~ DANCING & MARRIAGE-TALK ~

Eddie and all the first graders have been practicing up a storm - dancing & more dancing! They had their country-western dance show yesterday and my boy was very excited...his partner was his "future wife" ! Yup, Eddie has a crush; and she is returning the crush-feelings :) Eddie talks about "I" all the time and keeps asking questions like, "well, when can we get married?" It is jus so sweet - he really looks forward to seeing her everyday. Needless to say, he was thrilled to have her as his dance partner! very bad quality photo, I know

But, such sweet dancing!
Eddie doing the "chicken dance"
see Mia??!

Eddie and my future daughter-in-law!

So, Eddie is not the only one talking about marriage and weddings...Mia has been looking at our wedding photo and asking questions. She wanted to put on a white dress like mommy! My little cutie-pie looked so precious ~ of course, I had to snap away:

looking at her wedding ring!

(It's yellow, plastic diamond cut!)

Her bouquet was ripped out of my vase...

cute none the less :)

Enjoy my sweetness:

~ WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON ~

We had some gorgeous weather here last week (it's been raining the last 2 days) and Mia had a ball playing outside with her brothers. It was So nice to be outside in the sun :) Mia loves to ride her two-wheeler, with training wheels! that she got for her 4th bday. She is so cute riding around, with a very serious- face- of -concentration on! The last few days she's been telling me she won't go on my bike with me anymore :( She says that she is too big and she would rather ride her bike! Oh! where has my baby gone??? Not too worry, this mommy hasn't given up, the child-seat says "up to 40 lbs" and she still has a ways to go to reach that! There is hope :)

Last week we had a visitor from Memphis...."Flat Stanley" came to hang out with us and we took him all over. He visited Anthony & Mia's schools (Eddie didn't feel comfortable bringing him in - I cannot wait for him to be out of this 1st grade class!!!!) anyhow, Flat Stan seemed to enjoy preschool:
The little boy behind Mia, in the striped shirt, has taken a "liking" to my girl.
Daddy has already warned her to watch out for boys like "G" :)

See him with his hands over her head!
I left the camera at school and the teachers took pictures for me...

I love seeing what goes on in her class !

hmmm, notice "G" sitting next to Mia??!

I love the teachers' sense of humor!

This is my kind of school :)

Mia still has a "thing" for our godson, Brandon.
She was flirting up a storm and following him around
at the Bat Mitzvah :)
He's a respectable fellow though :)

Happy to be outside - riding her bike :)

I took this video below the other day. Mia went up to her room (which I have to post photos of her new big girl bed and furniture...once it's all done!) and put on her CD player. She loves the Mickey M*use Clubhouse show (which is perfect since we're headed that way in a few weeks!) and she put on her Mickey music ~ I went up to check on her and this is what I saw:

~ BLUE & GOLD ~

We attended our little man's Blue & Gold ceremony the other night. Eddie was so proud to put on his Tiger Cubs uniform and I was so proud he had a night where we all cheered him on. He has really enjoyed his first few months of Cub Scouts; the meetings, the pack nights and all with his cousin by his side :)

Eddie and Daddy attend these meetings together, even though Daddy rushes home to eat and run out the door to the den meetings - they both love having this time together.

The ceremony was held at our local Boy Scout grounds - it was a huge, wooded area with trails down to the lagoon. Since we have been having some gorgeous weather, the boys ran around outside in between dinner and awards.

Eddie with his cousin and fellow Tiger Cub

I love the look on their faces when they receive their new badges :)

Silly Brothers

Mia's favorite part was the ice cream bar!

"Mmmmmmmmmm!"

Congratulations honey!

We love our Tiger Cub!!!

~ TEENY TINY ~

Mia and I went to her annual cardiologist appointment the other day. I always get nervous before these appt's and hope and pray that the VSD (hole in the heart) has not reopened...

She did great, she listened, she lay still and was very quiet... The sonogram was over 20 minutes long ~ but my girl is growing up and finding patience! I was so very proud of her~

After all the tests, we met the doctor in his office for our consult...

he smiled and said to go home and enjoy her. The hole is "teeny tiny" !

Mia will have to take an antibotic before going to the dentist

so she doesn't risk getting an infection~

But we can deal with that!

He wants to see us again next year ~

Maybe, just maybe next year there will be no hole at all~

Come on "hole" and just close already!!!

~ FCC - CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION ~

Our local Families with Children from China had their Chinese New Year celebration over the weekend, and Mia and I went with our good friends and neighbors! It is always so nice when we're all together - it was just the moms and girls this year - fun!

The best photo I could get of the 3 girls!

Mia and her "Paigey"

While we were downstairs at the marketplace (shopping is always SO much fun!) the lion dance started upstairs. Lucky thing we weren't up there because it was LOUD and Mia was not liking it at all. She was all teary eyed and I sat down with her and read her a book we bought ("Maya's Journey Home" which was written by one of our FCC members!) until it was over. She was very weary to go upstairs again. We had an agenda written up for each age group and our next stop was the theater for the drum dance. I wasn't sure Mia would like this - was it going to be very loud?

The drum dance was for the girls to do!

The instructor gave each of them a little Chinese drum

and showed them all the steps.

Adorable!!

(Mia's face is very unsure, scared - she is checking with me to

make sure it's o.k. I wasn't sure she'd stay up on stage, but she did!)

I love how Paige is watching all the big girls :)

I got such a kick out of the seriousness on this stage :)

I love how Mia was concentrating and really trying!

Look at this baby girl!!!

Sweet, sweet photo ~

Mia watching Paigey watching the instructor :)

Sweetness!!

Paige kept running around the stage and we were afraid she'd jump right off!

Ahhh, she's sitting with mommy watching the "show"

little dance steps

so serious, so cute, so darling!

the face of concentration

I was so proud of my Mia - watching her up on that stage. She has come such a long way. She is much more comfortable and trusting in others and in her mommy. She knows I will always be there for her ~ she is not as scared or weary as she once was. I wish I could fix it all in the snap of a finger, but it takes time - which is fine...

Our next stop on the agenda was calligraphy!

Mia is taught the proper way to hold the brush~

The girls dipped their calligraphy brush into a cup of water - the paper they had was quick drying - smart! Mia had so much fun and loved the dipping part. She also really tried her best to follow the instructions :) Of course, we left with the room with a bang: Mia spilling the water all over the table! It's o.k., I'm used to making a scene where ever I go :)

Beautiful young ladies dressed in minority outfits!

Meaghan and her mommy!

Paige and her mommy!

Michelle and Lisa made out big time at the Chinese auction; each winning three prizes each! It was very exciting...even though I walked out empty handed - my heart was full. We all have such a special bond and I treasure the times we spend together!

O.k., it would have been nice to win one prize!

Half a prize? :)