May!

Just when I was thinking that I didn't have much to blog about this week has been a whirlwind and I don't really know where to begin!

I guess I should start with the Evanator. He finished his first year of preschool on Thursday. He had such a wonderful year and it makes me so proud that he was brave enough to try new things and make new friends. Here are some memories I never want to forget about Evan's first year of preschool:

1. He finger painted for the first time.

2. He always ran up the ramp one time before we entered school.

3. As a reward for being good at school we always got to do "stairs one time" where we went up the outside stairs and looked down on the cars.

4. As we left class everyday he loved to read his friends names next to their art in the hallway. This shocked the other parents in the beginning.

5. When one of the girls in his class brought the book The Napping House to class Evan read it to everyone. I'm pretty sure he was the first kid in Mrs. Cassie's two year old class that could already read. :)

Here is a video of him singing to the Annie Soundtrack before we went into school. He loves Tomorrow while Avery is all about Hard Knock Life.

Not to take away from the fact that he finished school, but the most amazing things have been happening this week. It all started when we offered him a taste of a waffle and what do you know...he ate it! I was able to give him a waffle for lunch the other day and while he didn't eat all of it, he tried. Then, another day he tried a chicken nugget, and yesterday a blueberry! He hasn't tried anything new in two years and then in one week he tried many things! I can hardly contain my excitement!

We have also been using birthday candles as food rewards (which he has been getting a lot of lately!). We sing Happy Birthday (mostly to Baby Simba) and then both kids get a chance to blow out the birthday candle. It was my goal for Evan to be able to blow out a candle by his 4th birthday, but alas...he mastered it this week! Once he got it, it was like second nature!

He is also working really hard to get off the sippy cup and was able to drink from a straw for the first time this week! I know...too much excitement for one week. I feel the same way. I kept telling Aaron that I had such a weight lifted off my shoulders (to see huge progress) that I felt like I had won the lottery. :)

While I am on a roll with the great news, I also have to brag for a moment (isn't that all this blog is really about anyway), about my sweet baby girl! Just today she has mastered a forward roll! And...that isn't even the most exciting thing she has done this week (though, it is pretty big since now we can progress to cartwheels!).

Yesterday, Avery and I gathered up all of her paci's, put them in an envelope and walked to the mailbox and sent them to the "babies and Elmo". Because Avery was so brave (and really only cried for a few minutes for it) she gets a new big girl bed! We went to buy it today and it will be here on the 9th of June. I am so excited. I think she is going to be so proud of herself, just like I am proud of her!!! In this picture, she is laying down on the back of the futon...she says she is "relaxin".

I wish I could convey in an email how much personality she has for those of you who can't be around her everyday. My favorite thing she does right now is yell "I FOUND IT!" Whenever I ask her to get something for me! It is so cute! She also is starting to love talking on the phone and will even have short conversations with her Grandma, Nana and Aunties. :)