had to head home early when she finds out about this.
Sunday the temperature was 76 & windy so we took advantage and spent some time in the yard. Look how big he looks!
"Um Mom and Dad....we know the neighbors don't have much style with their holiday decorations...but none of them still have their Halloween pumpkins out...do you think we should toss this? Wait...my hand is stuck in it and there are bugs everywhere...just kidding, but really let's not give them ammo to talk about us."
"I know it is your birthday weekend Dad but can't you get in trouble for child labor?"
"I made the pile of leaves so I can jump in them...right?!?!"

After finishing the yard we went to the grocery. Earlier that day Nick mentioned that Jack's ear looked red inside. The whole week he had a very low grade fever but we thought it was a tooth that is coming in up front....but when the was grabbing his ear in the store saying, "Ow" we knew it must be infected. We went straight to the new Acute Care place that opened by us and for sure there was an infection in the Right ear. They have him on antibiotics for 10 days and last night was NOT fun at all...but he was up and ready to start the week off this morning so we all headed to school. I'm thinking tubes are in our future soon after the new year.

Ho Ho Ho!

I know you are dying to see Jack with Santa but I wanted to show you the best morning entertainment EVER. Aunt Mary Beth bought Jack The Elf on the Shelf last year at Holly Days and we have had the most fun with it. Of course reading the book was not something Jack could handle at this age...but finding the elf every morning is! Him and Nick are too cute searching the house trying to be the first one to shout out, "Elf" when they find it. I'm doing it in my class with another little elf I found and it has been so much fun to watch them as well. Can't wait til he gets older and is able to help us name him and understand the important job that the elf has representing the big man himself.

So I decided to give up on visiting the Santa at Northpark this year...I need to accept we live in the country and just go with it. The new mall that is being built a few exits up had been advertising a great Santa, a friend sent her pictures, and so Saturday we decided to give it a try. Being a weekend I looked up the times and we were there a few minutes before they opened. Well, Nick stayed in the car with Jack as long as he could while I froze my ass off standing outside for an hour in line to meet the jolly man himself.
This was about as close as Jack would get to the reindeer, he did enjoy the music every 20 minutes from the 50 foot Christmas tree, and sadly the mini train wasn't running yet (he would have been sick to his stomach though with all the time we had waiting to ride the train). People in line didn't care how long the wait was or how cold it was...turns out this Santa has quit a following as he was previously at the Stonebriar Mall in Frisco. I know that the lady in front of me if we had to wait any longer would have been added to our Christmas card list because we had plenty of time to visit in line.



I thought Jack was going to do well with Santa despite his recent caricature fear. He says, "Ho, Ho, Ho every time he sees Santa (TV, the animal Bebe got him, and the picture on the Coke can). He even said it to the cart man at Sam's that was wearing a red sweatshirt and hat. We let him look at children on Santa's lap in line and all seemed good...until it was finally his turn.

"Can you see my teeth from there Dad?"

"I mean really-waiting an hour, risking being attacked by reindeer...nothing is enough for you...are you really walking away Dad-Papa would never do this to me."

"What are you looking at kids? You're going to get dumped and left on this fat man's lap too...just wait...in about 45 minutes from where you are it's your turn."

"OK Mom...are you freaking happy...the tears have stopped, she retook it, now someone (even you Mom) come and get me off this old man's lap."

"This is my consolation prize...a coloring book....how am I even going to color in it since you took away my crayons and only let me use the Color Wonder no color markers? Can we please go home?"