Disney On Ice

Well we are into week three of school and we already missed week three of school. Why? The flu. Eww. Having twins is wonderful. Having twins with the flu at the same time, not so fun. But we are making it through.

We did have one highlight on Sunday. The girls and I went to see Disney on Ice at Hara Arena. It was 100 Years of Disney. We went with my girlfriend, Patches and her two sons, Garrett, 4 and Griffin, 2. What a great experience. It was one of those moments when I could watch the girls eyes light up with excitement and just fall in love all over again with being a mom. I wish every moment felt like that. It was fun to be excited with them and clapping and clapping when their favorite characters would come out.

Now the $10 for a fancy plastic Cinderella cup filled with triple colored snow cones I could have done without. Times two. But when in Rome. I did succumb to $3 pop and $4 popcorn. But the $10 cotton candy didn’t suck me in. Seriously $10? But it did come with a crown with Mickey ears. The snow cones just called to the girls more I guess. Even though they didn’t eat a fourth of it and I had sticky snow cone juice every where. But to end on a positive note, the show was nearly 2 hours long. The Hara Arena is also a great place to go because all the seats are close. I’m not sure there would be a bad spot in the house for Disney on Ice.

My one regret is not letting the girls dress up as princesses. Actually, it never crossed my mind. But once we were there you would see little Sleeping Beauties and other characters walking in to the show. Now how fun is that? Next time, I will definitely let my girls dress up.

Before the show was even over Alani was dying to get home to dress up like the Little Mermaid. “Mom, can we go home so I can dress up as the Little Mermaid and come back?” Then she informed me that she wanted Garrett and Griffin to come over and see her dressed up too. I had to laugh. Later, Patches told me that Alani told her the same thing.

After the show we went to McDonald’s to let the kids play and to finish off the great afternoon. Of course, the mom’s could have done without it but the kids seemed happy enough. Happy enough that between the four of them we could have split one four-piece chicken McNugget happy meal. We even tried the ‘eat before play’ tactic but it still didn’t work out.

On the way home I could hear Alani and Garrett talking “Garrett, do you want to come to my house and see me dressed up as the Little Mermaid?” “Yeah.” And he did.

We came home and invited Garrett in (Griffin was sleeping). Alani promptly ran into her room and dressed up. Garrett admired her and even waited as she asked him if he wanted to see her try her new shoes on. What a husband this little dude will make. He, luckily, had his Buzz Lightyear fist from the show, so he was Buzz while the girls were princesses. And for the next two hours, Garrett and the girls played prince and princess together.

When we took Garrett home he immediately asked his mom to get his costumes out and within minutes he was a Power Ranger, Griffin was a storm trooper and their older brother, Gaven, came out as a Ninja.

It was all so cute it was funny. Garrett would grab the girls hands and want to dance just like the prince and princesses did on the ice.

This is just another reason why it wouldn’t be so bad being four again.

Four years went by too fast! 9/11

Tegan and Alani stand still for two seconds so mom can take a "First Day of Preschool" photo.

Bible school, soccer and now preschool. Too many changes for this mom.

I think I’ve been a little down the last week or so. I’ve tried to block from my mind that the girls were starting preschool. They weren’t opposed to it, but they weren’t excited by the idea of it either.

A few of the other children have older brothers or sisters so I think they are excited about the idea of ‘going to school.’ As I was walking the girls up to the door on the first day, one little boy was skipping in and singing “I’m going to preschool, I’m going to preschool.” I liked his enthusiasm and hope that it will rub off on my girls.

It took me awhile to figure out what my deal was on the idea of the girls starting school. Obviously, it’s the start of school. The start of a new era. But what bothered me the most was when I realized that ‘my’ time of being with the girls is over. The time where I was in most control and could shield and protect them from the world. Now the rest of the world will be able to get their fingers on them. And I guess its not even so much as that, because living and getting the most out of life is what I want for all of us, it is just the fact that I can’t believe that time is already here.

Anyways, the first day of preschool went well. When I dropped them off no one begged me to stay and they were off checking things out. I was too worked up getting them in there that I didn’t have time to cry. Then I went to breakfast with friends and enjoyed some adult conversation. Still no time to cry. When I went to pick them up they were smiling and happy. The teacher had given them good reviews. No one was permanently kicked out. As I drove us home it was then I cried. Just a little, but I did.

They learned about the letter A. Played with Play-doh and ate a sucker. Tegan informed me she didn’t like singing. Alani liked her sucker. And that was that.

Day two, Tegan doesn’t want to talk about it but I hear her and Alani break out into some Triangle, circle song from time to time. And that day was brought by the letter B.

Day three, the girls will get to take their book bags and bring home their hard labor for the week. I’m excited to see their ‘work’ and to see how proud they may be of it. Then, I will proudly display it on the refrigerator like every other proud parent out there.

So far, no soccer stars in sight 8/28

Notice Alani and Tegan on the sideline, while all the other kids actually play soccer in the background.

Our first soccer game was what Brad and I thought it would be. A nightmare. Actually, I have accepted that its going to be nothing like we’ve planned in our heads so I was able to take it pretty well. Brad, on the other hand, is still trying to come to terms. He did say he was going to volunteer to work overtime the day of their next scheduled game.

Tegan tried, she really did. There were a couple of instances when she was getting in there running down the field with the other soccer players. But then she ran by a unused ball on the sideline and started to kick it. They had to stop her. It was just sad. The idea is to kick the ball, exactly what she was trying to do, just not the right ball. Something else similar happened and it was funny but just sad because she was really trying.

My girls are just not aggressive. They don’t like big crowds let alone throw them on a grass field where everyone is trying to kick the same ball in a little moving huddle. Alani really doesn’t like it nor did she really try. While most of the other kids tried to get in there she would just be standing in her own little spot looking at us, wishing we would take her off the field. At one point Brad did call her over and I wanted thump him on the arm. In response we had a little girl that did not want to go back on the field. Duh.

Which in turn eventually drew Tegan to the sideline. So they stood on the white line staring at us and refusing to go back out. Everyone thought they were so ‘cute’. This ‘cute’ was definitely meant for kids that aren’t your own. Every one kind of laughed and got a kick out of their behavior while Brad and I gritted our teeth and tried to laugh it off.

At one point, a coach on the other team took both girls by the hand and placed them in their spots on the field. Brad and I were silently hoping they would bench one of our kids and when they did neither of them would go on the field. So the other coach yells out that she’ll take a two for one deal and put the girls in the back field.

The game finally ended. I have to give major props to our coaches Roger and Mike and all of the other coaches out there that volunteer their time and patience.

Up until now I was totally against separating my girls. Now I’m not so sure. In this case I can see Alani holding Tegan back. Tegan is more outgoing and willing to give it a try. But then she will feel sorry for Alani and go back and try to tend to her. Tegan even told me that Alani and I can stay home while her and daddy go to the soccer games. But all four of us will be sticking the soccer season out and hoping for the best.