Emmy sings the ABCs

Here is a video of Emmy singing the ABCs with big bird. I like the way she warms up with "me, me, me"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joT2_QbVLZs

Bo's Donut Song

Here is the Donut Song that he made up with help from his Daddy Donuts, Donuts, Donuts Sprinkles, Chocolate, and Jelly I eat them all up and they go into my belly Donuts, Donuts, Donuts When I'm at the lake I eat so many I get a tummy ache Sometimes on the weekend Daddy takes me to the store I love to go b/c then I get to eat more Donuts, Donuts, Donuts Sprinkles, Chocolate, and Jelly I eat them all up and they go into my belly It is not very creative I know but it was the best we could do on the fly trying to get him to go to bed. He just giggles and giggles when we sing it. His new favorite song is "On top of Spaghetti" On top of Spaghetti, all covered with cheese i lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed (Auuu-choo) It rolled on the table and on to the floor the next thing you know it went out the door (this is the verse Bo came up with and thought it was hilarious) It kept rolling on the floor until Bo came over and stepped on it then Emmy ate it and we all said "Ewww yucky"

Emmy's dance class

Mommy decided to sign Emmy up for dance class. You are suppose to be two to three year olds but they let younger kids in if they want. It is a Mommy (or parent) and me class so you stand there with them and help them do everything that the teacher does. Really the only rules of the class are you have to wear ballet shoes, wear dance skirt, and have tap shoes to change into. So last week after work we went to try on shoes for Emily. I believe both kids didn't have a nap that day so they were not in the best of moods. Bo wouldn't sit still in the store and was touching everything and I mean everything. While Mommy and Daddy tried to hold down Emily who hates wearing shoes. She cried the whole time and kicked her feet so she wouldn't have to wear them. The nice lady at the store finally was able to measure her foot and give her a size 4 which is the smallest they make. Since Emmy never put them on we just hoped they fit for the first class. She was so excited when Mommy and her arrived. She said dance class, there it is with a smile. The first 20mins of class she did fine. She did the kicks, held onto the poll and loved the counting.

Here is a video of her warming up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDst5NzF0uU

After they did their warmups and basics, they put a tutu on and danced in a circle. This was a big hit for the girls (and Moms I think). Here is a video of her going around and trying to figure out what is happening. You can see her at the end watching the other girls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5lSXYrXEY8

Then it was time to change into the tap shoes and boy did she not want to do that. She didn't want to take off the ballet shoes at all. Mommy and Daddy held her down to put them on and then she just sat on the ground crying. She refused to stand up and go back in to dance. So we finally let her take the tap shoes off and put her other shoes back on. Even after that she still didn't want to do anything. Here is her reaction.

I think she was tired from the long weekend so it only took one little thing to set her off. She pretty much didn't participate in the rest of the class. The teacher attempted to encourage her or at least sit and watch. She just fussed and said no thanks. After tapping, they did put their ballet shoes back on and did some tumbling like flips and rolls. I think she really would have enjoyed that part but she wanted no part of it. At the end, the teacher gave them all a picture they could color of a teddy bear dancing. When she got this she finally smiled and was happy. I think she sensed it was over and could go home. We will try again next week and hopefully have better results.

Labor Day Lake Trip

Disclaimer: everyone returned to St. Louis ok from the weekend except Mama's car.

The Cordia clan trip to the Lake of the Ozarks didn't get off to a good start. It started with the after effects of the hurricane hitting the midwest with a lot of needed rain on Friday and Saturday morning. Mommy and the kids headed towards the lake early afternoon. They started with a flat tire that they were able to keep driving on to make it in one piece but apparently had to drive slowly because of the tire plus a lot of traffic and accidents.

Papa left around the same time as Mommy and the kids but pulled the wave runners behind. I think he said it took him about 4 to 5 hours to make it because of all the traffic, etc. Mama picked up Daddy after work at 5pm in Chesterfield. We drove Mama's car. We finally got to highway 70 at about 6:15 and that's about the first call we received from Mommy asking where we were and when we would be there. We said go ahead and eat dinner because you all will be asleep by the time we get there. Little did I know how very true that would be.

Here is a picture of Bo enjoying the pool Friday night despite the rainy weather and cold water. He was determined to go swimming waiting for Daddy and everyone else to get there.

Mama and Daddy made it to the Kingdom City (hwy 54) exit about 8pm but it was backed up to get off for about 1 mile. While we stopped for the traffic, we just started to go again when "whack" something hit us very hard. Neither of us saw it or heard it coming. We were jolted forward into the car in front of us and sprayed with shattered glass. Neither of us were injured nor anyone else involved in the accident. Here is a picture of Mama's car as a result.

It was only a 3 car accident with us in the middle. The truck that hit us from behind said they tried to stop by hydroplaned right into us. The back windshield shattered and the whole back of the car basically collapsed to the last row of seats in the minivan. I just kept thinking how lucky we were that the kids weren't in the car. They would have had glass all over themselves sitting in the back especially Emmy who still faces backwards.

The state trooper came after about 15mins and instructed us to get off the highway as traffic and the roads were very slick and we weren't helping the situation sitting on the side of the road. We called Papa to come get us so he had to drive back from the lake to pick us up. The car was towed back to St. Louis and we went back on our way.

We made it back to the condo a little before midnight. Mommy and the kids were sound asleep. Bo woke up at 6am ready to go out on the boat. Needless to say all the adults were still very tired. Papa and Daddy took the flat off the Armada and put the spare on. We took the flat up to the local tire shop to have it patched. It was still raining a little bit but very overcast so everyone was getting a little anxious to go out on the boat.

We really didn't go out on the boat until Sunday and all day Monday when the weather was better. The kids were a little tired combined with a boat ride put them to sleep almost every time. Here is the princess herself enjoying the ride (asleep within 5mins of going).

Bo liked the water most of the time until he saw some fish eating chips that the boys threw in the water. Then he was scared the fish were going to get him. Here he is messing up Mommy's raft and sun time playing around with the noodle.

Here is what Emmy did most of the time on the boat when she wasn't sleeping or eating snacks of course. She had her binkie and "lovey" blanket and just watched everyone. Anytime anyone mentioned her getting in the water she freaked out.

When no one was looking, she also had to pretend she was "driving" too.

Papa took the boys Will and Bo on a wave runner ride so they enjoyed that. I think whoever was in front wanted them to go faster but whoever was in back wanted him to slow down.

Finally on Monday afternoon before we headed in for the weekend and back home, the kids decided to get in the water. Emily lasted about 5mins before she went back on the boat. Bo on the other hand was playing catch with the football, looking for fish, swimming around the boat, and climbing on the wave runners. He didn't want to jump in the water this time. He used the ladder every time getting in and out. I am not sure what that was all about.