First Day of Kindergarten

Well, it's official. The girls are officially school-aged kids. *sigh*

They seem to like it. Maggie seems slightly more excited about it than Grace at the moment. They are in separate classes and Grace wishes she were in with Maggie.

Maggie has perceivably the more fun teacher, better classroom and friends from the neighborhood and t-ball in her class. Grace has a classroom that's maybe not quite as colorful -- and there is not a child in the class she knows. I thought that if it had to go down that way, Grace in the all-new-kids class would be the way to go. She's never had a problem making friends! But, she is having a problem this time around. She talks about a couple kids in her class, but at recess all she wants to do is go find Maggie and play with the friends she already knows or new friends Maggie has made. And, her little eyes seem a little sad every day when Maggie excitedly talks about her day. Grace will tell us a couple things, but she is not bursting with the excitement that Maggie is showing. It makes a mom's heart hurt! I want her to come home, super-happy with her day and tell me she made the best friend ever and she loves her class. But so far, that's not happening.

There were four sets of twins that started Hurricane Town Elementary this year. The administration decided to split them all up, citing reports of better end results. I understand this and was totally okay with it since they split them all up. However, recently, I learned that they kept one set together. I am hoping it's temporary, because they are bringing a 4th kindergarten teacher in for overflow kids. Grace is only accepting it because "that's the way it is with twins". But, if she figures out there's a set together, she's going to really be upset.

For now I'm just hoping that each day I see more and more excitement on her face. She IS very focused on learning. And, she does LOVE her teacher.

Both girls are starting to read a few more words. This is so exciting for them. Both teachers follow the same curriculum using the same books (but a little different teaching styles) so they can talk about the things they learned together. They have special words each week to concentrate on -- these words are sent home on Friday and they use them excessively in the classroom and ask you to use them at home daily. We are doing that. I also tuck a little post-it note or cute, simple picture I draw for them in their lunchbox every day along with a Hershey's kiss. This week is the first week for these "popcorn words", so I've been using them. They are easing them in to it with just two words this week. The words are I and AM. They can already read the words LOVE and MOMMY -- so I just add one or two words to the note and they try to sound it out or let their teacher read it to them. Yesterday's note was I AM THINKING OF YOU! LOVE MOMMY. Today's note was I AM PROUD OF YOU! LOVE MOMMY. It's fun to hear them read the note back to me when they get home from school! ;)

Look at my very grown up looking girls heading out to kindergarten!

Newport Aquarium & Kings Island

We recently took a fun little trip to Newport Aquarium in Kentucky and then hopped on over to Kings Island and Boomerang Bay for more fun.

On the walk to the Aquarium entrance, the girls met a real mermaid who gave them a magic stone! Then they enjoyed seeing all the big fish displays and petting a few starfish and crabs. They also enjoyed trying to get a bird to land on their arms in the rainforest -- and playing in the rainforest themed indoor playground. After the aquarium, we got a fun bite to eat at Johnny Rockets -- and then a clown on stilts made some balloon animals for them. It was a fun afternoon!

Of course a big highlight for them, always, is checking in to the hotel and checking out the pool. For hours. So, we swam until late -- then crashed in preparation for our day at Kings Island.

Our day started out early with breakfast with Snoopy and his friends. Then we spent the rest of our morning at Planet Snoopy on all the fun rides. The hot afternoon was spent at Boomerang Bay at a few of the kid themed water areas and pools. Then, back to Planet Snoopy and International Street for the rest of the evening. We did catch a Snoopy on Ice show while there and the girls absolutely LOVED how that dog can ice skate!

We left around 8 o'clock, stuffed Snoopy and Lucy in hand, and two tiny girls were asleep shortly after. They slept most of the way home, which always makes for a faster trip.

Enjoy these photos!

Creek

This past Sunday morning, we decided to take the girls to Ritter Park (Maggie calls it Critter Park). The girls wanted to picnic with doughnuts and fruit and play on the awesome Alice and Wonderland themed children's playground they have there. After our picnic and much playing, we decided to take a walk to a bridge we could see in the distance.

It was so pretty -- creek babbling, ducks swimming, nice flat rocks for skipping... I remember playing in the creek for HOURS when I was a little girl. So, when my girls asked if we could make our trek down to the creek and play around, I was very excited to say, "of course!" We discovered a crawdad, saw little fish, watched the ducks and skipped some rocks. That was all fun, but the one thing they really wanted to do was GET IN! So, clothes, shoes and all, I told them to go for it. After all, that's what being a kid in the summertime is all about, right?!

Above are some photos we snapped of the girls creek excursion. Enjoy!

And the Back Swim

They are also starting to learn how to swim on their backs!

Even more swim ...

Here are two new videos that show just how far the girls can swim. It's more than half the length of the pool!

Swim Lessons 2010

It's that time of year again. Time for screaming, crying, kicking and throwing up -- all because my girls don't want to go to swim lessons. For two years, they have a pool in the backyard that they can easily stay in from morning until nighttime. They can't wait to come home and get in the pool on school days. It's the first thing they think about when they get up in the mornings. And, when they are in it, they swim under water the entire length of the pool AND use the ladder as a diving board to cannonball into 4 feet of water. Yet swim lessons is something that TERRIFIES them. Well, until this year.

This year, I'm unfamiliar with the two little beings who show up for swim lessons, all smiles. There are no tears, no threats to throw up. The first day, midway through, two heads pop up from the side of the pool and shout, "Hey mom, do we get to do this again tomorrow! It's so much fun!" These strangers gladly jump off the diving board and say that THAT is their favorite part! They willingly jump in 10-12 feet of water and happily swim to the side -- on their own!

Even the swim instructors can't believe the turn-around. Charles (who Maggie seems to be crushing on) says they are GREAT little swimmers. I couldn't agree more!

Enjoy these videos from Day 2 of swim lessons!

Izzy has a twin!

Izzy has a twin! We noticed that she looks a whole lot like Donkey on Shrek! We had saltine crackers and we were sticking them in her mouth to try to make it look like she had a waffle in her mouth -- just like the Donkey toy sitting on her crate. But, she was eating them way to fast to snap a photo!

Look at those ears! LOL!