Ansley's Busy Weekend

I hope everyone had a great weekend; we sure did.  It was pretty much all about Ansley, which is probably what she needed.  This past week was a better week in her camp.  I'm not going to lie:  week before last was hard on her (and me), but this past week was much better.  I'm hoping that this week is even better!  We are getting into a routine now that Philip is back, and we all operate better when we are on a routine (at least in our family).

Olivia is still doing just great.  She is eating great, sleeping great, integrating great….the whole nine yards.  We seriously could not be more blessed.  We also heard back from the pediatrician that her stool samples came back normal, so she essentially got a clean bill of health!  The only strike against her are the two front teeth, but that's no big deal in the long run.  So, yay for Olivia!

On Friday, Ansley's preschool had their annual Fun Run.  It is the largest fundraiser of the year, and in conjunction with the Fun Run and sponsorships, we have incorporated a silent auction.  I serve as the president for the Parent Council for the school, and it was a struggle to get everything organized before we left for China.  I was fortunate to have some great parent volunteers to help pull everything off.  Thanks, everyone!  I am waiting to hear the final tally, but I'm pretty sure we set a record for money raised this year.

Here are a few pictures from the run:

It was a little chilly in the shade, but otherwise, the weather was perfect!

The kiddos are stretching before the run.

Little Bit is the 7th from the left.  All of these kids are in her class at school and are around the same age.  She just happens to be on the small side.  :)

She had the same look on her face the whole run….I think she's trying not to smile.

Way to go, Ansley!

On Saturday, Ansley and I had some Mommy/Daughter time.  I think this went a long way with Ansley and probably something I'm going to have to do more of.  I'm learning what pushes her buttons these days.  I took Ansley for her first mani/pedi, and she loved it.  We had to get ready for her big show!

On Sunday, Ansley had her 2nd dance recital.  She did great!  Her class dressed as fish and danced to "Under the Sea."  The girls were so excited because Ariel came to dance with them on stage.  I'm happy to report that none of these crazy headpieces fell off during the dance.  We had a large cheering section for Ansley, and we so appreciate everyone who was able to come and see her dance.  After the recital, we went to Sweet CeCe's to celebrate with frozen yogurt.  What a special day!

Before the show.

Ansley is the 4th from the left.

Ansley is the 6th from the left.

Miss Trina, my dance teacher, was so sweet to come watch Ansley dance today.  

Thanks for making the trip, Trina, especially after your recital last night!

JenJen and Joe were there, too!

And, Grandad and Uncle Scott.

And, Grammy and Beth.

And, Su, Da, Hilary, and Baby Case (his first dance recital!)

Kisses from Ansley…..

Olivia did great at the Fun Run and Dance Recital, too.  I also took her to her Sunday School class this morning.  I stayed with her the whole time, but I want her to get familiar with the surroundings.  I will start to leave her for short periods of time in the coming weeks.  She warmed up to her teacher pretty quickly, so that's a good sign.  She's pretty good natured and doesn't seem to freak out when I leave a room, or even the house for that matter.  So, I'm hoping that is good news in the separation anxiety arena.

This week will be a fairly busy week for us.  I am looking forward to introducing her to some more friends of mine.  I hope she behaves!  :)

I hope you all have a great week!

Jill