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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

More big-girl time (and one of the little girls gets kicked out of class)

TubaDad is away on another business trip and Catherine is visiting. Hooray!! I couldn't be happier. We go together like peas and carrots (Isn't that how Forrest Gump put it? I'm too lazy to Google the exact quote.) Catherine is always game for anything (plus she likes all the same trashy reality tv shows that I do—bonus!). The girls could not wait for her to arrive on Monday. Here they had just asked for about the 800th time if the plane had landed yet.

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They decided to make her a candy bag while they were waiting (predictably, they got a little sidetracked and ended up only making bags for themselves, but hey it's the thought that counts, right?).

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We picked Catherine up at the airport, then immediately took her out for an incredibly posh dinner (Chuck E Cheese, cough cough). And she smiled the whole time—see, she's game I tell you, game.

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Then, on Tuesday, the girls had their first day of preschool in the big-girl class. And I even took a picture. It's kind of blurry, but at least I didn't forget the camera this time. Catherine took one of the three of us too, which was such a treat.
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While the girls spent a couple of hours at preschool, I took Catherine out for a bday pedicure and twisted her arm to buy blingy flip flops (first flip flops she's EVER owned, which made my jaw drop through the floor, I won't even pretend otherwise). We also managed to speed-shop through Nordstrom's and get some takeout steak with kalamata olive aioli sauce. Mmmmmm.
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Here's a close-up of my monkey toes, just because I am grinning about the sweet little flower that was painted on. How cute is that?
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During naptime, my dad held down the fort and we went and played Bingo with my mom and her friends. Oh man, that was some stress. Not even kidding. Those folks are serious about their bingo. About halfway through I was really wishing they served alcohol.
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Have we told you the story of the infamous kittycat boots? Oh man, it just kills me. The last time Catherine visited, she took the kittycat boots home (because I thought they were too small for the girls). I was going to donate the matching froggy boots, but just hadn't gotten around to it yet. Well Ree grabbed them out of the garage one day and lo and behold they still fit and the girls have been wearing them all spring. Oops. Catherine has been wracked with guilt every single time she sees those froggy boots on the blog. (The day Ree phoned her and said "Cafrin, why you take Ro's kittycat boots" might not have helped, hee!) So she brought them back this trip. And Ro danced a jig when she saw them. Won't wear anything else. The end of the little video, where Ree nails Catherine about something else and you can hear us both gasp is pretty funny.
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Today, Wednesday, the girls are pretty fiesty. Whooeeee, I don't even know how many timeouts they were in this morning. Maybe Catherine was counting. Anyhow, later in the morning we took them to gymnastics for their regular classes (they're in two separate classes because they can be disruptive when they're together). Ree was being pretty stubborn and wasn't listening (tough to deal with, believe me I know), and she got kicked out. Permanently. Really. The coach, who is brand-new (this is her third week), brought Ree over to me and said she couldn't be in her class anymore. I'm guessing this won't be the last class that one or both of our little darlings get kicked out of, but it certainly was the first one. And now it's documented on the blog. Kind of a historic moment, huh?

We had lunch, played at the park for a little, brought the girls home and gave them a bath, and it's naptime now. As soon as I hit publish, I'll be napping too. Want to bet whether Catherine takes one too? It has been an action-packed few days and doesn't show any signs of slowing down. More stories later.

~~~ Update ~~~
A little champagne and some chocolate and icecream, and we are ready to tackle whatever the day brings tomorrow! Catherine laughed at me because I simply could not wait for the champagne to cool so I threw an icecube in the flute and polished it off. Hey, you do what you gotta do when faced with a tough day.
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31 comments:

  1. OMG...I cannot stop laughing about Ree getting kicked out of her class. I can't even imagine the look on your face!

    Enjoy your visit with Catherine ... we're going to make it there SOMEday!

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  2. Those kitty boots are a favorite @ our house too!

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  3. Anonymous6/17/2009

    If I was willing to make a bet, I would bet that the girls will be checking Cafrin's suitcase before she leaves this time. Imagine taking poor little Ro's boots and leaving Ree's boots. tsk, tsk, tsk

    wela

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  4. Ok, you know what's really wild? You and Catherine sound exactly alike. I couldn't tell who was talking most of the time.

    Seems like you're having a ball!

    You made me smile!

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  5. What kind of coach kicks a tiny little girl out of gymnastics class? I guess she just wasn't a good enough teacher!

    Did she give you an explanation? How did you react?

    Lori

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  6. Poor Ree....I can't believe they kicked her out:(

    Sounds like you girls are having a great week.....enjoy your naps!!

    I agree with Wela.....Catherine's bags will definitely be searched before she leaves:)

    Lisa

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  7. Kicking a little girl out of class on her first offense? Yeah, that's a really great coach there. Ree will be able to join another class, right?

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  8. Oh it wasn't Ree's first offense, not by a long shot. :-) But the old coach used to manage the class really well. She was great and kept all the kids hopping and busy and wasn't afraid to scoop up an errant kiddo, tickle them or joke with them back into compliance, and then set them back on the beam (or wherever).

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  9. My daughter got kicked out of ballet. " She is very energetic. I don't think this is the right class for her." That was at the end of the first class..lol.

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  10. Sounds like you guys are having a blast!

    Cracking up over Ree getting kicked out of gymnastics class. That's funny :)

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  11. Have fun you two and don't get into too much trouble.

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  12. Seriously? Someone kicked a three year old out of gymnastics? Good lord.

    I love those hats! Those are amazing!

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  13. The "coach" kicked a three year old permanently out of her class?

    You have got to be joking...

    I hope you asked for your money back.

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  14. Great Lori`s think alike. I too am wondering what kind of kids gymnastics coach kicks out a kid.

    Did this go through the owner. Does a coach even have the right to kick out a kid?


    Lori

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  15. Anonymous6/17/2009

    I think the coach just flunked out - LOL.

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  16. Haha... yes I guess Great Lori's think alike... haha I TEACH gymnastics 24/7 for the past 15 years so I know... I have NEVER kicked a kid out of class and just from the few videos I have seen I can tell what kind of kids Ro and Ree are and yes like M3 says... you just scoop them up and joke them into compliance! Nicely put! Geeze get her into class with another coach.

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  17. Lol, love that she remembered the baby swimsuits too:)

    And on the gymnastics thing... Alex is crazy in her ballet/tap combo class... I have to sit behind her most of the time:) I'm hoping she outgrows it next year!

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  18. Cute video. I love reading both of your blogs and can't wait for Cafrin to travel to China and get her daughter.
    Enjoy the rest of your visit and the chocolate.

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  19. Champagne makes almost any tough day better :)

    Love, love, love the boots!

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  20. My kids are gonna be the ones that kicked out of everything, LOL. Two boys fifteen months apart? Forget it. I love your blog. It makes me laugh every time!

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  21. Champagne and doughnetts!!! LOVE!! Ree's tattoos are too cute as well...a girl after my own heart. ;) Glad you guys are having fun and making the most of your visit with Cafrin.

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  22. We got booted out of tennis yesterday. Not forever, but seriously, that's a possibility, for sure!

    After sweating through the non-lesson, I could have seriously used champagne and donuts!

    3 year olds are a RIOT,

    Indiana Lori

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  23. Anonymous6/18/2009

    Ha Ha!!! I got kicked out of swim lessons as a kid, it builds character!!!!

    Stace

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  24. Anonymous6/18/2009

    I'm curious: how did you handle Ree's being kicked out of the class with Ree? Was she able to see the connection between her behavior and the consequence?

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  25. What did she do, bite someone? Heh. (That coach was just too inexperienced to deal. Your girl is grand.)

    At our local elementary school, parents are allowed to write a letter describing their child's personality before they enter kindergarten. I wrote, "Highly talkative and very persistent, the Tongginator responds well to adults who possess strong behavior management skills."

    You might want to file that sentence away for future reference. BwwwaaaaHaHaHa!

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  26. Anonymous6/18/2009

    Poor Ree! Unless her behavior was repeatedly extremely out of control why would they "kick out" a little 3 yr old. And if she did not behave, there was obviously something very wrong with the class- one that is suppose to be a fun engaging experience for little children. I'm glad she doesn't have to go and I hope she does not feel badly.

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  27. As mom to another very active 3 1/2 year old, I have to say I can't believe that someone would kick a child that age out of a class. I'm guessing my daughter wouldn't have lasted in her class either. (We're having Vacation Bible School this week, and since I'm the director, I've been able to watch my dd in action from a distance. Let's just say her name is called a lot...)

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  28. OK, having been there and witnessed the 'kicking out' first hand let me say little Ree was just being 3!! 3 yo's have tons of energy and ya gotta get up and get them focused again rather than hoping they join the class on their own. Ummm...nope! Young coach who I'm guessing learned a big lesson this week!

    We are having tons of fun and I refuse...REFUSE to think that it's drawing to a close all too quickly! Chuck E Cheese, BINGO, Aquarium, gymnastics, beach, parks and so much more!

    Next time Hannah will be with me and I can't wait to see her in action with Ro and Ree!!

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  29. OMG! Just read about Ree getting kicked out of class! We adopted twin girls from China last year. I've been following your blog to get an idea of what's in store for us. Our girls are now 2 and I can definitely foresee one...or both...eventually getting kicked out of some class.

    Thanks for the heads up.

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  30. kicked out of class...
    I'm feeling for ya!
    HBJ

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  31. Although I'm not glad that your daughter got kicked out of gymnastics, I have to admit that I'm glad it's not just me who has a daughter that is very disruptive in her gymnastics class. hee hee

    When she was at her worst, a little over a year ago (when she was closer to your daughters' age), they put her in a class of all boys, and her behavior was a little less noticeable (but still there of course).

    She's been begging to take ballet. I wouldn't let her do it last year because they are more strict than gymnastics and I knew she'd be kicked out the first day.

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