We've entered a new season of life. The season of activities, events, and birthday parties. I had to bite the bullet and buy a planner just to keep track of the kids activities. Also, because I need to write things down--with a pen, not type them into my Ipad. Because I'm old-school like that. Quinn and Isabella both have ballet on Fridays now, Declan starts soccer on Saturday mornings and we have had birthday parties...and more birthday parties, recitals scheduled, performance awards for ballet, and then the whole moving thing. Then someone turns six.... Spring is always busy for us, but I'm excited about this season. I'm vowing to relax and not set time constraints. In my typical fashion, I would not at all see it feasible to have a birthday party for Isabella a month after we move into a house. Mainly because I can't move onto that sort of thing (party planning) when I'm still stuck on something else (painting, un-packing, and the list goes on). But I'm not worrying about all that. When we bought this house we knew it would be a work in progress. A very long work in progress. I am commiting to letting things happen as they happen and not letting the rest of life stall out in the mean time. It was easier to do that sort of thing when all of the kids were babies and toddlers, but now life goes on and we keep moving.
And there's always that reminder that I can't forget these moments:
She started ballet on Friday and I'm not sure I've ever seen such an excited two and half year old. She was dressed by 8, sitting in the van by 9 and ballet didn't start until 10. She spent the entire morning dancing to a song from Brave that Isabella's class has danced to in the past. It's the ballet song according to Quinn and is the only song that she asks for when she's ready to dance. She held my hand as I walked her into class and her grip got tighter the closer she got. I knew she would stay but I started to second guess at that moment. I sat her down and as soon as she started watching the other girls come in, I let go and bolted. She was great and I was so impressed with her comfortability when she's never been left with anyone but family. I heard them laughing, counting and dancing and at the end of class we came in and watched two little dances that they learned. She was confident, happy and very excited. I was in awe. Thirty minutes later, leaving was the last thing she was ready for. We left, her bottom lip stuck out and she was upset. We walked to the car and I told her that I was so proud of her and that I loved her. She stuck her lip out even further and said "I love Ms Shonda! I wanna go back to ballet!" We made it as far as the van when she decided she needed to go to the bathroom. I asked her if she could wait until we got home and she reassured me that she could not and that we needed to go back to ballet to use the bathroom there. And we did. And she sat in the bathroom and said "I am going back in to dance. I never wanna leave this place. I staying here forever until I die!" Then we left again and she sat in her car seat and watched the video that I took of her dancing, the entire way home. The video was short, the drive was about 15 minutes...you do the math. She has watched that video more than anything she's ever watched before.
That afternoon we went to Isabella's school for an awards ceremony. Isabella got a citizenship award, which we were so proud of her for. As she walked across the front to get her ribbon, Quinn could barely contain her excitement and yelled out her name because sister wanted to tell her all about ballet class. Isabella was so excited for her. That morning before school, we were talking about ballet and Isabella asked what time her class was. I told her that Quinn would be in the morning class and Isabella got upset. She said "That is not fair! How am I supposed to watch her dance!" The bond that these two are forming, over commonalities, has been one of my favorite things ever. They are so deeply attached right now and my heart aches at the beautiful sight of it all.
After we picked her up from her classroom, Quinn told her all about ballet and then let her know that she would be dancing with her that evening in her ballet class. We had a good laugh about it but Quinn was sure that she would be doing ballet again that evening.
She was right.
She stood at the doorway of Isabella's class like she always does. She followed every exercise, every move, every dance. And in the last few minutes of class, the teacher came over and took Quinn's hand, led her into the class and let her join in. And she did. Amidst twelve little five and six year olds, Quinn did unicorn leaps, pointed her toes and was totally in her element. She's asked me every day since, if it's time for ballet again. She's in love.
We rounded out the weekend with birthday party #3. Eleanor turned four on Friday and has been talking about her ladybug birthday since last year when she turned three. And I think she also has at least the next three years planned out as well.
The kids had a blast. The crafts and activities were perfect. It was intimate and the kids all played together seamlessly. Piper smiled for three straight hours and made her signature sound that I can't even explain. I think Kate puts it like this: "It's like she's always in the wind." So excited that she's always catching a big breath to gear up for the next round of leg kicking, arm flapping, giggling excitement.
Things are a little 'princess focused' over at the Troxell house these days. So naturally, amongst playing with princesses, doll houses and dress up clothes, they each tried on a pair of Eleanor's new princess shoes. Declan included.
And sticking with the common theme of birthday parties lately. Quinn always ends up crying during present time. She just can't ever get close enough (and Abbey's a little concerned).
She recovers quickly though.
And we always have the super model posing on the side lines, to give us a good laugh.
They are all the best friends. The best of friends.
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