Ella's First Dance Class

Ella started dance class about 8 weeks ago. I WAITED to enroll her in something like this till she asked me to. I didn't want to push dance on her just cause she is a girl and then have her hate it. But she was dancing a lot at home and one day she said Mommy I want to go to dance school. I said ok, let's go! And I signed her up right away! I looked at the dance schools and wasn't impressed. Once again the City of Chandler came through for me and they have a dance program that goes in 8 week increments. So if you sign your child up and they hate it, you didn't lose much. I also liked that the kids learn mini routines in each class and then get up on stage at the end of each class and perform for the Moms and Dads in the crowd. Then there is one big show on the last class. This is great cause at this age the goal is really not to so much teach dance technique (although they do) but to get the kids comfortable taking instructions, practicing discipline and listening and not being afraid of performing in front of people or on stage. They get this every week! How cool is that? (Just imagine those parents that shelled out all the big money only to have their dancer FREEZE on stage or worse cry and be unable to perform... eek!)

I took a bunch of photos over the last few weeks of classes that I will share here. Some of them are dark and blurry cause the lighting in there was terrible. There are lots of photos from the first class *that was the only one Moms were allowed in. Then all the other classes we are only invited in at the end to see our angels perform on stage. Ella missed one class due to her sisters 1st Birthday party and then missed one more when I forgot what day it was and took her to McDonald's to play with friends instead. Whoops! But she LOVES it! She has so much fun. I have to say there is something so cute about seeing 10+ 3 year old girls all giggling jumping and twirling in their tutus!!

Not only have I overcome my hatred of pink and of bows but I am starting to fall in love with tulle! Yeah for Mommy!! Enjoy the photos!




Below is a hilariously cute video montage of Ella in dace class and during a few of the recitals. A few great moments to look for...

*in the first clip you see Ryen trying to crawl over to join the dance class and me trying to call her name to stop her.
*in the next clip the cutest little blonde girl with pigtails EVER just falls over to end that segment. Hilarious!
*in the next clip nothing too funny but if you are trying to find Ella she is in the front row all the way at the end
*in the next clip my monster is clearly on a sugar high and making me so proud by growling at the audience repeatedly. Yeah for me... NOT!
*in the next they are all playing freeze dance which Ella has never played and Ella clearly doesn't understand why the music keeps stopping! And so she keeps asking "Where'd the music go?"
*in the last clip Ella yells out Hi Ryen! Hi Momma!! awww... sigh

Enjoy this short video. It is worth every minute!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This was so much fun and I just signed her up for another 8 weeks!

Many changes...

Ok. so sorry I have not been updating Ella's school blog. But we have some changes to announce. We had to re-evaluate the school we had Ella in. For a few reasons. 1) it is WAY expensive 2) it is kind of a far drive from our house 3) because of Ella's birthday being a fall birthday she misses the cut off for the two years of classes that would benefit her the most 4) at the age of 2 you are pretty limited in what you can do with 2/3 year olds no matter where they are. So you can pay $300 a month for that or you can pay $100 a month and it is pretty much the same curriculum.

I am SO fortunate to live in one of the Greatest Cities in the Country. Don't believe me? This City EVERY year is voted one of the top 100 cities in the United States for some reason or another, most of which have to do with Children, Schools, Safety, Housing etc. In fact on this CNN list we are #30 ! The City of Chandler has so many classes available for pre-schoolers, youth, teens, adults and elderly too! They also have an AMAZING preschool for kids. And it is subsidized by the City at an incredible cost. I was told about this school by so many of my friends who are either in it, or on a wait list, or know friends who's kids are in it. So Ella will be switching to this program beginning Oct 1st! It is going to cost us a third of what we are paying now, and she will be able to go 3 days a week instead of 2! It is also 5 minutes from my house, not 20. Amazing... we can't wait! Here are some photos of the last few weeks at New Vistas!

Week three was yellow week and was real cute cuz as soon as I dropped Ella off in her classroom her friend Maya came over and gave her a big hug. This is the same girl who was holding her hand when I picked her up at school the week before. On Thursday Ryen even got into the yellow spirit with her football shirt and Ella gave her a big hug for it! And notice the yellow beard of marker on Ella's face when I picked her up outside her classroom!


Week four was Blue Week and there are not many photos from that uneventful week except the following of my beauty making some funny faces:


Week 5 Green Week (bad Mommy clearly not taking photos anymore! LOL) Oh managed to find ONE!:

Week 6 was Orange Week and I have no photos with her face so not posting any! Week 7 (this week) is PURPLE Week. I do have photos today only because TODAY is a very exciting day! It was SCHOOL PICTURE day! What is it about school photos that makes school feel so real to parents. I cant wait to see her pictures. All day long she would tell me how she smiled for the photographer and she would turn her head to the side and give me this innocent angel little smile. (yeah right!) Here is a photo of her in her school picture day outfit (very studious as my friend Brooke told me- LOL)

Week 2 of School!

This week was RED week at Ella's school. So they asked us to encourage the kids to wear some red all week. Luckily Nana and Grandpa had just sent Ella a new shirt (thanks guys) that was red and said Daddy's Little Devil on it. Daddy worried we might be sending the teachers the wrong message about Ella (lol) by what the shirt said. Just Kidding. So here is a photo of us on the way to school on Tuesday. As I was trying to snap her shirt and her backpack she gave me the hand and informed me Mommy "No more photos!"



I would've loved to snap some photos of her going into her classroom but before I could finish signing her in, she was in the classroom, her bag was on her hook and she was sitting on the floor with her classmates. A complete 180 from the shy girl who was putting her fingers in her mouth. I didn't have time to take a photo because before I could even get my camera out she was said "Bye Mommy" and gave me a wave. (sniff sniff) I love how independent and fearless she is! Later when I came to pick her up I left my camera in the car. Bummer too because when I was walked up she was holding hands with a girl in her class. Her name was Maya. They were holding hands and looking at each other smiling. They kept swinging their hands together. They were the only kids holding hands. I immediately regretted not having my camera. But I was so happy that she feels that comfortable already with some of her classmates. =) (sigh)

Thursday started off funny. We struggled to find red in Ella's wardrobe for day 2. But we came across a July 4th themed dress with big red stars and flowers (also from Nana and Grandpa). We put it on her and she immediately chooses these black old lady granny shoes to wear with it. I was like "dear god no!" but Jimmy told me to let her wear them since she clearly LOVES these shoes and wanted to wear them so bad! She looked hilarious, but I guess this is what makes her funny and independent. So I had to snap some photos! Here is her going to school today!



When I picked her up though, she was having some trouble. All the kids came out wearing these red puppy dog ears. They also had black on their noses to look like Clifford. Ella somehow managed to be the only kid in her class to smear the black off her nose and right into her eye. She was rubbing her eye frantically and all red and swollen when I came to get her. I did manage to snap a photo of her in the car after we used water to rinse out her ye, but not every great ones. Anyhow enjoy the fiasco below!



Lastly, Ella got her first homework assignment. She had to list 10 things she was thankful for in her life. She didn't really get this concept too well, so I asked to come up with things that make her feel happy and here is what she came up with (with a little help and encouragement):

10 Things Ella is Thankful for: (hopefully these are not in order- j/k)
1. My Friend Summer
2. My Friend Big Ryan
3. My Friend Mackenzie
4. That I go to School
5. My Mommy and Daddy
6. My Sister Ryen
7. My Dogs Mandy and Cali
8. My Swimming Pool/Swimming with Daddy
9. My Toys
10. My Books

Meet the teacher and Surviving the First Day (Jimmy that is...)

Wednesday was Ella's meet and greet with her teacher at her school- New Vistas in Chandler. Her teacher is Mrs. Esposito. I told Ella it was her first day of school rather than confuse her. I also wanted school to be something that she thinks is fun and not scary, so I talked it up all week and even baked her a cake with sprinkles! She kept saying "It's my Birthday!" and I told her it was her "Big Girl Day" because she was starting school. I think the cake really helped her be excited and not scared of going to school. Here is Ella with her cake:



Ella picked out her own backpack (Disney princesses) and couldn't wait to put it on and wear it into school. Here she is with her new backpack:



Happy 30th Anniversary New Vistas plus Ella's classroom!



Showing the teacher her new backpack and running around excited!



Ella's Cubby... Ryen was looking for hers too ;)



Ella's goodybag and her searching for toys!



Thursday was Ella's first official day. We all went together and dropped her off. She was very excited to go into her classroom again. When she realized we were going to be leaving her she suddenly got shy and was putting her fingers in her mouth and seemed hesitant to sit with the other kids on the floor. We decided it would be best to just say goodbye and leave her instead of babying her. Teacher said she was shy for a bit but then was GREAT! Here are photos of her going into school today and a photo of her and some friends after school when Daddy went to pick her up. Ella has already made some boyfriends apparently! I decided to edit the last photo to let these boys now that Ella is off limits and let Ella know that boys are dangerous! Just Kidding! We know these boys from the neighborhood :)




So here is the funny part! Jimmy was a little freaked out and uneasy all morning. He had a knot in his stomach. This was the first time we had left Ella with people that were not close friends or family and just drove away. Even with the daycare at the gym, I am in the building. So it was weird for us to drive off and put all our trust in these people to keep her happy and safe. Next thing I know he is telling me he wants to be the one to pick her up at school and he wants to take her to lunch. She didn't get out of school till 11:15am and he was at the school by 10:50am- LOL! It was so funny and SO CUTE that he was so worried about his baby! He took her to lunch at Peter Piper Pizza (her favorite) and he even gave her Sprite- which he NEVER does! Hee Hee! What I love even more about him is that he whipped out the camera and took photos when he picked her up at school and wasn't afraid to take photos at Peter Piper Pizza, because he KNEW that I would want photos. Most guys wouldn't have wanted to look silly taking photos of their kid but he didn't care! I love him... (sigh)

Here are some photos of Ella and Daddy after school!




Ryen wanted to get in on the action too, but I told her NO way! She needs to stay a baby a little longer than Ella seemed to... =(

New Vistas Academy

Welcome to Ella's school blog! Of course we still have our personal family blog for fun times and cute photos. But this blog is devoted solely to Ella's cute projects/accomplishments and fun times throughout her school days!

Tomorrow is Ella's first day of school at New Vistas Academy. Tomorrow's day is more like an open house, it is only an hour instead of two and Jimmy and Ryen and I will be with her so we can meet her teacher. We have been so excited for Ella to start school mostly because she has been asking for 8 mos if she can go to school with a backpack and dinosaur (something she saw in a Caillou episode once). She talks about being a big girl and going to school all the time!



We loved New Vista's slogan which is "A little out of the way - a LOT out of the ordinary." One great thing about this school is they will help foster Ella's love of reading! They don't believe a child has to be a certain age before they are ready to start learning how to read, so they repeatedly meet with the children through the school year to "test" them for reading readiness. And they begin teaching them how to read, as soon as they show they are ready.

She got to pick out her own backpack at the store (she chose Disney Princesses) and of course a toy dinosaur. So we hope you enjoy this blog. We will post some photos on Friday of her first week of school.