Gah. Stupid Typepad ate my post. I will try to redo it, but you know it's never as good as the first time. And that's not really saying much.
Chloë woke me well before 0700 yesterday, to show me what the Tooth Fairy brought her: four fat quarters. She was terribly excited about them, and kept fiddling with them all day before and after school. She just put one in her pocket this morning, to pay for Sno Cone Friday at school!
As much as I would have liked to, I could not go back to sleep after they left for the bus. I had to shower and get Sophie ready for her first day at gymnastics! As I've said several times before on this blahg, she's very flexible and tumbly, and I was interested in seeing how she'd do in a gym class.

She insisted on getting undressed and re-dressed in her leotard "all BY mySELF," as she is frequently fond of saying.
Kitty-bell looked on in interest as the long dressing process unfolded.

Whoops, starting out backward there, kiddo!

Finally, getting it pulled on the right way...

Oomfh, just one more tug!

Finally dressed and wearing her requisite ponytail, she remembered the craft table from the night before.

Alas, she could not get it opened. This was a very good thing.

(Sorry about the crappy picture; I forgot to take off the flash and she moved before I could do it again.) Things did not go quite as I'd planned at the gymnasium. After we waited our turn and the clock read 10:00, she ran to the back of the gym to visit with the big boys and girls. She had apparently thought she would immediately be doing tricks and flips like the gymnasts on the television during the Olympics. Oh, dear. We must start out small, my child.
So her class started with warm-ups. Only, there were about 30 kids for two instructors, and most of them had been there before, if not all year long. She was one of very few newcomers, and they did not take the time to make her feel welcome and comfortable with the procedures. She was very overwhelmed and kept running out and clinging to me. I tried encouraging her to go back in, showing her how much fun they were having jumping around, but she'd have none of it. *sigh*

Finally, after a quick trip to the potty, the group split up into beam, bar and floor exercises. Sophie's group went to the "beam," and she agreed to go give that a try. She was still feeling pouty, however, and would barely move until the instructor, with obvious annoyance, would bounce her down the beam to the next section. There she would wait, until bounced along again, while children piled up behind her.

I understood. She may not be ready for a class. But what broke the camel's back for me was when, after moving to the bar section, they lost track of my brand-new THREE-year-old. She wandered off and got hurt!! A little boy from another class - not even one of the instructors! - brought her up to me, crying (I couldn't see where she was, to know what happened.)
Oh, that was it. After consoling my poor baby, we put on her shoes and left. In the car, I cried hot, angry tears as I vented my ire and frustration to my husband. I was not upset about her lack of willingness, but I was furious over their shoddy class organization and ability to provide a safe, comfortable environment for my child. Thank God I didn't have any money invested in the class, other than her leotard, which I guess is now relegated to the dress-up bin. I know she'll wear it a lot; she loves it. But Rob and I agreed, we are definitely not bringing her back there again.
So, I called up Darlene at Chloë's dance academy and signed up Sophia for the 3- and 4-year-old Creative Movement class. She's been asking to go to dance like her big sis, anyway. We already have the leotard. I'll wait and see how she does with this class before I go out and buy her a pair of ballet slippers; she can probably get away with socks at first.
I guess we'll try the gymnastics again in a few years. We really feel that's where she should be. And I'll console myself with the knowledge that Shawn Johnson didn't start until she was six. Hehe!

After Jack returned from school and we had a quick snack, I took the Littles to Stephanie's school, where she teaches fifth grade. She wanted us to visit her in her new classroom, and I thought it would be a fun outing for the kids.

They immediately started finding toys to play with, although the biggest attractions were definitely the wheely chairs! Crash, boom, bang!
Steph kept working on her room, while I wrote out the kids' names for their desks, and we tried to keep the Littles in order. They played with toys on the carpet, drove the chairs around, and wrote on the chalkboard. It was fun for them.

The cutest part was when Sophia had to go potty and Jack, who had already gone, took her hand and led her across the hall to the boys' bathroom! I waited in the hall and listened as they pottied, washed their hands, and chit-chatted. So adorable! ♥

Soon, we left, to make it home in time for Chloë's bus. The Littles needed something more to eat and were desperate for a nap, too. Chloë came home in high spirits, and insisted I take this picture of her and her new hairstyle, looking like "Wendy's," as she said.
The mail had brought some interesting packages today, two of which could not wait to be given to their birthday recipients:

Chloë was thrilled when I pointed out a box for her on the craft table. She skipped over and immediately demanded to know what was in it. "Just look!" I told her. "Happy birthday!"
It's a butterfly kit!!

She was amazed as she pulled out all the pieces: butterfly habitat, food and dropper, and finally, the live caterpillars. She loved her present!

I paid for five live caterpillars, but we received seven!! Here's hoping for a few good butterflies.
The kit was definitely a hit with the birthday girl. She carried around those poor critters - and her Tooth Fairy quarters - all night. Fun stuff!

I knew Rob was eager for his present, too, so when it arrived, I had to give it to him instead of making him wait two more days! He had smashed the screen - and gotten chicken soup in it (don't ask) - on his old one, so I'd sent it in to be repaired. We got a brand-new one instead! He's elated, as his nano just doesn't have the capacity he needs for his gigantic music collection. Yay for happy birthday babies!
In the midst of all the excitement, the Schwan's guy came. Whoops, I'd completely forgotten to place an order. So I sat on the steps with the guy and went through the catalog, page by page, and he was utterly patient with me. Very nice. We got a few favorites, and a few new things to try. The entire time he was here, Chloë tried getting him to look at her new caterpillars. He played along well.
I did a little crocheting after dinner, making a dish towel to match the washcloth I'd made a few days ago, while we watched the DNC. Yes, we can!! But I was just too tired to blahg or do much else, and konked out well before midnight. Very unusual for me.
I'm still tired, and Sophie's not up yet, so... back to my couch I go.
Fin.