Recital Day!!!

I seriously have to get more efficient at blogging!!!! Yesterday was Ava's first recital with Ballet Virginia! It was such an exciting weekend! We had rehearsal on Saturday and with only 50 or so people in the audience she did really well. I was so nervous that on Sunday when she realized just how many people were watching that she would freeze!! With 2,000 people there she did sooooooo well!!! All smiles! I could barely hold back tears while my MIL a few seats down heard the little  boy behind her say "Whats wrong with that lady" because she was crying so hard! Hahahahaha! She had on the cutest little purple leotard with a long tulle skirt. Her ballet bun was froze to her head with 1/2 a can of hairspray and make-up on like a little princess.  We went to CPK after her recital with family to unwind and had her in bed by 730!!! Pics to follow!

"Mom you better move that cup!!"

This turned out to be such a great week. Ava ended up having to stay home on Monday with having had a fever on Sunday. I thought well, at least I'll get to sleep in right? Wrong! She woke me up Monday morning at 0500 to show me her artwork. I said, "Ava, mommy cant see it, its still dark out. Go back to bed." She TURNS ON BRIGHT closet light right in my eyes to assist me! This is the start of the week. We made breakfast and spent the day out looking for packaging materials for my EBay listings and running errands.


CHEEEEEESE!




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Only kid I know that request Cream Of Wheat for Breakfast!



Bailey wanted his picture taken too!



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My Little "Diva"

 

She loves eating lunch at Target!



Tuesday came and went. Nothing special, I had to work. Boo. Wednesday we went to Ava's 4 year old check-up appt. I took her late because she's been so sick lately. You cant schedule and well child appt. while their sick. I knew that this appt was going to be extensive, lots of new testing and stuff. One of the tests was a urine test. I KNEW by this point having had 2 UTI's this year that the whole pee-in-a-cup thing would be no problem!!!

Elevator up to the Doc

Admiring her long hair :)

First the nurse took her back to get measured and weighed. She weighs 36 pounds and is 40.5 inches tall!!!! I didn't really care for the nurse this time. She acted like it was a big deal to keep her on the scale and extra second so I could take a picture.....REALLY annoying!!!! Oh well, I still got one!

36 pounds!!!!!!

She did the eye test first, which she was NOT a fan of. The nurse wanted me to cover one of her eyes with a black spoon while Ava looked at an eye chart. I think Ava could tell I was annoyed with the nurse already over the picture thing and decided she did not want to cooperate with her at all. I have no doubt her vision is good or I would have pushed the issue, so they'll retest her at her 5 yr appt.

The hearing test didn't go much better. In her defense, the nurse didn't explain anything at all before she plopped a pair of headphones on her head that were very tight and uncomfortable. You would think that dealing with 4 year olds you'd be smart enough to fill them in on whats going on first! I think Ava has mastered "selective hearing", but just as I have NO doubt she can see well,  her hearing is just fine too.

Next comes the fun part. The urine screen! We went to the bathroom together and she used the towelette with no problem. She sat on the potty and I reached under with the specimen collection cup waiting. and waiting. and waiting.

Trying so hard to be able to PEE!

More water....2nd trip to the bathroom!

 After a minute or two she said, 

 "Mom, you better move that cup."

"Why, I need to catch your pee??"

"Well, your about to catch some poop!!"

{Big Cheesy Grin}

I laughed so hard! We tried 3 more times without success. She finally told me she could pee after I had already strapped her in her car seat on the way out! So, the hearing, vision and urine test will be done at her next appt. The doc finally came in to examine her. He asked her silly questions that were really easy like recognizing colors and numbers, then asked her her birthday and address. I know she doesnt know either and she looked like she thought she was in trouble for no knowing. Poor Baby! I told him she didn't know those but ask her to recite the countries in South America from Chile to Columbia IN ORDER and she did. He stood there with his chin dropped and laughed!!!! "Well, she doesn't know her address, but has geography down better than Sarah Palin!!! HA HA HA HA!!! My baby's so smart!

"The nurse is gonna stick me right here"



I said show her how tough you are!

She did so good getting her booster shots!!!!!!! This child has no fear! We went to Starbucks (her choice after and got her an "I was good at the Doctor" prize!

That night we went to Home Depot to pick out paint for Ava's new bedroom. We turned  her nursery into the spare room and gave her the bigger room. She loved picking out paints. She picked every loud bright swatch there was, but we settled on Ballet Slipper Pink. She did such a good job painting and loved to be involved.

After ballet class on Saturday we went home to help daddy paint. Her room is soooooo much bigger now, and I love the closet space!

She held his eyes through 3 aisles to the register. He only had my left/right/straight guidance. Soooooo Much fun!

Dinner at Fridays

On the way to Ballet

Ready to Paint



Not a very good picture, but and idea of how its starting to come together

Sunday we went to my grandparents house for a family birthday party. My Uncle Kevin and Grandpa celebrate their birthday the same weekend.  They live in Windsor, Va. Doug could make it because our Dog Bailey had been so sick this week. We had a good time even without Daddy there.



Ava and her Great Grandpa





Ava and Uncle Kevin

It was a very eventful week in the Swift house! We got so much accomplished in our home and had a lot of laughs. Bailey is finally feeling better and Ava hasn't missed any school this week!

Ready for school Monday morning!

What a week!!!!



We went to Sydney's play on Saturday and Ava really had a good time. The Sound of Music isn't exactly a play meant for a 4 year old audience but she sat through the entire show like a little Princess.

Flowers for Sydney



"reading" the program

I woke her up Wednesday morning knowing this was the day I was going to do a parent observation day. Most mornings are not really easy with her. Shes NOT a morning person except on HER terms.I got my camera out to take a couple pics of how peaceful and beautiful she is BEFORE I wake her up!! haha!!!

 Ghent Montessori has a room with a one way mirror and sound system that you can "spy" on your children. It was so much fun and I plan on doing it again at least a few times a month. I love seeing her do her "work". Her classroom is so structured and I just love it. She's really doing well with the "moveable alphabet" (making words out of cursive letters based on objects in a canister). The current map she's working on is the United States. She just finished South America and can tell you every country in it from Chile around to Columbia. She's so stinkin smart. She comes home talking about different states she's learning about. I am so proud of my baby girl!

Working on United States map



Still working while her friends are goofing off! :)

I came home and finished taking all the pictures for my Ebay listings of "Ava's Wardrobe" which funny enough is my seller name and HOPE to get them posted soon! It really is a lot of work doing all of this, but it will be worth it to get some of the money I spent out of her clothes and purchase new ones.


A serious work in progress!!!





Saturday was finally here!!!!! We've been waiting to see the Sleeping Beauty ballet for over a month. I woke up with a migraine (what else is knew?!?!?!) and was REALLY hoping it wouldn't ruin our afternoon. I stopped to get a coffee on the way there from Starbucks to try and caffeine-away the pain. We ran into horrible traffic because of the "little" detour and I thought for sure this would make us late. Ava was so funny! She mimics my "road rage" really well. She said "Oh my God, this is ridiculous, its so embarrassing!!" I taught her what embarrassing meant a few weeks ago after I told her that her playroom looked soooooo messy that she'd be embarrassed if anyone came over. Now she tries to use it in sentences all the time and it never comes  out in the right way. She's so FUNNY! Surprisingly we weren't late at all. She made it just in time to meet the cast and crew of the show before the Tea Party started.

"Aurora!!"

The "Queen" aka Ava's dance teacher from her 3 year old class



We made the Sold Sign! This is the doll that represented the "Lilac Fairy" in the Ballet. She was the leading role and Ava just love this Doll. She's in Ava's dresser now :)





The only pic I got of the two of us was on my camera. Boo!

We had such a great time. This is the second year we've seen the Spring season ballet and we'll go every year for sure!!!! I took Ava to my in-laws after to spend the night so that Doug and I could RELAX a little at our friends house for a get-together. The migraine returned in full swing, didn't get to bed till 2am, papa called at 0630 to say that Ava threw up, had a fever, and coughed all night...........UUUUGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!! Why is this poor child sick AGAIN????? She's has neon green running from her nose, a fever and a terrible cough. She's been in pretty good spirits luckily. We watched The Secretariat and Dreamer (an Equestrian sick movie afternoon!!) She painted on her easel and played in her playroom.  I finally got her down for a MUCH needed nap and just hope she wakes up feeling okay to go to school tomorrow. 

Another long week has ended and I can only hope the new week starts out well! Hopefully next weeks blog wont include any sick entries!