Gettin' the Party Started

Today, Eva and I danced to her Party Mix CD (I made a cd of poppy dance songs from 2005 and 2006 that she loved when she was a baby and toddler). The sun was shining in our bedrooms and we were all smiles. We had a fun little pre-New Year's Eve rock out party. 

In the above video, the first song is a clean version of Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani (Eva calls it "the banana song"), followed by SexyBack by Justin Timberlake.

Happy New Year!

Eva's Gymnastics

Eva just completed her first session at a gymnastics place in town. Her class is for 3 1/2 to 5-year-olds and introduces basic gymnastics movements and equipment. She had a great time playing with girls her age and learning how to do new things with her body. On the last day of the session, parents were welcomed into the gym to see a performance.

After the performance, Eva wanted to show me how she swings on the uneven bars. Her teacher, Kelsey, helps her in the video below.

Everyone got a ribbon!

I am very proud of Eva for doing so well listening to directions, following along, waiting her turn and being brave to try new things with her body. She learned how to do a summersault, walk sideways, hang onto a bar to swing and many other little things. She'll start the next session after a week break and is very excited. Yay, Eva!

Put a Smile on Your Face

This video of Eva dancing to KT Tunstall's Other Side of the World always makes my heart swell. She had just turned 2 years old; it was only a couple weeks after a 10-day hospital stay, very sick with RSV and pneumonia. She was still a year and a half from walking but being on her bum certainly didn't stop her from exploring her world and enjoying herself. I appreciate the reminder to feel joy for what you have and to follow your heart's longing. Thank you, Eva.

(She signs "music" at the end).

Tappy Shoes

I may have lost my mind, but I got Eva a pair of tap shoes. She loves to dance and is especially fascinated (obsessed?) with tap dancing. Her obsession is focused primarily on Heather, Irish dancer extraordinaire from Maggie's Fury. (Heather is lovingly featured in many of Eva's original compositions). So now Eva has "tappy shoes" just like her. Look out, Heather!

The Rooster Song

This is what happens when I say "Say cheese!"

And then I explain that "say cheese" means to smile!

Here is a little video I took this evening of Eva playing her recorder and singing a little song. At the end she says "rooster". I guess that was the rooster song. Enjoy!

Uno, dos, tres...PINATA!

Eva's preschool class, kindergarten, first and second grades have been rehearsing a musical called "We All Celebrate". All the kids sing a few songs together and each grade sings a song or two on their own. Unfortunately, Eva (and Jerry and I and his parents) will be in San Diego the night of the performance! Her teachers said that she has so thoroughly enjoyed the rehearsals and being with the big kids. She does love music.

I went to a rehearsal today and took this video. They're singing "Uno, dos, tres, pinata!" The kids are encouraged to dance while they sing. Eva is, of course, the little cutie in the green sweater. (Thank you, Abby for the beautiful sweater!)

It's a...

This video is for our dear friends, Lynn and Carole. Thank you so much for the gift. Eva loves it (clearly)!

Holiday Joys

Happy New Year, everyone!

We three spent nine days with family in the south Sound. It was so wonderful to get out of town, away from domestic responsibilities and work and relax with family and friends. We're glad to be home now--sorta--and getting back into our routine--sorta--in time for school and work next week.

We hope you had a great holiday, too!

Eva's favorite presents included (but are not limited to) a kid's digital camera (seen here backward)...

...and bongos!

Eva loves to play the piano at my mom's house. This video was a sneaky attempt to capture her musical genius. If she saw me with the camera, she'd stop playing and yell at me. So I put the camera on the edge of the counter, pushed the button and stepped back. Next time, I'll get another angle so you can see her more clearly, but this was better than nothing!

The Peacock Lady

Eva has been really enjoying "The Violin Show", as she calls it. It's a DVD of an Andre Rieu concert in Vienna with the symphony, opera singers, and ballet and folk dancers. It's a lot of fun. Eva's favorite piece is "the peacock lady". It's Carla Maffioletti singing "Mein Herr Marquis" from Strauss' Die Fledermaus. (You can search youtube for a clip of this). She tries to sing along, which is SO cute. She even calls the "peacock lady" on her play phone. They laugh. So this video is of Eva singing opera for a bit. She sings and dances along to the other performers, too, but this is clearly her favorite.

Dancing Dress

Thank you to Papa and Lala for the super cute ballet clothes. Eva can't get enough of her super cute self! Here is one of the many outfits. Watch the video at the bottom, too.

Go, Eva, Go!

Check it out! Here is Eva walking all by herself--without the additional support of shoes/orthotics. She does this at home about 1/3 of the time but still prefers to scoot. She'll walk more if I remind her that she can. Yay, Eva!!

When You're Weary...Feeling Small...

If this doesn't warm your heart, well, I don't think anything can. Biased? No. See for yourself.

Because Eva is Just Like Every One of You

The "R" word

Pa-a-a-a-a-a-rk!!!

Thanks, Daddy!

Jerry built Eva a playground in the backyard. It's so fun and sturdy (we can sit in the fort and swing on the swings, too!!) Jerry did a great job completing this massive project in his "spare time" with minimal help from me. Of course, it's been raining almost constantly for more than a week, so she's been able to play on it only a little bit. Summer's coming, right? Thanks, Jerry! I've always wanted a swing in my back yard! I mean, Eva. Eva's always wanted a swing...

Here's the frame! Wow, that's gonna be big.

Laying the decking and putting up the rails.

YAY! Hi Mommy!!

(it will have a slide next to the stairs when we buy one)

And here is Eva checking out her completed playground for the first time. Oh, the joy!

A Walking Girl

Eva's doing great walking holding one hand. She's taken a couple stumbling steps between people but I don't know if she knew she was on her own. I'm so thrilled to be able to have her walk next to me. I've been waiting for this for over two years (she's 3 yrs. 3 mo.) We walk thru the stores together; we go across the street to get the mail. And slowing down to her pace is a good exercise in slowing my mind down, too, which is always necessary and good. Here are a couple videos in our backyard from this afternoon. You'll notice her big exciting playground in the background that Jerry has been working on. I'll post a series of pictures of the project when he's finished with it, later this week.

Burnin' Off Some Energy

Before bed last night, Eva was singing into her shaker (like a microphone) while watching Celtic Thunder w/Jerry on PBS. Of course, she wouldn't do it for the camera till the last two seconds of the video. Oh well. Anyway, she tried to stand several times and got some good downward dog poses in there, too.

Goal!

Eva and Jerry enjoyed a little Daddy-Daughter soccer match the other day. She has quick moves. I think she won.

Rock Out!

I swear, I never get tired of watching her enjoying music. Do you? (This is KT Tunstall, FYI). In the second one, she's singing/signing "no, no, no, noooo" and "woo hoo" to the music and says "bye-bye, see you, hagaday!" (have a good day).

Woo-oooooo!

Eva and Jerry were rockin' out yesterday to a nitty-gritty down-low blues riff. She feels the blues, way down in her very soul. Sing it, sister.