Laying low

Today we laid low, low, low at home.  We usually grocery shop on Fridays, and often get a doughnut when we do. When Clara said she really wanted one today, Christina thought of bringing out the deep fryer, but lamented that she hadn't made up a yeast dough earlier.  Then she remembered this little thrift store find that we hadn't used since before the girls were born!  You make up a quick batter, pour it in, and the doughnuts cook up in 2-3 minutes (it's a lot like a waffle maker in doughnut form!).

It makes cute little doughnuts, perfect for spreading Nutella on and sprinkling with multi-colored sprinkles.

Lately the girls have been warming Christina's heart by wanting to sew with her a lot.  This week they grew out of the velveteen pants she made them a few weeks ago (they each had a BIG growth spurt recently!) so they picked out some courdory and helped her sew up two pair of pants.  For the first time, the whole project was really done while the girls were awake, entirely with their help.  We'll have to get a picture of those. 

The story of today, though, is that they looked at a sewing book and said "Mama, can we make THAT?" about baby carrier.  Christina remembers doing that so many times with her own mother, and it was a thrill to take the girls downstairs to pick their fabrics, and then to sew these up during an hour in the morning.  We had such fun, and the girls loved carrying their dolls/animals around for the rest of the day.

We also spent some good time in bed, watching movies.  It is a cozy way to spend a winter afternoon, and with these cuties on either side of you, who wouldn't want to just stay put??

Sleepover

Somehow the girls got it into their heads that they wanted a sleepover - they've talked about it for a little while now, off and on.  Last night the girls invited their friend Sylvie over for a sleepover, and while none of the parents involved believe the kids are ready for that yet, we had her come over this afternoon for a pretend sleepover.

They laid out their sleeping bags in the living room, they got cozy with their pillows and loved animals, and they got popcorn and a movie set up for them.

Elena said: "Let's get a good picture of me and Big Bunny."  So we did.

After both Mulan and Peter Pan proved too scary, we broke out some of the glow sticks Auntie Cyndie sent and had fun looking at them inside the sleeping bags.

Then we played Candyland and Elefun.  Turns out Elefun was out of batteries, but the girls liked putting the netting from this game on their heads - they said they were chef's hats, but then they kept riding around on things, so we're not exactly sure what they were doing.

It was a fun time with friends, even if it wasn't a "real" sleepover.  And tonight, when it truly was bedtime, Clara was chatting with Christina, and they were talking about what a nice day it had been and how much they loved eachother, and Clara suddenly said: "Mama!  Open your eyes real big.  Look - it's me in there!!"  She could see her reflection in Christina's eyes - and thought it was a best thing ever.  And that sure touched this Mama's heart - who could have her go sleep somewhere else and miss these loving bedtime moments??  Real sleepovers are going to be a good long time away.

Dance Class

Today was the girls' fourth dance class (I think) and they are really starting to hit their stride in the classroom.  They talk about class all week, have been insanely excited to go to it, then get shy as soon as they get to the classroom.  Today they ran in, participated the entire class, and got rave reviews from their teachers.  We're so happy they're having fun!

 

They are more "twinny" in this class than we've seen them at any other time in their lives.  They primarily interact with each other.  They originally had these mats a few inches apart, but five minutes into the class Elena had moved hers right on top of Clara's, as you see here.

 
 

Shortly afterwards, Clara abandoned her mat in favor of standing on her sister's.

It didn't matter, because soon it was time to run around like crazy things - they don't call this class creative movement for nothing!

They line the kids up at one side of the room midway through class, and they take turns crossing the length of the studio either fast or slow, up high or down low, like a cat or like a snake, etc.  (Sorry for the phantom staircase - once they started doing this I couldn't get very good pictures from my perch in the observation area!).

Elena was one of the first to get sent over today, and she was a little reluctant but walked across nonetheless.

Clara was one of the last sent over, and she skipped like crazy across that room!

And, although it's totally blurry, take a look at how she leaps right to her sister at the end!

At the very end of the class, they run out to Christina.  This is their very favorite part of the class, as we've mentioned before.  Here they come!

We usually hang out on campus (where the class is) until Steve is finished teaching his class, then we all go home together.  So we have a little snack to get reinvigorated after dance.

Today as the girls were walking across campus Elena said: "Sister, let's hold hands!"  So they did.

We passed a big tree, and they decided they wanted to play hide and seek.  Christina thought they meant hiding around the tree, but apparently the girls had another idea together.  Clara immediately turned in to face the tree:

And Elena went off to "hide."  When Clara turned around, she pretended for quite awhile that she couldn't find Elena.  So funny to watch - she did very exaggerated looking about and tiptoeing around until she got right upon her sister!

Tonight Steve asked the girls: "What do you think you are to eachother - are you sisters or are you friends?" 

And Elena said: "We're sisters, and because we're sisters we're friends, because we hold hands with each others.  And Clara is my friend.  And she is my sister." 

This statement went on and on and got way cuter, but neither Steve nor Christina can remember exactly how it went.  But we are so, so happy that they so often enjoy each other's company.

Party Girls

You know it's getting bad with the posting on here when a certain Grandma calls and says she's been missing an update! Since our last post we celebrated Valentine's Day together, which was very fun but photo-free. The girls also stayed home for a few days with the babysitter while Steve and Christina went to a conference in California. Everyone had a fantastic time (we are so proud of how adaptable these little girls are!) but we were all happy to be back together again.

When we have been in town in this brief month, we've been primarily doing one thing- partying! In this shortest of months, the girls have been invited to three birthday parties, and we've gone to both a Superbowl party (was that really the end of January?) and an Oscars party. We took a few photos today to illustrate the fun party girls we have on our hands.

Here we were, headed out to a friend's party where she was turning five.  Clara brought a balloon flower we made for her for the occasion, and Elena handles the snacks (their favorite pretzels we brought along).

We've noticed a real change in the confidence level that both Clara and Elena seem to have.  Though they are still sometimes shy, they are much more ready to charge off into situations by themselves than ever before.

This particular party was very fun because the gift bags were given out FIRST!  We had never seen that done before, but it sure did make for an entertaining party for everyone!  The dad of this new five year old girl is a DJ, and he set up a dance party in a big room downstairs that everyone loved.

Clara hid out behind a couch with Christina for a few minutes to eat some candy, so she took the opportunity to snap a few silly shots!

We are used to being sent home with a balloon from a party, but here the girls were asked what their favorite color was, and then they were custom-made a little balloon bouquet - so fun!

Heading straight from one party to another - no rest for the party girls!

Clara and Elena very much helped to make a Black Swan cake for the Oscar party tonight.  They know some cup measurements and measuring spoon measurements now, and are very handy with the salt and butter.  This flourless chocolate cake took six eggs, so was a fun one for cracking eggs and adding them to the batter one by one.  After we got it in the oven the girls went for a nap, and when Elena woke up she said" "Mama, I was in my room, and I kept going (sniff sniff) and I smelled that yummy cake!"  Not sure we would have settled for sleep if there was the smell of a cake baking, but they sure did!

February is wrapping up, and perhaps so is our month of parties.  But we are so very eager for spring to make an appearance that we won't mind one bit!

Bowling

We went bowling this weekend for our friend Charlie's fifth birthday!  It was so fun, although the lighting makes photography a challenge!  This is about the third or fourth time the girls have gone bowling, and they really have the process down!

They don't mind getting some pointers from their Dad...

...and some cheering from their Mom (this is after Clara bowled a strike!)

But they still prefer their own bowling method - getting low and just rolling the ball right down the alley.

Of course, this was the first bowling experience that involved cake, so that made this an extra special bowling day!  (Elena here is not sure about the candles on the cake, which Charlie had crafted out of some clay).

Sharing some secrets with Dad in between bowling and cake-eating.

Happy Fifth Birthday, Charlie!  Thanks for the fun bowling day!

First Dance Class

Steve signed the girls up for their first dance class this winter.  It is with a great ballet teacher here in town, but this class specifically is just Creative Movement - ways for them to have fun moving without any pressure over form.  We came for the first class, and there were grown-up girls in there finishing their class - Elena and Clara couldn't tear themselves away from the door watching them.  They were fascinated.

Clara was especially excited to be taking the course, and chose to wear her tutu!

Elena was thrilled about class until we got to the room, and we found out that parents aren't allowed in this class.  She stuck it out for about four minutes, then came out to Christina in tears.  We sat together for a while, and then Christina told Elena that it was fine if she didn't want to do dance class - it could be something just Clara did.  They don't have to do everything the same.

Upon hearing that, Elena immediately wanted back into the class.  She was so brave - walking back across the studio and all the kids to get to her spot again.  Christina was so proud - she wouldn't have had the guts to re-enter like that!  Elena stayed for the rest of the class right beside her sister.

Clara did everything she was asked to do in the class - here is a sneak shot of her when it was her turn to "bounce" across the room.

And at the end of class, they were to run (usually one-by-one, but they sent Elena with Clara since she was still feeling shy) across the room, leap over the mats, and go to their parent.  This would be unforgivably blurry, except that it somehow captures something about these two girls that we just love to see - vibrance, excitement, camaraderie - and so we are posting it anyway.

We'll see how week two goes - both girls want to go back again, and even specifically requested leotards so they could be like the big girls they saw!