Dance Camp

Dance camp was great this week. It was each morning, Monday to Friday. The girls actually went into the dance room alone with the teachers but today (Thursday) parents got invited inside to watch what they were learning this week. The other days we get to watch from the waiting area on a big TV (no audio!).

They did a great job each day! Miss Ava was a standout in class because she can walk so well on her tippy toes and is ready for ballet lessons said the teacher! Miss Isabelle of course hams it up and tells me everyone is looking at her tutu. In one photo you'll see she is lying down in the circle, that is because she told the teacher she needed a rest. She also cries when class is over telling the teacher she wants to stay with her cause she loves dance. So yes, we signed up for the dance classes this year so more to come!!

Big Girl Beds

The girls moved into their big girl rooms this week which included new big girl twin beds! So this is how the 1st night went....

All good for the 1st 2o minutes. Then heard a loud noise which came from Miss Ava out of her bed and apparently slammed the door shut and was now pounding on it in the dark since she took the night light out the wall. Oh yeah, that meant light bulb out of night light and all and thrown in Isabelle's bed. So needless to say, she was upset and did not want to sleep anymore in her big girl room so went to her old room and slept in her crib. Isabelle wanted to stay in her big girl bed so did. So the girls slept apart...:(

Day #2-nap time worked like this. Mommy slept with Ava in her big girl bed until she was asleep then snuck out gingerly. Then woke them up later congratulating Ava for sleeping in her big girl bed by herself. Night #2 was smooth sailing except for the 30 + minutes of playing and in and out of beds that they do while goofing off before they are ready to go to bed or get in trouble. They like to jump into each others bed and play back and forth! So cute but at after 8pm, mom and dad want a little quiet time. So here's hoping that it continues to go well.

7 Month Update..Baby Pondillo #3

I figured it was about time to document some of baby Pondillo #3 info from this pregnancy since I am days away from being 7 months pregnant. This pregnancy has been so easy that I honestly sometimes forget, besides the big belly, that I am pregnany. Baby Girl Pondillo, thank you, thank you, thank you for being a dream little one in my belly.

So for the record:

We found out about you on February 5th! I tested + at home 4 days before my . so you were a strong one from the very beginning. We confirmed you with a blood test on the 8th and all looked great! I saw you first on a ultrasound on the 15th (what a nice late Valetine's present). Even better though was when I saw your little heartbeat on the 22nd! Hearing your heartbeat for the 1st time was amazing!

Your heartbeart ranged above 140 each time. We did a genetic screen at 11 weeks and you scored wonderful and all looked great. On April 14th (so still very early ..almost 14 wks) I felt you in my tummy for the 1st time.

On May 20th, we did our gender scan but you were not the most cooperative little one. The cord was between your legs or you had your legs crossed the entire time so they said they were 70% sure you were a girl but not positive. Your size was tracking very close to your due date, which I forgot to mention was 10/16...my birthday! Oh yeah, and you were conceived on your dad's birthday...how funny is all that! And I ...not things you probably want to know but I don't want to forget!!

I had another ultrasound on June 4th which revealed the guess was correct, looks like you are a little girl! We are very pleased the house will be filled with another little girl!!

I went in for an almost 7 month apt the other day and I gained 20 lbs. Yes, the things I do for you! So I figured I better include a picture of this belly at 7 months.

I guess that sums it all up, except to say nothing really else is different. No cravings. Feel great. Little heartburn comes in and out. Still running around after your sisters. Thankfully, my blood pressure is good this time around so far! I only feel your little kicks mainly at night or when I am lying down which is not much with your sisters :)

Can't wait to meet you in the fall. Love you!!

Update from Friday August 23rd-7 month ultrasound looked great. Baby Pondillo #3 is tracking just where she ought to be!

Noah's 2nd Birthday

Great Lighting McQueen cake!

The girls loved being at Noah's 2nd birthday at Tiny Tots Tea Room. It was a great time for all!

Potty Excitment

Okay, this is a quick post from a very excited mom because I don't want to forget to document this. Miss Ava did her 1st #2 in the potty tonight. Shocked by this since we have not started potty training yet. She just told me she had to go to the potty and did and it resulted in a big #2...go Miss Ava. Her response when she saw it...Mommy, BIG Poop in the Potty! Hope this trend continues!!!

Happy Birthday Grandpa Kees

The girls loved blowing out the candles with Grandpa Kees for his 61st! What a nice night.

Art Work

So I figured before I toss the girls recent art work from school I wanted to document it. I have to admit there were a few winter pieces from school that might have been tossed before photographed...bad mommy! So anyway, here are some pictures from their artwork wall. The highlights from school make the artwork wall.

I also had to photograph the Mother's Day present the girls made me! I love my spoon made tulip flowers.

Old Professional Pictures-November 09

I was cleaning up my pictures on the pc and stumbled across these professional photos we got done by a local photographer in November of 09 (before the girls 2nd birthday) and it was so fun to see how little they were. How much they have grown over the last few months amazes me!

Updates

So I have been terrible about blogging lately in this personal blog since I have been swamped with professional photo blogging for clients. No excuses, so I am catching up!

So the girls went to the dentist for the 2nd time and they were rock stars! They were so good!! Counting teeth with dentist, getting a cleaning and flossing. They even said they want to go back again. Love it! I would have taken a few more pics but I think the dentist thought I was crazy. Dave certainly did! And for the offical update, Isabelle has 16 teeth and Ava has 20 because her 2 year old molars are here or just breaking through.

The girls also started last week Tiny Tots Tot Summer Camp. Week 1 was Creepy Crawling Critters (Bugs) and week 2 was Fairy Tales in which they learned about Humpty Dumpty and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The teacher said they did well and they must have liked it since they have been talking about it non stop. The camp was Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9-11:30 with no parents...so the girls were big girls all by themselves! Heck, they are never alone though since they always have each other. I really love love that!!

Update on learning, the girls have learned so much in the last few months. Isabelle is counting to 12 easily and Ava rocks her colors. Their vocab is amazing. Words like awesome creeped in there too...wonder where sometimes but they pick up everything.

Last but not least, D and I went away this past weekend and left the girls alone with Grandpa and Grandma Pondillo for the 1st overnight stay. It was our 5 year anniversary so we had a nice night away at a B&B in Vermont but I do have to say I missed our girls!

I am sure there is so much more to add about their cuteness so as I think of it, I will update this more!!

Hoffman's

The girls got treated to Hoffman's by Grandpa John and Grandma Mary before they went on their vacation to visit the rest of the Kees grandkids and the report I heard back was the girls loved it. I don't argue that point from these pictures they took.

But I will note that apparently Ava is still traumatized by the carousel thanks to me freaking out holding her at Hoffman's the first time. Hopefully that will pass before she misses carousels her entire childhood!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Kees!

Cape Cod 2010-Leg 1

We had the opportunity to go again with Grandma and Grandpa Pondillo to the Cape again this year at the end of June so we jumped on it. The girls had a great time as you can see from the pictures!

Ava was more our beach walker this year. She loved taking long walks to look for seashells and rocks.

Miss Belle took a few walks but preferred to be carried or stay in 1 spot.

Doesn't she look like a 90 yr. old lady here wearing Grandma Sally's visor?

Grandpa trying to inch Isabelle into the pond.

Ava was loving play time in the water with daddy.

Isabelle eventually got in to look for tadpoles with Grandpa after she saw all the fun Ava was having. She is so me! She did not want to get her feet real dirty though.

She would run from the top of the beach into the water with gusto. One time she even dipped her head right in to the water to get the sand off her face. Ava=Loving life!

Smooches with mom!

Gotta love the sand on her butt on her pretty tutu bathing suit!

Love her smile.

Great trip, thanks Grandma and Grandpa Pondillo for inviting us!!!