Little Gym graduation: Bye, bye, Birdies :(

Amara is officially done being a Birdy and ready to be a Beastie! Of course, this means nothing unless you're part of "The Little Gym" organization--but the names alone are worth noting!

This week was the last class of the first session of TLG that we tried. It started way back in September (I believe) and she has gone with Grandma most Wednesdays since then.

She has learned a lot of new skills, from rolls to balance beam, bars to different ball games--and always looks forward to seeing friends and Miss Amber. It's amazing for me--considering I'm only able to go once a month or so, to see how much she and Grandma learn every single week. I had heard they were ready for cartwheels, and I saw first hand--learning the donkey kick, the predecessor to the cartwheel, wow!

She is fearless on the balance beam too! First they side-stepped, then moved on to walking forwards, and NOW, they are actually doing forward rolls on the beam!

I love this picture of Amara's sweet smile--because the way Eric got this picture of Amara coming up to me (she likes to watch movies of herself in the camcorder after we tape her) it looks like she's giving her first interview--ALTHOUGH, it's not too far off! Between all the moms, dads, and grandparents, it looked like a paparazzi-fest in there!

Her love of bells, carried over from music class has been enhanced as well--as class opens and closes each week with songs about her Birdy friends, using bells. She'll miss her classmates, no doubt--many special friendships have been established these last 5 months--one little fella, Karim, seeks Amara out and gives her kisses, (I hear even knocked her down one week with one) and Amara returns hugs. Eric already gave him a warning :)

As always, class ends with getting stamps from Miss Amber. This week was a big smiley face, to go along with a very proud little girl, who wore her medal out of class and into Chik-fil-a for lunch.

Next week...BEASTIES!

Swimming

It's REALLY hard to believe we've been going to swim class (Eric, Amara and myself) for over a year now. Back in late December/ early January LAST year, we started the swim classes at at the Grove City Y. Then (and up until November of this year) we did the 9 o'clock class...but now, with her sleeping in later, and naps being slightly later, we've opted for the 11:40 class--

We enjoy getting up, having breakfast, then heading upstairs to put on Dora swim-pants and her Elmo bathing suit, to go and see Miss Kaylee (the teacher). Kaylee can't be more than EARLY 20's, cute as a button, and has been her teacher since we started...and man does she connect with Amara! Just yesterday at class, Kaylee came over to check in with Amara and held out her hands (Amara was standing on the side of the wall) and said "jump!" and in Amara went right to her! No hesitation at all!

Her class is anywhere from 1 (it has happened that she was solo once or twice) to as many as 6 kids (plus parents) in the pool. Our FAVORITE weeks are when we get to use the tiny therapy pool where it's got to be 80 in there and feels like a giant bath! She immediately grins and just gets comfy and starts playing. Her favorites are the barbel--both for chewing on (for some reason) balls, and now most recently--getting the rings off of the steps--a feat she was MOST intimidated by a year ago.

What a little fishy we have!

Toys

Amara got SEVERAL toys this Christmas--luckily we've been rationing them and she's not disinterested in much yet--

she hasn't been one to watch videos much (ok, ever) but she has started to recently be interested at least if there is singing, or kids involved.

Grandma Young got us these tickle elmo hands--and she doesn't care for the one that talks or shakes, but she will put the one on that does nothing, and watch the kids on the DVD dance to the song. Quite funny actually--

The funny thing about this giant bear--is that we saw a similar one at Pottery Barn kids almost a year ago--and we didn't get it--and Eric beat himself up over it because of how much she liked it. BUT, Kristin/ Jim got us this one for Christmas, and because it's almost exactly her height, she sits him in her chair and feeds him, lays with him, etc. Even today, she was laying down on him (just like here) saying "sleep" because he's so cushy and feels like her pillows in her bed she snuggles with.

Chillin'

I'm really not sure who enjoys sitting at the front window in Ily's bed more--Ily, or Amara! On this particular day--I THINK Amara was in the bed first, and Ily came to check things out (as usual) and it became a bit of a contest to see who could get closer, without falling over!




Surprisingly, Ily let Amara snuggle right up to her (even edging her out it appeared) and in the end, they enjoyed the winter sights outside together :)

In the last few months, to say that these two have become more friendly would be an understatement--they play, Amara gives Ily "hugs" and Ily even let's Amara point out her eyes, ears, mouth, nose, etc. If you'd have told me Ily would be ok, being a live doll for Amara, I would not have believed you, but the proof is here!

(I must admit, I especially enjoy that she has her tiny ballet slippers on, from Grandma Jackie) that are the CUTEST thing you ever saw!) She wears them around the house all day most days without an inkling of taking them off, and they just look so sweet and comfy!)

Tree away...

As much as I always hated taking down the Christmas tree, and the rest of the decorations, I REALLY hate taking them down now. I decided though, that maybe if we actually all got involved, and tried to make a game of things, that it might be a little more fun, than just putting it all away at night, and POOF the next day, no decorations.

Granted, I really didn't anticipate how this would affect the cleaning up time-line, but it was fun regardless.

Amara continued to be infatuated with the beads, so it was a no brainer for her to help with those. We also were very ornament conscious this year, so she couldn't hurt anything and enjoyed putting them away (as she has learned to do in her music and gym classes also).

We all miss the beauty and whimsy of the tree and decorations, but we hope that with the anticipation of putting it back up next year and the 6 weeks of so a year we get to enjoy it, it will be all the more special when it comes around.

Aunt Kristin's Christmas

After the festivities of Christmas morning at home and Christmas afternoon with the cousins, we got together with E's family at Aunt Kristin/ soon to be Uncle Jim's house.

We all had a great time watching the dogs play, opening presents, and watching a beautiful snow lightly fall--which actually ended up being the beginning of a steady amount of snow around these parts.

Among the ENORMOUS amount of amazing and wonderful presents she received were a giant bear, Elmo chair and a drum--like I said, there were TOO many to list, but those are some of the favorites, even now--which almost a month later, is kind of a record! I'm pretty sure that mallet to the candy drum Unle Matt/ Aunt Steph got her has barely left her hand--and certainly helped her cut her bottom eye tooth, so BONUS!

Fun w/ Grandma & Grandpa

Amara spends a TON of time at Grandma & Grandpa Jahn's house and has a TON of fun there too! Especially after dad is done for the busy season, she gets them both all to herself, at least part of most days.

She loves the dogs, and Smoky particularly loves her back. Max is fine with her--but she and Smoke have a bond it seems. That dog, I swear--he lets her do ANYTHING to him! When she was little, Smoke would even let her pull herself up on his FACE! no kidding!

She also gets to do a lot of 'day-to-day' house stuff at mom and dads. She loves exploring and finding things, and when she does--she finds uses that suit HER needs best. Case in point, I believe this gray doggie bed used to be Ilys. She found it, and of course, it's a favorite spot now.

In addition to stuff "around" the house--she of course is outside 90% of the time, as weather allows. On this particular day (apparently) to rake leaves, grandma decided to dress her either as barney, a teletubby, or an oompah-loompah, i can't decide which...but it's apparently great for raking leaves!

Mommy's coat

My mom has lovingly saved a TON of things from my childhood. One of the most notable items has to be my "pink fur coat." Although I clearly don't "remember" wearing the coat firsthand, since I was about 18 months old, I have seen pictures of me in the coat, as well as I've seen it hanging in mom's attic since I was old enough to remember.

Being a June baby myself, most of my old clothes seem to fit Amara perfectly with the correct seasons--so, as mom was digging out holiday decorations, she came across the coat.

It was SO soft and so broke in, she immediately took to it!

I'm not sure how much she wears it at Grandma's, but it was really sweet to see her in it, regardless. I'm so glad that mom saved these things for me and that we have this opportunity to share the past and the future too!

Suncatcher craft

One of the sweetest gifts ever, was that Eric decided to give me a pie plate--designed and decorated by he and Amara; however, I guess pie plates aren't the "most commonly requested" item, so it had to be ordered.

In the meantime, Eric thought of an ingenious way to "relay the present" to me--by doing a suncatcher craft (which he and Amara sneakily did at Grandma's house) and then giving me a beautiful heartstonewear (sp?) star motif pie pan.

Mom took these great shots of the first "daddy-daughter craft event" which I'm sure won't be the last, because I heard after-the-fact, how much fun they had...

...so now...we wait on the pie pan to come into the ceramics store, then we all go paint together. I have no idea how the finished project will turn out, but I promise to show--and in the meantime (and for always) I have my first craft project, a tiny plastic bee suncatcher, lovingly hand-painted by Amara and daddy to hang in my car.

Awwwwww.

Decorating cookies

To get ready for our Christmas with the Youngs, at Aunt Kristin's house, we decided to make some sugar cookies. Dad loves Grandma Harmon's sugar cookie recipe, so we whipped up a batch and let them cool.

Amara got started on the decorating. She didn't really care much for the icing part, but REALLY enjoyed shaking the colored sugar on them. By the end of the decorating escapade, Amara was decorating like a champ, and I think was genuinely dissapointed that all the cookies were iced and decorated. Guess this will be our new seasonal favorite--Valentines day is only 6 weeks away after all :)

Christmas afternoon with the cousins

Amara has 3 cousins, our nephews--Kalvin, Jackson & Garhett, or as she calls them "K, Jax, and G." After they'd had Christmas at their house, (and we at ours) we all went to the Jahns' for their Christmas together.

Amara really loves those boys and we knew she'd have fun watching them open and play with their gadgets, which she of course did. They were such a whirlwind of trucks, games, paper, etc. that I think she didn't know who to watch first!

She ended up with G's new helmut on, which was pretty funny in itself...then they all went into the basement to play with some new toys and old. ALSO--I didn't get a picture of it, but Jackson was playing with one of the helicopters we got him in the family room. Amara thought it was clearly the funniest thing she'd ever seen--so, the next day, dad had his charged up and ready for her--and has been entertaining Amara with it every day since then.

Christmas morning at home

Well, after a very eventful Christmas Eve out--little miss slept in till after 11 Christmas morning! Eric had already made the fresh squeezed pineapple/ orange juice. Grandma Jahn brought breakfast casserole, and I made mini-tater tots and biscuits...not to mention, the living room was filled with presents, all 4 grandparents, Kristin and Jim, Ily (Shadow was in the garage), and E and I bustling around. We'd all eaten and were enjoying our spiked coffee, when the littlest Young awoke...

When she finally made a peep, Eric and I raced up to get her (for fear she'd fall back asleep again) and quickly told her that all her Grandparents and Aunt Kris/ Uncle Jim were here (we've long-since learned that she doesn't do well with "surprise" guests waiting for her downstairs.) So both Grandmas came up to wish her good morning, and we headed downstairs for breakfast.

It took her a good 15 minutes or so to wake up, eat some breakfast, and really even acknowledge any presents. Mostly, she was interested in bows (of course) and occosianally as Eric or I would open something near her, she'd rip a scrap of paper off--then sign to one of us to open it. We kept the Grandpas hopping with tags, fastners, taped boxes, and installing batteries!

I think she had toy overload, because between all the people, toys, presents, etc., she didn't really know where to turn. She did enjoy some of the fun "pretty," smaller things in her stocking--that was fun. Clips, candy, pretty packaged, things...but mostly, I think she was quickly ready for her nap.

She had a VERY busy morning, with lots of family, love, memories, and laughs--it was a great Christmas morning, and I know we all had a great time!

Christmas Eve

The Christmas "window" for us this year was a long one! We started off at Christmas Eve service with my mom's church, First Baptist in G.C. Dad snapped one quick shot of Amara by the tree in her pretty Christmas dress, before we bundled up (it was COLD) and headed out! Poor thing had barely woken up from her nap, before we had to whirlwind out the door.

The service itself was nice--beforehand, she enjoyed seeing the drums and different instruments, but as soon as "quiet time" started, she was restless and not enjoying being contained in an aisleway between Mammaw, mom and dad.

She entertained herself with books, toys, and the nice couple behind us, but wow. What a LONG service--even though it was maybe an hour 15?

Back home and to bed, to get ready for a big day ahead!