It's Graduation Day!

I have been up since 4AM this morning not being able to sleep. My baby is graduating preschool today and I am so anxious/sad. I cannot believe our little 5 pound bundle of sweetness is 5 YEARS old and moving up to kindergarten! It just seems impossible to me.

I have been warned that this morning's program is going to be sad with a slide show of the graduates to a 'special' song (according to AK). I had to send a baby picture of her to school for this slide show and I know as soon as it pops up on the screen the tears will start flowing....

I will have photos and video to post on the blog tonight, so be sure to check back.

Congratulations Anna Kate!

We are so very proud of you :)

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Mother's Day

Anna Kate woke up at 5AM yesterday morning busting at the seams to bring me her card. She came bouncing in the room saying, 'Happy Mother's Day Mommy!' in her sweet, little angelic voice :c) She even signed her own name in her very best handwriting. And after that, well it was pretty quiet and, well, quiet. I was still sick (very), so I was barely functioning. Around lunch we crawled in the bed together and snuggled/slept. Next thing I knew it was nearly 5:00. Jeff prepared a wonderful dinner (I managed a few easy side dishes), then we enjoyed our meal on the back porch. It was lovely. Thank you to Jeff & Anna Kate for trying to make my Mother's Day as special as possible, all things considered :c)

*Chef Jeff*

I walked into Anna Kate's bedroom yesterday afternoon (it was all too quiet in there), and this is what I found...

*Caged Animals*(I guess this was the only way AK could get Bell to snuggle with her)

After I got home from work this afternoon, I actually felt human again, so I had Jeff snap a few Mother-Daughter pics in honor of Mother's Day. I'm happy with them.

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Happy Mother's Day to our wonderful mother's!!!
We hope you have a beautiful day!

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Summer Already?!

Three words for you; Hot . Hot . Hot.

It is May 9th and absurdly hot and humid. So, in place of a swimming pool (that AK & I desperately want and neeeeeed *hint-hint*), Jeff hooked the sprinkler up for Anna Kate. She actually requested he strategically place it in front of her trampoline so that she could jump, get wet and slip all at the same time. Silly girl :c)



And just because I think these are cool...



Unfortunately, that's all you get, because I still feel like poo.......

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Antibiotics and Macros

* I know, you're wondering what the heck a macro is, but my fellow photography buffs will get it ;c) *

Unfortunately, I am still sick. I really hope starting this antibiotic I got today will have me back in the saddle by Sunday. Who wants to be sick on Mother's Day?!

When Anna Kate got home from school today she wanted me to play with her. Since I have been sick literally all week, she was feeling sad that I haven't been able to interact as much. So we got out her Play-Doh and made a special treat;

Anna Kate's Cherry/Blueberry/Banana-berry Pie!!! Doesn't it look delish?

Afterwards I dragged myself outside to look at all the flowers starting to bloom with her.

Aren't they beautiful? It won't be long until I can clip all of these and bring them in the house :c)

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Growth Spurt!!!

Anna Kate had her five year check up with the pediatrician yesterday. Bless her little heart, she started stressing over her shots two days prior, so she obviously wasn't excited about the appointment. Amazingly though, she did great! When she had her finger pricked....O.M.G....it sounded like a massacre was going on in the room. Holy cow! But what surprised me the most was her height and weight, more specifically her weight. Jeff and I both guessed she was approximately 42" tall, and we were correct, but we figured she weighed somewhere around 35-37 pounds. Imagine the complete shock when the scale read 39 1/2 pounds! Almost FORTY pounds!!!! I can't believe it, but we have finally moved up from the 3%, where she has been since birth, to the 50% - WAY TO GO AK! She is getting sooo big.

And in honor of her growth spurt, we went to Toys-R-Us and purchased a new car seat. She's been in a five point harness seat since birth, but it's only legal up to 40lbs. I let her pick out the one she wanted (with my approval of course), and she is now the proud owner of this big girl seat :D
























I was pretty surprised she picked this one instead of the pink, but she swore this is the one she wanted by saying, "Mama, this has pink AND purple, so we both will like it." She knows purple is my favorite color - how sweet is that?!

And then yesterday evening she had her dance pictures. I don't know that I have ever been to a more chaotic event in my life. We had to be at the dance studio at 4:30 with full hair and makeup ready. They took the girls back to get them dressed (we mothers weren't allowed back)...I stressed the entire time that pieces of Anna Kate's two costumes were being slung all over the room, her makeup smearing, her hair coming down, etc. However, after seeing the proofs on the screen.......it was all worth it!!! They are absolutely precious! I can't wait to get them in my hands. They did two shots in the sailor costume, a group shot of the class in the sailor costume, then we had one of AK and her BFF, Anslee together in their sailor costumes. Then they changed into the ballet costumes and did the same. You just wait until you see them :c) *I will be adding a 'Donate to the AK Dance Pics Fund' button to the top of this blog, cause they made a fortune on us!!!!*

In other news, I'm sick. Fever, body aches, sore throat and a terrible headache. Uggg.....

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Recital notes, costumes, choir and picnic….

Needless to say, we are pretty busy around here. I can tell summer is just around the corner!

Anna Kate's dance recital is coming up soon, and Wednesday they received their two costumes. The instructor requested a parent be present to take notes and try on the costumes. Jeff has 'AK' duty on Wednesday afternoons because he gets off early, which means he takes her to dance. I asked him if he could handle the costume day and he assured me he could. 15 minutes into the class I get a 911 text saying for me to come now and that he was struggling BIG TIME! Following is a copy of the notes he had to take….I'd say he did a pretty good job (although, I did retype them).

Tap: Blue sailor costume with tan tights (not in yet, so you have to get nude pantyhose for pictures next Wednesday) and CLEAN & POLISHED black tap shoes.

Ballet: Gold tutu costume with pink tights and CLEAN pink ballet shoes.

• Needs to wear foundation (makeup) and RED lipstick for both performances
• Hair MUST be slicked back & in a bun (no loose strands)
  *Kelly recommends not washing hair, wet & slick back with gobs of gel
  
• No nail polish and studs only for earrings
  
• NO PANTIES!
  
• No camera's with flashes (we will receive a DVD of the recital)
  
• Will receive tickets and program at rehearsal
• Do not wear recital tights to rehearsals
• Recital night – bring baby powder for legs to enable easy changing of tights/costumes
• Pictures in Abbeville (dance studio) May 5^th at 4:30
• You do not have to wear makeup or slicked back hair for pics
• BE SURE NAME IS ON ALL COSTUMES
• Come in tan pantyhose & regular leotard, but bring ALL costumes
  

• Store tutu on a hanger with the dark gold side UP. This keeps the light gold side (the top when wearing it) poofy
  
  

Tap Costume Instructions

• Tie red satin bow and sew or pin on the front
  
• Pin sailor hat on head
  
  

Ballet Costume Instructions

• Make any alterations needed to the straps and/or sleeve caps
  
• Sleeve caps should fit on arm (not shoulder) with the sleeve top lining up with the top of the leotard bodice.
  
• Sew or pin ric rack around the top of bodice and around to the back
  
• Pin the flowers (two safety pins are attached) to the leotard directly below the belly button
  
• Tutu fits on hips, not stomach
  
• Bobby pin the flower around the bun in hair
  

I simply cannot believe we paid $100's of dollars for these costumes and yet I have to make the alterations…which have to be done by tomorrow afternoon for pictures!!! *PANIC* Not to mention the fact that Anna Kate's hair is nowhere near long enough to put in a ponytail, much less a bun.

I had her try the costumes on again last night so I could pin where the alterations need to be made. I snapped a quick picture of her in the tap costume, which goes to the song "On the Good Ship [Lollipop]". Please ignore the location of Barkley's nose…. (I don't have an explanation).

Of course the costume is missing the red bow in the front and her tap shoes, but I still think it's precious!

Saturday we attended Jeff's 2^nd Annual Regional Picnic for his company. It was H.O.T!!!!! I didn't take my camera, but one of Jeff's employees did take some pictures and sent these two.

And finally, Sunday…

AK woke up with a terrible deep, congested cough. She wasn't running a fever, but with this Swine Flu scare that we're dealing with, I figured it might not be a good idea to take her to church where she would be coughing on everyone. So, we gave her some medicine and just kept an eye on her. She was better by the afternoon, so we decided it would be okay for her to join her choir class at church for the year-end performance. She did great! They all did. Afterwards, she received her completion certificate, followed by dinner at her favorite restaurant……….Wendy's.

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