Prima Ballerina

There is always a first in life for everything.
First love, first child, first day of pre-school, first day of Kindergarten and so on. Today we had another first; first day of dance class for Lulu.

Every time I watch L in the water my motherly pride grows an inch.
Watching my fearless child swim like an fish, showing off her dolphin kick or doing a head dive makes me so proud and happy.

But today this motherly pride was topped by THE CUTEST THING I have ever seen; Lulu in her dancing outfit twirling through her first ballet/tap combo class.
Everybody who meets Lucy says "she should be in dancing".

Since she could move her little body she danced. How does the song go?
"Mother said I could dance before I could walk and sing before I could walk..." Abba I believe.
Well this is Lulu in a nutshell!
She sings all day, dances, twirls and if she doesn't do that then she watches a ballet on DVD or listens to music in her room. This girl is made for dancing, singing and acting!

She had the funnest time at dance class today and left class with the biggest, happiest smile on her itty face. I am so glad we signed her up. I think Lulu just found her new, favorite thing in life.

Lulu 

Prima Ballerina 

The beginning of an era

[in photos]

Lulu Prima Ballerina 

"Dancing makes you tired!"

Sweet dreams my angel!

May you dream of  

Swan Lake, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, 
...

Posted by the proudest mother of the two most amazing, wonderful, smart, beautiful and everything else you can be girls in the universe!

A Tooth Fairy for Hannah

Ls little friend Hannah showed off her FIRST wiggly tooth last week when we saw her.
L, who by now is convinced that she "will NEVER loose a tooth EVER", decided that Hannah needed a special Tooth Fairy to help collecting the presents the real Tooth Fairy will bring.
My  BFF Judy (the sewing machine, the real one is still working her little butt off) and I sewed a bit and this is what we came up with.

Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting 

Hannah's Tooth Fairy

It's a tooth with teeth ... FUNNY!!!

The mouth is the pouch for the tooth ...

I found the tutorial here.

If you try this make sure you follow the instructions precisely when making the pouch for the tooth. 

I only glued it and after L put her finger in the pouch for the first time the glued edge came undone right away.

I had to stitch it up after the fact, which didn't look as pretty. This Tooth Fairy will have to keep her skirt down at all times so nobody can see the stitching underneath ...

Good luck Hannah!

 We hope the Tooth Fairy will be super good to you!

xoxo

Your Ls and family

Addendum:

In Germany we never had a tooth fairy. I feel completely ripped off!

I wonder if I can collect my money or presents after the fact still? Has anybody submitted late-payment-requests to the Tooth Fairy and do you accumulate interest during this 20something year waiting period? Maybe this is the financial break we have been waiting for.

And then my friend said "What does the Tooth Fairy do with the teeth she collects?".

hm ... I don't think I ever want to visit her house, jars and jars filled with baby teeth .... CREEPY!!!

Lulu's comment of the day

"Mama, I have the head-up's."

Marsh March

Today the Founder and CEO of "Hiking With Little Kids" took us to the Lucy Evans Nature Center in Palo Alto where we marched the mushy marsh without a marching band or marshmallows (that totally came out of L's mouth today!!!).

We had a fabulous time walking along the Palo Alto shore line, watching birds, ducks and other sea wildlife and then "posted" some kids just for the fun of it ...

"Lillie the Great"

The rest of the hike was spent enjoying the wonderful views,

running around,

watching birds eat "mud"

and hanging with good friends.

BFF

Playing a game of "pass the Lucy" 

Jada first,

handing her over to Liam

who is handing her over to Lillie

and back to Jada.

Sweet Jada, she is such great, big sister material!

 (hint-hint :)

Those two have definitely found friendship and love hanging out together. 

Thanks guys! 

We had a blast as usual. 

The Ls are in bed dreaming of marching in mushy march that "stinks like bird-farts" (and that totally came out of Lulu's mouth :)

I found a note in your pocket

... when I washed your clothes.
This usually is the beginning of a conversation between husband and wife that ends in a huge fight or even worse, divorce.
We all know it, she cleans his pockets and finds a note with a girls phone number or a hotel receipt with Champagne and Strawberries on the bill, a lipstick covered tissue and so forth.

I washed my husbands pants today and found a note ... not even the best of us are safe anymore.
See for yourself ...

I am going to have to give him an ultimatum, it's optics or me. Thats it!
I always knew that our marriage was too good to be true!

:) Hope this made you smile. Have a good weekend! It's family time for the CZs. We'll be back on Monday.

{this moment}

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. .

Inspired by Amanda Soule.

Dear God

However, this picture does need to be explained to get the proper attention it deserves. 

This is L having a chat with her buddy God.  

She talked to him for about 15 minutes and thanked him for her family, her Kindergarten, her GP and her Jay, for Germany and for her dog and then she said the following:

"Thank you for my heart and the love you put in it and can you please make my Papa come home to me because I miss him." 

Pat has been working double/triple overtime this week and all we saw was his shadow when he left the house or felt the covers move when he came home late, late at night. 

Tonight he made it home before the Ls went off to bed.  There were screams of excitement and definitely sparkles in their eyes!
L was sure her prayer had been heard!

Master of manipulation!!!

This is a conversation that I overheard while walking by the Ls room just now:

big L: I want that car!
little l: I had it first!
L: Yes, but I need it.
l: NOOO, its MINE!
L: Fine but I have something even better!!! I have the BESTEST! I have a ...... a .... a .....a CHAIR, yes a magic chair. Thats much better than your car, it even can fly and it's blue not red like your car. I have the MAGIC CHAIR and you don't!!!
l: I want it!
L: O.K. you can have it if I get the car.
l: Here (hands over the car). Can I have the magic chair.
L: Sure. Yeahhhh ... I got the cahar. I got the cahahr. Yeayeyeyeyhhhh.

.... and this is how big L tricked little L into giving her the car she wanted. Master of manipulation!!!
Little L was super happy with her magic chair though :)