Toe Tapping Gymnast

We ended another semester of gymnastics and its nice to see her improving and being able to do more.  We also enrolled her into ballet, and at first we were regretting it because she was not focused at all.  While all of the other kids were gracefully dancing in a line across the room, Solana was running back and forth and laughing hysterically.  But it was all she talked about for awhile.  Adam and I would go home and practice "First Position" and "Second Position" with her and she always loved going.  So when we had the chance to enroll her in ballet and tap, we thought it would fit her much better.  First of all, her teacher is way better, and Solana just loves to wiggle and dance, so tap dance is very fitting for her.  It's a small class, so she is able to get more one-on-one attention, and last week she was the only one there, so she had private lessons and did great!! So it looks like we will keep this girl in ballet after all and am grateful they now have tap! 

Her first day of tap dancing was a success! And it's pretty darn cute to watch as well :)

Oh Happy Day...Let Summer Begin!

Adam finished with his second year of law school!! School is done for the summer and it's time to play.   This time next year he will actually be graduating, woot woot! 

But for now we are just as excited to have another year behind us, and it was a great year at that. 

So for the summer we have some fun plans and some not so fun plans.  Once Adam was done, we had 2 weeks of play time together, which flew by. He is now gone for the summer (the not so fun part)  and we are not sure when we will see him next.  I get to stay at home with the kiddos and party (and try to survive single parent living) we have lots of fun things planned, and have plenty to do, it's just never as fun to do it spouse-less.  So this was the beginning of our 2 week summer. 

Feeding ducks is still a favorite activity around here.  Now that winter has ended, we're happy to see our feathered friends around here again.

One of Solana's favorite things to do is lay down in our arms and pretend that she is a baby, sometimes a sleeping baby.  I'm sure there's some big-sister, toddler-psychology going on here, but while we hesitate to encourage it too much, it is however the time when she is most easily manageable.
Running around the house like a mad woman at bedtime?  "Come here baby, come get in my arms and I'll put you to bed."  She'll jump right up with a coo and snuggle in for the night.  Works every time.

"Oh hello there"

"Seriously women, put down the camera"

He's a rolling over machine, I can barely keep his on his tummy long enough for him to have his tummy time. 

Handsome boy.  

Solana said the other day "Boston is pretty like me" I told her boys are handsome and then she said "Then he is cute and handsome" Such a funny girl.  But you have to be careful with your adjectives - the other day she told Adam that only girls were beautiful.

I love the wind up pitch of bread. Softball might be in her future.  (No, Adam informs me that he will strongly discourage this as a last-resort sport.)

Picnics are pretty popular around here.  Now that the weather is nice, we actually get to play them outside and have real food.  

No one can get bigger smiles from this boy than his Daddy.  He's a Daddy's boy for sure. 

I guess Solana thought his outfit lacked a bow tie. She likes to help pick out what he wears :)

 Too bright, and too fun.

Playoff Season Around Here

(Adam here)

I was working in my office the other day, and Solana was all up in my grill, as usual, so I gave her a pencil and paper to try to keep her distracted with something other than distracting me.  Next thing I know, she's drawn her first unassisted (recognizable) picture - of me!  Notice the nice round head, arms (with fingers), and lovely head of hair.  I feel so flattered.  I was totally impressed.

One of my primary duties as a father is teaching my kids to become fans of the most successful sports franchise of the last 15 freaking years - the team with the highest winning percentage over the last 15 years - the team with the greatest power forward of all time and the winningest player-coach combination of all time - the team that embodies a transcendent celestial form of basketball and sports management - yes, the San Antonio Spurs.
So we're starting early, and I take every chance I can to sap every ounce of Solana's attention span watching Spurs basketball on TV.  Now that the playoffs are here, we are in full Spurs mode, and the kids are getting into it perfectly.  I predict many years of continued fanaticism and completely unbiased recitation of Spurs greatness.
Shoot, just writing about this makes me happy, so if you scroll all the way through the photos, I'll leave you with a link to one of the best Spurs moments ever.  (Sorry Suns fans)

Okay, one more bonus! (Sorry again, Suns fans, haha)