Last Day of School

Our sweet Olivia on her very last day of Early Learning School.  She was gifted with the most fabulous first school experience thanks to her wonderful teachers, Mrs. Frederick and Mrs. Church.   Her teachers made her feel special, valued, and loved all year long.  She loves school and I truly credit that to them.  She has grown so much in the last year.  She became a big sister again, she has learned how to be patient with others, she has learned how to write her name, count to twenty, color within the lines, she has had her hand in ballet, gymnastics, and is even on her first team sport for soccer.  We couldn't be more proud of the little girl she is becoming.

on the last day of school 5/23/12

receiving her "diploma"

one of her best friends, Nick.  (the little boy that wants to marry her one day)

Lucky for her they are also neighbors and will be in preschool together again next year.

a flashback of Olivia (look how young she looks) on her very first day of Early Learning School.

Just a girls day...

This past weekend I was able to take a whole day to spend with just my little girl.  Sunday was perfect.  We connected with our close girlfriends, Kelly and her daughter Cailyn.  We met for lunch at the Rusty Bucket and then headed down to the Aronoff Center to take in our first Ballet together.  We had 3rd row seats to The Princess and The Pea.  The music was outstanding and Olivia and Cailyn were mesmerized with the gorgeous ballerina and all her twirling.  It was such a beautiful day spent together creating some new memories.  She needed some mommy time and I needed some "out of the house" time.  Kelly and I agreed - there will be more mother-daughter double dates in our near future.

A letter to my three year old daughter

Dear Olivia,

Where to begin.  Let me start by trying to put into words just how much I love you.  This feeling I have inside for you cannot be articulated into words.  You, my first born, are my world.  My everything.  My future.  My past.  My every day.

You are challenging, my dear.  Oh so very challenging.  It's a good thing I love you as much as I do because you can bring me to tears with your strong will and strong temper.  Literally, bring me to tears.  Sometimes, I wonder what am I doing wrong as your mother?  You can be that challenging.  But, I know your strong will is hard-wired in you.  I know this, because you inherited it from me.  I know you will channel that into something positive one day.  You are a leader.  People look up to you.  Especially your little brother, Jack.  He adores you.  You know it.  You love it.  At 3 and 2 years old - you two are best friends.  I pray that you two will always be this close & have each other's back in life.  You are a mother hen.  You mother both of your brothers.  You are able to offer such a warmth to them.  I pray that you will always carry that nurturing quality about you.  It's endearing.  It's a gift.

I pray that your self-esteem and your innocence are preserved as long as possible.  At three years old, you have so much self-confidence.  I don't ever want that to be tampered with.  I want to protect that.  That is my number one wish and prayer for you, my daughter, is to hold on to your self-esteem forever.  Don't let anyone's words, or actions break that.  I know it will happen some day.  I know this, because I experienced this.  I worried about what other people thought too much.  I let them dictate my self-worth.  Please don't do that.  You are so valuable.  Anyone would be lucky to have you as a friend.  You are special.  Please remember that.  Always.

You are so interested in Princesses as this young age.  I think it's great to have them as role-models.  The Disney Princesses we read about, every night before you go to bed, are beautiful on the inside and the outside.  They are loyal to their loved ones, and kind to everyone.  It's a message we could all learn from.  No matter how old we are.  I pray you continue to be kind to everyone and don't let other people's differences influence your decision to be nice. 

I absolutely love your excitement and enthusiasm for life.  You are tickled pink, naturally.  Your excitement is contagious.  You greet everyone you see as if it might be your last time seeing them.  Everyone receives acknowledgment from you when they walk in a room.  You make other's feel special.  That is also a gift.  I pray, you always keep that charm about you.  It might be your best quality.  How you make others feel so special just by walking into your presence.  Everyone receives the "Olivia greeting."  It's your thing, girl.

You are having extreme trouble sleeping at night.  It breaks my heart.  It breaks my patience.  You have become so petrified of the dark that you are not sleeping through the night.  Bedtime is a battle.  A nightly struggle that dad and I dread.  It takes almost 90 minutes to get you asleep.  We read stories, we sing songs, we pray, we leave the lamp on, we let the dog in to help comfort you.  It is exhausting.  You are up most of the night calling for dad and I.  We have tried everything.  I am afraid you are going to end up in our bed at night as we surrender to the battle.  As much as we get frustrated and as exhausted as we are because of everyone's lack of sleep - I have to remind myself that you are scared.  It's not your fault.  You can't help how you feel at night.  You are only three.  It's not fair for us to let you scream it out, when you yearn for your parents so badly.  We are tired.  I pray, we can overcome this soon. 

As I lay in bed with you, again, I wait for you to fall asleep before I can tip toe out.  But, today, I found an eyelash on your check as I was stroking your hair.  ( if you look closely enough you can see it under your eye in this pic)  Instead of blowing it off, I laid next to you and thought of all the wishes I have for you, my three year old daughter.  That is what inspired this letter to you.  My wish, Olivia, is for you to always be you.  True to yourself.  True to your values.  And always, always remember that you, my dear, are loved. 

You are very loved.   

I pray you will always remain my best friend.  I want us to be this close forever.  I want you to always be able to share your fears with me.  Whether its your fear of sleeping in the dark, to your fear of anything in life.  I am here for you.  Always.

XOXO,
Mom 

Father Daughter Dance

Olivia had a very special date Sunday afternoon!  A date with her very own Prince Charming, also known as her Daddy!  These two attended their very first Father/Daughter Dance that was hosted by her wonderful Preschool.  Great memories were created by these two.  It was so sweet to tap into her excitement for the dance.  Just like any girl - half of the fun was in the anticipation....just like a Princess getting ready for the Royal Ball.  Anticipation always brings out the most genuine excitement.  We painted her nails pink, we curled her hair, picked out her dress that would have the best twirling capabilities, she borrowed one of my old purses to carry her lip gloss and the tickets to the dance, and she wore her beaded necklace that she made herself.  She felt pretty and was glowing.  She repeatedly asked me to take her picture.  Vein?  No.  Just feeling very special like any 3 year old girl would.  Her dad bought her a beautiful corsage with pink roses for her to wear on her wrist.  That was the icing on the cake for this girl.  We all went over to the Burns' house so they could double date with Lillie and Zach to the dance.  Just like any homecoming dance, we snapped pictures of the couples on the front porch.  Then off they went to the dance and Jen and I were lucky enough to hang out the rest of the afternoon on her deck to enjoy the spring like weather.  After the girls came back from the dance we had a pizza party with both families while they dished the details of the dance.  It was so sweet....

She couldn't take her eyes off that beautiful corsage!

and they're off.....

Olivia danced the night away with her girlfriends.  Justin said at one point, she told him to go sit down so she could dance with her friends.  This sounds awfully familiar - I think I did the same to my homecoming and Prom dates.  The girl is social - what can I say?!?  She has a blast!

An early "Big Sister" gift...

My sweet girl was spoiled yesterday.  And she deserved it.  There's been so much commotion with Jack's birthday and with the anticipated arrival of her new sibling - that I thought it was her turn to have some excitement.  We met some neighborhood friends yesterday afternoon at our community park to soak in the unseasonably warm February sunshine.  He friends there had "big kid 16 inch" bikes - and she was smitten.  So, I decided after she woke up from her nap, I was going to take her to pick out her new big kid bike herself.  She couldn't get in the car fast enough.  She chose this princess bike right away - which was equipped with a baby doll basket, sparkly tassels, and a horn to toot.  Huge selling points to a 3 1/2 year old girl.  She thanked me the whole car ride home from Target.  Dad met us at home and put it together as fast as he could and we spent the rest of the evening learning to ride her big girl bike on the street.  She had a little help from some neighborhood girls. She got the hang of it really quick....

Jack joined in on the outdoor fun too.  We pulled out his new birthday scooter for him to ride.  He had a blast.  He loved going down our driveway hill really fast.  All of a sudden, he seems like a big boy to me.

I'm afraid the warm weather is escaping us and it's back to the reality of winter.  Although, we bundled up today after preschool for some more bike riding.  Brrr.  But, new toys are so much fun!!!!

Sleepovers...

Recently, Olivia's favorite thing to do is to spend the night out at Grandma's house.  Last night she stayed at Nana's house and the week before she stayed at Mimi's house.  She loves her one-one-one time with her Grandmas.  (I remember loving the same thing!)  It's her special time.  She even packs her own overnight bag full of toys, clothes, stuffed animals, pj's, ect.  It's a bonus for us, as we can now sleep in past 6:30am!  Yay for overnights!!!!

Boot it!

I am pleased to share that my daughter is truly enjoying soccer class.  This makes me so happy.  After all, this was MY sport.  I played my whole childhood and even for my high school team.  Some of my best friends, to this day, are from my soccer teams.  Such close bonds are formed inside team sports.  She and her friend, Lillie Burns, play together every Tuesday evening at the YMCA.  This is a test drive as they may be playing Lebanon Youth Soccer this Spring.  I have to admit, she makes us pretty proud out there on the field.  Her dribbling skills are pretty impressive for a beginner.  She has decent control of the ball.  She's definitely "coaching material."  And I hope to be that coach one day.

And I promise to never say "Boot It!"  My mother said that from the sidelines to me all the time and that was so embarrassing.  Especially when you are playing Varsity Soccer - the word "boot it" just doesn't belong anymore.

On a differtent note - Olivia came home from school today acting very coy.  Finally after lunch, when I put her to bed for her afternoon nap she told me what was on her mind.

"Mom, Nick asked me to marry him today at school."
 I couldn't help but giggle.
 I asked her what she told Nick in response.
 She said, "I do want to marry a boy one day, but I can't marry you because I still want to live with my mom, my dad and Jack." 
It was so innocent and so cute.  I think she was truly flattered and also a little worried that she was going to have to be married to him.  So I put her mind to rest.  And we laughed about it.

Just us girls...

Yesterday was deemed a Mommy-and-Olivia-Day!  Just the two of us.  As she would put it, it was "just the girls day."   We left Dad and Jack behind and the two of us had some fun! 

She and I went to the movies and saw Beauty and the Beast in 3D. While there, we treated ourselves to a large buttery popcorn and diet coke.  Her idea!  (we also packed snacks and juice in her spongebob lunch box)  Yummy!  She sat through the entire film and sang along to every song.   "Tail as old as time..." "To be human again, to be human again...."    It is clear that Belle is her absolute favorite princess.  It was so precious to see her so enamored with her.

 Afterwards, the two of us went shopping for a little while.  Funny thing - it was HER idea.  She picked out a new skirt when we popped into Gymboree and she picked out a special Belle umbrella when we stopped at Buy Buy Baby to pick up the newborn some items.  Since it was her special day - I had no problem spoiling her with whatever she wanted...

To top off our day, we made a final stop for ice cream.  We went to Graeters.  Oh my, what a treat!  We were kind enough to bring home a couple pints for Dad and Jack.  (That was her idea.)  They were pleasantly surprised.  The whole day was perfect - spent with just my daughter. 

Memories to treasure.  She is such a delight!

Christmas Program

Olivia's preschool had a small Christmas performance yesterday.  And by small, I mean three little songs.  Here they are right before the program was to begin.  You can see the butterflies in their eyes.  It was cute.  She forgot to sing on stage though.  She would count to three to start the song - then lips sealed.  There were a lot of parents, grandparents in the church.  Maybe it was stage freight.  Who knows?  She finally sang to We Wish You A Merry Christmas.  I have a video below.  The whole thing was super cute, and super festive.  Her school does some really amazing things - and this is an example of one of them.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas....

Afterwards, we went downstairs for some punch and cookies.  The room was filled with very excited little three year olds.  I am so proud of my little school girl.  Hate to see her grow so fast - but these little events make it so very exciting.

Parent - Teacher Conferences

(Olivia's very first school picture)

This morning I had my first parent - teacher conference for Olivia.  It's awfully strange reversing roles and being on the parent side of the conference table.  For so many years, I was on the teacher side of it.  I must say - it's much more rewarding listening about your child's progress from the parent side.  Just as I expected, Olivia received an excellent report.  Her teachers are really pleased with her listening skills, willingness to please, sweet nature, and motor skills.  They commented on her being the younger side of preschool (with a summer birthday) yet she is doing fantastic.   Her teacher's sent me home with a Progress Report and under the teacher comments it read: Olivia is a friendly and generous girl.  She is anxious to please and listens to our directions.....  We are really proud of our preschooler.  Way to go, Olivia.  Keep up your love for learning and your passion for other children.

Here is her first class picture.  It's so cute.  This will definetly go in her scrapbook! 

Prince Charming...

It is so sweet watching this father-daughter bond grow stronger and more valuable each and everyday.  These two are buddies.  True loves.  Great friends.  They start their day off together every morning.  Just the two of them.  It's their thing.  She is an early bird, and so is he.  They get to share a bowl of cereal together every morning of the week.  I don't even hear them up most mornings.  They just sit at the kitchen counter and chit chat.  It's their special time together.  It's important to spend one on one time with a parent or loved one.  Uninterrupted, quality time is invaluable.  Good for the soul - even if you don't say a word to each other.  I'm so glad my children have such an attentive, fun and supportive father.  Something tells me that her future prince charming is going to have big shoes to fill!

Halloween Goody Bags

Olivia is beside herself here.  I signed up to donate the Halloween Goody Bags to all the students in her Preschool class.  Next Thursday, Oct. 27th, is her Preschool Halloween Celebration.  They will march in a costume parade and have a special treat that day.  It's so exciting to be a three year old.  Anyways, we put together the goody bags for her class this morning.  We have been collecting festive items for awile & completed our bags with a trip to the dollar store yesterday afternoon.  She had so much fun "stuffing" the goody bags today.  I am sure she will be squeling with delight if the teacher allows her to pass them out next Thursday.  She is loving school.  In fact, today she was chosen to be the Line Leader.  In case you forgot, this is such a priveledge to a three year old.  I love tapping into this girls excitement and enthusiasm for life.

My best friend

I have to say - I am so excited to have two little boys.  I think that's going to be awesome!  But, part of me was a little devastated when I learned Olivia wasn't going to have a sister.  I never had a sister and longed for her to be blessed with one.  As it turns out, it wasn't in the cards.  She won't have a sister, rather two baby bothers.  Err, I mean brothers!  But, I never had a sister which made me all the more closer to my own mother.  Sharing my secrets, dreams, fears, and excitement with her.  It made my mother-daughter relationship with my mom even stronger than imaginable.  And knowing that my relationship with Olivia will be the same way, comforts me that it is okay she won't have a sister.  I will be her sister.  I promise to be this girl's mother, sister, and best friend for life.  She means everything to me and I am so tickled that I mean everything to her too.  We have an unbreakable bond.  One that will last a lifetime.  And that makes me beam with happiness.  She will be a great little mother's helper to her two younger brothers.  That I know for sure.

Can she stay 3 forever, please?

......pretty please?

my sweet Liv

When Fall comes around I take advantage of what a gorgeous backdrop it makes for family photos.  I love to photograph my kids.  They are my favorite subject to shoot.  And they grow up so fast it's nice to capture them so often.  Here is Olivia's Fall 2011 mini photo shoot.  Jack is up next...  Enjoy.

Her beauty radiates from the inside out.  She is so special.  We adore you, sweet girl.

Tiny Dancer

Here she is - my little Ballerina!  She had her very first Ballet Class this morning.  It was so endearing to watch from the window.  She took it so serious.  All the warm up activities, the stretches, the new dance moves she learned.  She was all eyes and ears.  It was so sweet.  I am going to bring my good camera to class next time and maybe even the video camera.  It needs to be captured!  I got a mobile upload below of her with her classmates doing their thing!

Kings Island

We bought Kings Island passes today!!!  We told Olivia it was because we are so proud of her transition into preschool.  She earned them.  We actually bought the 2012 season pass, but you can enter the park once this year with the purchase of next year's pass.  A couple of our friends, and her friends from pre-school also have passes so we will have lots of friends to hit the park with.  (I may have to leave baby behind next year - and just bring these two.)  It brought back so many memories for Justin and I at the park.  It's fun reliving our own childhood memories with our own kids.  Today was a huge success!

First impression of the Amusement Park - in Aww.

 

Look mom, NO HANDS! 

She had her hands up the whole time  on her very first rollar coaster.  Hilarious.

These two went on the drop zone.  The kiddie version, of course.

Jack braved the train

First Day of Preschool

Today was Olivia's first Official Day of School.  She was so excited.  All the parents gathered outside the school with cameras, cam-corders, tissues, and with apprehensive hearts.  Here are some pictures of the girls waiting for their teacher to open the doors this morning...

Anniston, Olivia and Ava

(all three of their dads went to highschool together)

with good friend, Lillie Burns on the left.

Grabbing a snapshot with my girl.  She was so excited. She was greeting all of her classmates as they gathered around.  Once they opened the classroom doors, she was the FIRST one to walk in and she never looked back - not even to say goodbye.  It made driving away a lot easier knowing she was happy.

Preschool has begun....

Olivia Ruth started Pre-School this week.  Well, she had Open House and Orientation this week.  Next Tuesday - she will be on her own.

On our way to Open House to meet her Teacher.  She was so giddy and nervous.

Look at that face - not quite sure about this anymore.

Priceless.  A keeper for her scrapbook.  When she gets nervous, this is what she does.  Meeting her teacher, Mrs. Fredericks for the first time.

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Open House was not exactly the successful trip I was planning on.  She clammed up once we were inside the classroom.  I guess it was too many strange faces and was too overwhelming for her.  She kept saying she wanted to leave.  That this was "too scary."  I held her most of the time there and she even left in tears.  (so did I).  I was worried sick that she wasn't ready for school   Afterall, she IS a young three year old...

The next day, today, was Student Orientation.  I was worried sick that this was going to bomb too.  Dad took her, because I was afraid the two of us would crumble together.  We built it up all morning long over breakfast.  We talked about the exciting aspects of school.  She kept saying, "I don't want to go back to my Teacher's House."  I guess she was confused.  But, Dad took her and she put on a brave face and got in the car.  And today was successful.  She didn't cry at all.  In fact, she had fun and was a great listener.  Her teacher even pointed her behavior out to other students as an example.  We are so proud and I am so relieved.  Here is a picture of today's successful day!