spring recap

Spring is gone and somehow it feels that it was never really here. We had too many rainy days for my like this year.

I decided I could be Super Mom this spring and signed Julia up for Soccer and swimming lessons on the same month, not to mention that she is still going to tumbling lessons every Monday and has preschool.

Let’s just say that April and May were extremely busy for us, but between the rain and driving Julia everywhere we managed to have some fun too.

Swimming Lessons:

Julia successfully completed her preschool level III aquatics class. I am so proud of this girl. She can accomplish anything that she puts her mind into. Although she is not as stubborn as Josh, she is one determined little girl. She always wanted to go first in her class so that she could have more time to practice on her own as the other kids were getting their turns with the teacher.

She can dive, swim 3 laps with no help and swim backwards. Out of these three swimming backwards is her favorite (it’s my favorite also) She would just lounge on the water until it was her turn with the teacher. She learned how to do cannon balls; this is also one of her favorites.

This goof ball wouldn’t stay still while her sister was in the water. Oh Josh, you have such a lively spirit. We will be starting his swimming lessons later this summer. Andrew, on the other hand, was content as he could be as long as he had something to eat.

 Soccer Games:

Julia really enjoyed playing soccer this season. Her team was blue lightening. She had the same coach as in last season and most of her teammates were friends for church. I loved listening to the little boys cheer for her and I know she loved that too.
Julia had some very special aficionados on the bench cheering for her...Thanks grandma and grandpa Smith for coming to cheer her up, she loved seeing you at her games

At the end of the season she got a certificate of achievement. I’ve never seen this girl be so proud.

I am so glad they didn’t put her name on this group picture. This is when I was having a hard time with my thyroid and I could barely hold a pen to write. They though her name was Jolia Snith, oh well!

Tumbling:

We keep on going on this department. Julia really enjoys her tumbling lessons. She is so close on being able to do a back hand spring on her own. She can do the splits, cart wheels, and some nice tricks on the trampoline.

Preschool:


Well preschool has come to an end for Julia. She had one last field trip before her graduation. We went to the Discovery Gateway. What a trip! But not in the way you are imagining it. I had to drive with close to zero visibility on the road that day because it was pouring raining.

After that I parked at the wrong end of the parking lot so I had to come out into the rain. Luckily I had brought umbrellas for the kids and Andrew was in the stroller, but I forgot about myself, I was really wet. When we finally made it into the place we realized that teachers from 5 other schools had decided to make this the place for their field trip as well.

We fought through the crowd of kids and after telling a couple of 10 year old how to be nice to little kids and don’t steal the toys that they are playing with, we finally call it quits. Josh confronted a 12 year old boy about waiting for his turn. That was great, wonder where he gets his personality from?

I am proud of my kids though; they made the best out of it and actually enjoyed themselves.

One week after our little adventure, it was graduation time. This was a very emotional day for me. It seemed like it was just yesterday when I was doing Joy school with her and she was starting to learn her letters. Now she is all grown up and knows her alphabet so well. Did I mention we had assessments with the kindergarten teachers a month ago and Julia did perfect. Didn’t miss a number or a letter and was even able to sound some words by herself.

Julia enjoyed everything about her preschool, but her most precious times were when she got to bring “cookie” the class pretend pet home. This cute little frog made it to all of our errands during the week. I loved how Julia would talk to it like a real pet. She said things like: “now cookie you sit right here, while I eat my dinner you don’t want to get all dirty”

I loved this picture of cookie watching Julia in one of her soccer games. He was there for swimming lessons and tumbling. Every time Julia did something good he would clap and that just put a BIG smile on that girl’s face.

Anyways, she had Grandma Smith her daddy and proud brothers cheering her up during the ceremony. Wouldn’t you say Spencer’s mission shirt made a great graduation gown, who knew!

The kids sang some songs that they had been practicing all year long. My favorite part was when the teacher called each kid individually and said something personal about them. Teacher Brittney had a scrapbook made of the best class times of the year. This is Julia’s most precious treasure right now, she loves reading it, as she thinks is a book about her.

I am going to miss volunteering and being part of that day to day growing that kids have. I loved seeing her play with her friends; I loved being pulled aside and whispered on my ear: “mommy I am so happy you are here” right before circle time. I am really going to miss her excitement when I would tell her that I was going to help that day.

Oh, my cute little girl you are growing so fast and I know is my fault because every day I remind you to be a big girl and make good big girl choices and that’s what you get for asking. I got myself a big girl who makes good choices, just slow down a bit and let me enjoy your little self more.