Laissez les bons temps rouler!

"Let the good times roll" for the annual Mardi Gras parade at Olivia's school.  This was a big week at the school because the Mardi Gras parade and the Valentines Party were the same week and Olivia could not have been more excited!

Kindergarten gets to lead the parade so she made me promise that we would be on time (note: I have never been late!) and at the front of the line of parents so we could see her.  Luckily we listened to her because she was the line leader and led the parade out of the gate!  And, like her performance in the school's holiday show, she took this role very seriously.  We got a few fake smiles out of her but she was mostly all business in leading those kids around the courtyard.

 

The Kindergarten class

And after, she helped throw beads down to the little ones and then ran around the playground with her friends.  As Matt said, this is the craziest we ever want to see her for a Mardi Gras! ;)

Love Day

Matt was out of town for Valentine's Day, so we were lucky enough to crash Mimi and Grandpa's valentines celebration.  They came over for dinner and we introduced Olivia to the wonder that is fondue.  My little mouse was thrilled to be able to have cheese for dinner!

She is very fancy (like her Mimi) and insisted we eat in the dining room and decorate.  So we bought a white table cloth which she colored and "stickered."  It was such a great Love Day with some of the people that we love the most!

Not So Slumber Party

For months now Olivia and Cate have been begging for a sleepover and we finally made it happen a few weeks ago.

The day before I texted Cate's mom this picture and told her I hoped there would be room for Cate in the bed!

On the big day, Olivia requested I take a picture of the princess nightgown options for Cate and text it to her mom.

There was lots of dress up

We made some valentines & did some art projects

Painted our nails

Made (and devoured) some brownies

Watched The Little Mermaid

And enjoyed a donut breakfast the next morning

I think they both had a great time and they are already asking for the next one.  Given that they were pretty good at the "party" but not so great at the "slumber,"  Matt and I have decided Cate can host the next one!

All I really needed to know I learned in Kindergarten

We rushed back into the new year with a big change for Olivia – moving up to “Kindergarten.” This is the last class in her school, its upstairs, and definitely has a “big kid” vibe to it. It took my girl a little while to settle in but we have been in the class about a month now and I think she’s finding her stride. Luckily for us, she moved up with Cate and Emma, so the transition is always easier when you’ve got your best friends with you.

Matt and I attended the orientation for this class and the teacher explained that her job is to get the kids ready for going to “real school” next year (cue panic attack in Matt and I as we realize that we still use the "baby monitor" to check on Olivia daily and may need to revise our parenting approach to include some of this "independence" this nice lady keeps yammering about!).

The class room is much more structured than the others and the kids definitely seem to rise to expectations. She will actually be in this class for about a year and a half before she attends “real Kindergarten” at our local public elementary school, so we have some time to all mentally prepare for the big changes on the horizon. In the meantime, here are a few pics of our BIG GIRL!

Music class with the babies before school

 Where does she learn these poses?!

And, for comparison's sake, this is her picture on her FIRST day of school!

Inside Out

Still have not found time to do the Christmas posts yet but I wanted to remember this story:

When Matt and I were first beginning to become friends and date in college, one of the things I liked best about him was how funny he was.  I felt like he was so smart to constantly come up with all these jokes and one-liners.   Well...I eventually learned that most of them are straight from movies.  Not really being a "movie person," it took me a while to catch on.  

Well, it looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  Olivia is obsessed with the movie Inside Out.  She saw it twice in the theater and usually chooses it anytime she has "screen time."  She basically has the movie memorized and has taken to saying lines from the movie in conversation at appropriate times.  

For instance, the other day I was complaining about something when she said "Oh don't worry.  It could be worse."  At first I was struck by how optimistic and cheerful she was.  Until I saw the smirk on her face and figured out it was a line from the movie.  

She also sometimes will refuse to go to bed unless I pull her like Joy pulls Sadness.

But, her best so far was when she was in trouble the other day and she didn't seem particularly phased by my attempts to discipline her.  I asked her again why she did that and she responded, completely deadpan, "I’m sorry. Something’s wrong with me. It’s like I’m having a breakdown."  (which is another line from the movie).  And then, I cracked up laughing and lost all my mommy-power.

Oh how I love this crazy little girl of mine!

  

#thanksobama

I am behind on Christmas/New Year's posts, but I wanted to do a quick post on some of the silly things Miss O has said lately.

A few weeks ago it was raining on the way to school, Olivia asked me why it was raining.  I responded that I guessed God thought the trees, plants and flowers needed to be watered.  She immediately responded with an exasperated sigh (her latest lovely response to anything that doesn't go her way) and said "Ugh!  God just gets to decide everything??!!"  I said I think so.  She says "And Barack Obama!"  (Which reminded me of this video)

We have also been in a bit of a dramatic phase.  The most recent examples include bursting into tears on NYE because she "loves 2015 and will miss it"; crying her face off if I use the restroom in the morning before she does (so I now lie to my daughter regarding my bathroom activity); and hysterically crying when she learned we were trying a new dentist that was closer, cheaper, worked better hours and came highly recommended by Aunt KK, Sofie and Minah.

And, I also leave you with the outtake from a video we were trying to make for my cousin who got married in Australia.  Please note Olivia's face...who glares like that in a video to wish some congratulations on their wedding?!

Goodbye to 2015

“And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been”
― Rainer Maria Rilke

We said good-bye to 2015 in the best way possible – surrounded by best friends. The end of the year handed us some bad news and crashing McGuire family weekend at the ranch seemed to be the best way to move forward. Unsurprisingly, this clan was welcoming, loving and treated us like family.

There were plenty of cousins to play with and Miss O jumped right in. She was especially smitten with baby Sofia and “helped” Aunt Meghan all weekend!  (Thankfully Aunt Meghan was a great sport.  At one point I heard Meghan say that she needed to change Sofia's poopy diaper.  Olivia asked to help and Meghan suggested it was probably better if she did it alone.  In response, Olivia asked "Well, can I watch you?"  This one is in the making for a great little mamma!) 

Don't worry - she didn't forget about her first baby.  Baby Win got lots of loving too!

Of course, “Uncle Bye-Bye” provided lots of entertainment for his favorite boys.

We read, played in the tent, ate good food, went on a hayride and enjoyed some fireworks

(They are yelling at me here to "go away pookie")

And, we continued our annual Harris-Olivia new year's video. We are so glad that the kids enjoy this as much as we do and their true silly personalities come out!

In many ways, 2015 was a great year.  Matt, Olivia and I have found our stride as a little family of 3,  we took some great trips, learned a lot, and had tons of fun together with friends and family.  There were a few set-backs but we are so very grateful for all the blessings we have and are excited to see what 2016 has in store for us!