A slice of live action

...from the dance party. This was during the controlled chaos stage. I was doing my best cheer leading act, I think. HA! ;-)

More party fun

The second round of dancing included leis for everyone! There seemed to be an unspoken trend that they should be worn like sashes. A good kind of chaos.

And here is Zach retreating to the porch to play with his kitchens. I think he's looking for some privacy on the phone.

After everyone left, Caleigh and Zach relaxed by watching some more dance video, but not dancing. And look how quickly the living room cleaned up! Gotta love the big basket for toys!

It took some doing...

But we got all the merry bunch on the couch and mostly smiling at the same time for a group picture. Zach was more than happy to join in the photo shoot and pose. I think he enjoyed being the only little guy. He and Daddy hung out a lot together, but he also ventured into the thick of the dance floor a few times -- usually with his trusty milk cup for security. He is usually hard to keep in one place, but once he was positioned in front of all these pretty little girls, he just stood there and smiled...

Look at Caleigh! Look at that sparkle in her eyes! She had a grand time. I think she really gets celebrations - especially when they are for her. ;-)

And for some reason, she ran upstairs as we were getting situated for the picture to grab Teddy (her baby as she calls him). Just a good bunch of kids - and we thank all them and their Mamas for joining us!

Caleigh is 3 years old!

What a party! Caleigh invited six of her girlfriends ages 2 to 4 to join her in celebrating with a dance party. Everyone enjoyed the chocolate cake & snacks, pink punch, pin the tail on Eeyore (HA!), dancing, playing musical instruments and just being together.

It's funny what excited little girls. Caleigh was very impressed with her hair barrette (she normally doesn't like to wear them), & her sparkly pink pants with the satin belt. It's the little things... We welcomed the little guests and their Mamas to the living room for free play and chatting. The girls didn't need coaxing to be involved in the fun. There was music in the background to get them in the mood to shake a leg (i.e., 'dance' if that happens to be a southern term ;-). Next we pinned the tail on Eeyore, 3 year old style (I think only one girl closed her eyes...). Then to the dance video -- Elmo's friend, Zoe, led us through some African and Asian dance moves. After about 10 minutes the girls just sat down and stared at the tv (time to turn it off and have cake!). Caleigh was hilarious -- she got her maraca, listened hard to the instructions, and danced her little side to side steps with the video oblivious to the other girls, who weren't as interested in getting the dance moves right. Caleigh also felt free to do some free flowing (willy nilly silly) dancing around the room. I think she loosened the other girls up a bit. One Mama told me her daughter danced a lot the following week after not being very interested in it before. ;-)

Then to the cake. Caleigh requested the Winnie the Pooh topper Zach had on his birthday cake. She also had a "3" candle and three pink straight candles. As she correctly stated, her cake was full on top. ;-) Beautiful singing was followed by lots of quiet as the girls munched on their chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Afterwards they were all ready to DANCE and the Mamas were happy they were getting some energy out. Caleigh was the last to leave the table as she enjoyed her cake slowly and chatted it up with everyone (quiet the hostess). We were all exhausted after the go-go of the two hour party (and the prep that went into getting ready...) so we had a nice walk to Pica's for a birthday pizza. We brought it back home and it wasn't long before the kids were in bed. Yum and Whew!

We have LOTS of video but not many pictures. Sorry (thus the long descriptions...).

Second snowman

Caleigh has the hang of it now. Pile up the snow, stick the snowman making kit pieces in the mound and call it a snowman. The snow was like powder - wouldn't stick together at all. Caleigh didn't care. We made a snowman and she was happy. A warm spell hit a couple days later and Caleigh artfully reinserted the eyes, nose, pipe, and buttons to a wee mound of the only snow left in the yard (the blown away hat had been recovered and secured inside the house already). Again, she was happy. When we got back from Bible study hours later she gathered the pieces saying, "Mama I think it's probably time we brought mr. snowman inside."

She has also become an expert snow angel maker. She throws herself down in fresh snow and flaps her arms and legs feverishly until requesting help up so as not to mess up the creation. She then stands back and admires her work before throwing herself down again...repeat.

New helmet

Caleigh didn't want purple or pink or blue. She wanted black. So her option was Harley Davidson. We think she pulls it off well, especially with the purple and pink tricycle.

Caleigh is a Mama too

She LOVES Teddy. She says he is her baby (or big boy depending on the day). She informs us that he can't walk yet, but insists he has a small bowl of cereal most mornings "without milk so he won't get messy." She holds him like a baby (okay so I wouldn't trust her yet to carry an infant as she also routinely drop him and carries him around by the head). She comforts him. She cuddles him. She sleeps with him and he is a good companion on long car trips. She lets him sit beside her to read or watch a video. She very rarely shares him with Zach and then for a very short time "because he needs me, his Mama." She told us that she was Teddy's Mama. She thought for a minute and added, "I'm also Teddy's Daddy. Isn't that AMAZING!?" Yes, dear. And we are glad you have a good friend to share your dear life with right now.

And the first photo is just fun. I think she was scrubbing her head against the glass or something.

Big girl blocks

These are not your normal blocks, but a castle set! Daddy, Mama and Caleigh had a great time playing/building after Zach went to bed. I love her laugh!

Zach on the porch

A beloved area since it's been off limits (COLD!) all winter. His hand-me-down shirt cracks me up ("I do all my own stunts"). He is managing the one step up/down to the porch better. He grips the door frame securely so as not to tumble.

Zach liked having his special rocking chair in the living room. He would pat the seat to ask for help up and want books/milk as he relaxed.

Under the blanket and reading

Caleigh and Daddy love to read books under a warm blanket (usually our huge, incredibly soft brown blanket). Daddy was busy so Caleigh ran upstairs and got her pink blanket to curl up in while she read to herself. She was quite pleased with herself. She looks so mature and beautiful.

Once turning three, she spent a week not wanting to take a nap. Oh no, thought I. We set her clock/sound machine and started telling her when she could get up (e.g., "reads 3:00"). She did great 'telling time' but we feared she would bore of it. But this week she is back to a good afternoon nap following a time of reading on her bed. Whew!

Caleigh puzzling around

It's better to do puzzles 'high' so little hands can't reach them (or feet step on them...).

And if you didn't know, it's usually very serious business to get all those pieces in the right spots!

These pictures are from mid February and we've since accumulated lots more puzzles. Big floor puzzles, a John Deere puzzle (whoo hoo!), a wood puzzle. Good stuff. We still like the 'book puzzles' -- those cool puzzles that come in books with the picture on the facing page. Soon we'll need a 'puzzle area' for bigger than one sitting puzzles (again to keep away from little hands).

Music class for Zachary

Zachary and Mama have been attending an 8-week music class from the same place Caleigh and Mama went when she was younger. A wonderful friend, Dona, has been watching Caleigh at our house with her two little ones. Zach is a bit clingy but an enthusiastic participant in making sounds and playing the instruments. I realized that he doesn't go many places with Mama that Caleigh is not. So...it makes sense that he wants to have a hand or arm on me or just sit and cuddle. He's a flirt with the other two little girls in his class and stands tall as the only boy (one girl is one month older and the other is one month younger than he). He is the most experienced walker of the bunch and uses that skill to get to far flung instruments and toys. He also sometimes finds himself farther from me than he anticipated and comes running back, laughing with his arms out. He gives great hugs! And those little smooches he works so hard to plant on your cheek (it's harder than it looks to angle the head just right and *smack* while lips are on the receiver's cheek, I guess). He is very proud of his successes. Still has that great dimple!

And (like any kid) he loves bubbles. We love how he bobs his head up and down and side to side when music plays, clapping and smiling...

We plan to take a break this Spring and go to 'play days' at the same church over the summer -- free play, music, art and puppets. Fun! And both kids can go without splitting me in two for their different age group classes. In the meantime, we'll enjoy the musical instruments at our house (like the big piano!) and listening to lots of music and dancing.