eternally chaotic

Aunt Kim’s birthday is today.  We wanted to help her celebrate with some video cheer.  Piper didn’t want to sing so we had to do a second take.  Enjoy !!

Take 1:

Take 2:

Happy Birthday Kim !!!

What I thought might be a slow weekend has turned into quite the opposite.  The cold weather broke, amazingly only a few days after having snow on the ground, and the temperature has risen to a comfortable level in the sixties (or better).  Enough that an impromptu dinner was had with the Thompson family Friday night at a small park near their house.  We ate pizza, grapes and chocolate cake and played through the evening.  There was one moment in particular where I was wishing I had brought the camera.  Piper, Whitley, and Violet all crowded onto a tire swing suspended from some chains on swivel.  Once they were on and secure we spun them round and round all the while with each of the girls giggling and yelling for more.  Violet in particular had me laughing.  At first she sat down like the other girls but would not relinquish a piece of cake so she held on with only one hand.  Having never been on such a contraption before, let alone spun in circles on it, she certainly showed nothing but excitement.  Even during the few times when the single hand came free and  she started to come free did she barely flinch, only wanted to be sat right again so the spinning could continue.

The fun continued on Saturday.  We meet the Hewitsons, Thompsons, Farleys and many others at Jeronimoes to celebrate Conner’s forth birthday.  We have been to a few different jumpy gyms but this one was pretty fun.  It wasn’t crowded with overage kids and there was plenty of inflatables to pick from to keep even the pickiest of the bunch having fun.  Piper had a great time sliding and jumping with all her buddies.  There was enough even for the little kids that I wished later on (for a few short minutes) that I had brought Violet as well.

After an afternoon nap and recharge we were invited to dinner with the Hewitsons and Farleys.  This is where we were introduced to the toy of the summer.  I will likely hear about this marvelous contraption until I purchase it, and then I will continue to hear about it.  Michelle had mentioned to me in the past, and even showed me a picture of it, but seeing it in action certainly is better than a still any day.  The Extreme Coaster is what it is called.  Pretty cool toy – they need an adult version as well.  Piper took right to playing with it and certainly didn’t want to share once she started.  Next time we need to get two of them side-by-side and takes bets on how goes farther or faster.  Even Violet wanted in on the action so after she climbed the ramp we would put her in the car and let her ride it down just like the bigger kids.  I thought it might scare her or she might fall out but that wasn’t the case.  Violet loved it.  Even without the car to ride down she would climb to the top and scoot down the ramp on her bottom – all the same to her.  I didn’t get any video or photos but Paul took a few for me on his new toy:

Sunday came to quick as well.  We were supposed to meet the Farleys at the Zoo but ended up sleeping in too late and had plans in the afternoon with the Sways.  I didn’t remember to set my clock forward and hour to mark the end of daylight savings time and awoke to a message from Paul letting me know the were at the Zoo.  Sorry we missed you guys.  Once we finally go up Piper and Violet both were excited to see Zack and Kerri and their new little doggy, Princess – rightly named coming to our house.  We turned the afternoon into a cookout complete with sunshine, burgers, dogs, and fries.  The kids, and the dogs, wore themselves out – and us in the process.  Hard to believe the weekend has passed so quickly.  I guess after being mostly cooped up while it has been cold, wet, or both, any chance to play in the sun seems to fly by.

Piper received a pair of pink princess roller skates from Aunt Autumn for Christmas.  Today was the day she got to try them out.  She reminded us all day that we “promised” a trip to the park so she could skate like Minnie and Daisy, or at least start to learn.  Along with the skates came knee and elbow pads to help on the falls that were sure to happen.  We picked a park with a flat running track as a good starting place.  The temperature was in the low sixties but very windy – there were two guys on the track playing with very large stunt kites.  We bolted the skates onto Piper’s shoes but left off the pads since she would be holding our hands the first few times, or until she was confident enough to think she didn’t need our hands anymore.

It was interesting to see her reaction, and I wish I would have brought the camera.  Walking in the skates didn’t really pose her much of a problem and she was able to move them around as needed for stepping but as soon as one would start to roll it was splitsville each time.  Since she was holding onto either me or Missy during all this she didn’t fall but certainly would have and I think she realized it as well.  After a few mishaps like this, even though they weren’t too bad she was through.  We coerced her to the grass where she kept walking in them, basically just letting her get used to them on her feet before heading home.  Even a little discouraged she still wants to keep practicing.

Piper and Violet both had Christmas parties today at daycare.  As a part of the festivities we painted a snowflake purple, were showed the decorations done by the kids, now proudly dispayed throughout each room, at some good finger food, mingled with the other parents and got a chance to watch the kids sing and dance.  In past years at school the kids weren’t old enough, or coordinated enough to do a rehearsed routine.  This year that all changed.

Piper has been constantly asking to hear “Jingle Bells” or in particular “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” but we hadn’t figured out why other than that particular song was also a main them in an episode of “Mickey Saves Christmas” that she watches now and then.  So when kids lined up in the gym to perform we were in for a treat.  Not only did they sing and dance but they did so in the three year old equivalent of “in sync” which equated to marching in a rectangle while making various arm, leg and body gestures.  They sang several songs, a few in Spanish and a few in English each good in its own way.

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While shopping tonight at Discover Mills for Christmas gifts we walked past a Santa booth that was empty of patrons.  Piper waved at Santa and he smiled and waved back.  We asked if she would like to visit him and tell him what she would like for Christmas.  Of course the answer was an excited “Yes!!!”.  After a bit of shopping we made our way back, stood in a short line and watched the people in front of us as we waited.  Soon it was our turn.  Having just recently visited a Santa at Lake Lanier Islands and seeing the quick-in quick-out, how many pictures can we take this hour, rush to get kids through, whirlwind that was a “Lake Lanier Santa Visit”, this trip was refreshing.  The Santa was a typical greying elderly man with a long white and grey beard and an ample lap for the kids to sit.  This Santa took Piper and sat her on his lap and for what seemed an eternity asked her question after question about what she and her sister wanted from Him.  Movies and Toys and Princesses.  After a few minutes she sat in awe, answering only “Yes” to each of his questions, humbled but not quite sure why.  When he was done with the questions he offered her a lolly pop and wished her a very merry Christmas.

As we walked off we couldn’t help but contrast our experience here, similar to what we recalled as kids, and to what the “expected” visit should be to the sub-par experience at Lanier Islands where they were more concerned with queue length and pictures per hour than they seemed to be with the kids coming to see the main christmas man.