How Many Apples are you?

We've been up to a lot of fun recently.  We took Violet to Knotts and Camp Snoopy which she loved.

Violet loved the swings!

Violet recently learned how to write her name.  Sometimes.

Today we went to the petting zoo.  Violet chose the largest horse to ride instead of a pony.

Earlier today I picked Violet up from preschool, and I saw this posted outside the door:

Apparently they measured how tall all of the students were with apples.  Well, almost all the students.  Notice that Violet has no measurement.  With a feeling of dread, I asked Ms. Kelly, "Violet didn't let you measure her did she?"  Nope.  Ms. Kelly's comment:  "She's very headstrong."  Yup.

First Day of Preschool, Year 2

So today was the first day of preschool.  Violet picked out a dress to wear and as I armed myself with a camera, we entered the building.  I looked up which classroom we were in (104 with Miss Beth) and headed that direction.  Violet had other ideas and started to head to last year's classroom.  This was not going to go over well.

About two weeks ago I mentioned to Violet that she would have a new teacher this coming year and a new classroom.  She said she didn't want a new classroom.  I tried to build it up, "It's not the little kid classroom.  It's the classroom for bigger kids."  She got fairly worried and said a few times "I'm a little kid.  I want to be in the little kid classroom."  About a week later she brought it up again on her own, "Mommy I'm a little kid.  I want to be in the little kid classroom again" so I knew she was worrying about it.

Back again to today, as I headed one way and Violet headed another, Violet started to panic.  Full category 5 melt down mode ensued.  Loud full on hysterics--my kid was spectacle of the morning.  There would be no picture taking this morning.  I had hoped to meet the teacher and check out the room, but instead, they basically ushered her inside and recommended I make a hasty retreat.  They closed the door so she couldn't escape, but not before the teacher commented "I remember her from the summer.  She is strong willed!"  I have never met this teacher prior to today and she has never taught Violet before, but somehow she already knows how head strong she is.  I guess word gets around.

Her substitute swim teacher said the same thing two weeks ago to me after a 20 minute lesson.  About 6 months prior, Mr. Matt, her usual swim teacher, told me she's in his top 5 for strong willed kids to teach.  He teaches a lot of kids too--a lot more than five.  I remember the week she was born and we were struggling with nursing and at a week of age, my lactation consultant said the same thing.   After many sessions, she said in her whole career she had had only a couple of babies that just refused to latch.  Then she brought over a hospital grade breast pump which essentially signaled a sign of defeat.

I remember when I was having a hard time when she was going through a difficult time as a newborn (pretty much week 3 through week 8) during her period of purple crying (google it, that was her), one of my good internal medicine colleagues said "Really Laura, with you and Eric as parents, did you really think your offspring wouldn't be stubborn?"  It made sense at the time and it makes me chuckle now.

After the door closed at preschool today, I hid around the corner and watched Violet crying hysterically while just staring out the window.  Miss Beth asked me if I wanted a call in 15 minutes to let me know that she was doing okay, but I said just to call if I needed to come get her.  About thirty minutes later I got a call and was fully prepared to hear that I needed to come get her, but they were just calling to say she was fine.

Apparently the rest of the day went great.  Looks like they came up with some classroom rules:

Notice Violet's input of "No bossing."  Those that have seen her play with others will see the irony in that.

When I picked her up she was all smiles.

Apparently they counted fruit loops as they strung them on a necklace.  Her's had 38--it was written on the plastic bag it was stored in.  Her necklace was reduced to just a piece of string by the time we pulled  into the driveway.

Later that afternoon she went to her first gymnastics class.  The first half hour she didn't participate.  She told the teacher she didn't know how and she would "do it at home."  I watched this all on the parent spycam they had up since parents are not allowed in the room with them.  The teacher's aide stepped out and asked me if I wanted to go inside the classroom to try to encourage her.  Really with Violet she needs to come to her own conclusion that she wants to do something.  If I try to get her to participate, it will have the exact opposite effect.  Luckily when they switched from the floor room to the bar/trampoline room, she decided it looked more interesting than scary and jumped in.  We will see how next week goes.


Later this month we go back to the dentist.  I mentioned that she has an appointment coming up (mistake number one) and she immediately started talking about how scary the dentist was and how she didn't want to go.  More things to look forward to.

Vegas!

This update is a little late in coming.  Recently Violet and I drove out to Vegas to meet my friend Jenee and her family.  The idea of taking a 3 year old to the desert with temperatures of 109 degrees was a bit daunting but somehow it all worked out.

The first night we got in, Violet and I headed over to the Rainforest Cafe.  The Odani's plane had trouble and they were delayed in Los Angeles overnight, so it was just Violet and I for dinner.

We spent the night at the MGM (only $50 since it was July in Vegas) and picked up the Odani's in the morning from the airport.

That night we headed to the Tournament of Kings at Excaliber.  It was just the right combination of cheesiness and fun.

Violet is not a happy camper.

The next day we went over to the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay.

Yes, I am afraid to admit we spent money on the following two photos.

The next day we headed over to an awesome toy store where the kids could dig for treasure (as the parents shopped).

The it was a power drive home.  We had to stop at Alien Beef Jerky in Baker.  It's a must for any trip to Vegas.

She is petting the alien.

As a reward for the potty training milestone, Violet finally got her long awaited big girl bed.  We had been dangling it like a carrot for like  months as incentive.

Violet seemed more taken by the doll on the bed than the actual bed.  Go figure.

And a recent dance shot with friend Kylee:

This is our last week of summer school and after a two week break, her second year of preschool begins already!

4th of July

After much delay, here's a post of our 4th of July.  This was the first year Violet really enjoyed the fireworks.  Although she didn't see much last year because they got cancelled shortly after starting.  This year there was a lot of clapping and saying "Wow!"

That morning we participated and a neighborhood parade.

Headed to the parade.

We went to fireworks at community center.  I think she liked the bounce house the best.

Waiting to start.

Start!

Climb!

All done!

And recently we visited an indoor playground...

And thankfully I have to report that we are finally potty trained.  Yay!

We love Dr. Seuss:

Preschool

Violet started her first day of preschool for the summer session. We have Miss Johnna who we had last summer and she loves.











She also got her hair cut. She's too big for the rocket now.











Afterwards we got ice cream at Farrell's. Yum. Good thing she likes chocolate like mom.







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Dance Recital

Violet just performed in her first dance recital.  Her willingness to perform the dance had been touch and go in practices in the preceding weeks.  My favorite practice run through she sucked on her skirt the whole time.  So when recital day was here, and she started to show reluctance, mom pulled out the bribery card.  I am not at all ashamed to admit that I told her if she did the dance and performed the jump (she had refused to jump for the past 6 weeks in class), I'd buy her chocolate ice cream.  Never mind the fact that we were going out for celebratory ice cream afterwards either way--she didn't know that.  The bribery worked like a charm.

First it was a mad dash to get her changed into her costume.  We were coming from playing at the park next door to get her wiggles out.  I was planning on changing her at the recital itself but as I watched a steady stream of costumed children with their perfectly curled hair enter the building, I knew that I would be the only one so last minute.  I decided changing her in the parking lot was better than coming into the recital with an uncostumed child.

Dressed and ready!

Recital Program

Luckily they were the first group.

Waiting to start.

Serious dancing

The dance itself--I was super excited they were performing to the Go Go's.  I did my first talent show dance to Go Go's in 3rd grade (different song though). 

As you can see, Violet was highly motivated by the promise of ice cream.

The jump--she needs the teacher to show her because she has been refusing to do it for about 6 weeks.

They warned us to make sure their shoes were tied because if they became untied they wouldn't dance.  No one said anything about the skirt.  The look of horror on her face when her skirt becomes untied is pure comedy.

It's all done!

Celebratory ice cream.

Special thanks to Aunty Jenny for keeping us company and filming.

****

Daddy through Violet's eyes:

I didn't realize Eric also liked salad and diet coke.  It was news to him too.  At least she got the hair color right.
Violet painted a rock purple in class for Father's Day but she promptly told Eric it was her rock to keep.  She loves all rocks and there was no way she was parting with a purple one.