ballet & gymnastics

Last week, Reese started her first ballet class (cue the tears...) and gymnastics here. She loved them both. Her gymnastics place is low key, what you'd expect but ballet is a different story. It is a crack up. It is serious ballet. I'm talking hair can only be in a bun, parents can not watch, exact leotard, tights (down to the color) if they are 10 minutes late they have to watch the class...serious. I'm glad, I want her to be in the best one but it's still funny. She had the best time at the dance store picking everything out and spinning around. Mom and I were laughing the whole time. Here's our little ballerina...

and another...

Going in with Gigi...

And Ella and Reese after gymnastics...

Hugs... silly girls...

And chatting...

Erica and I (Ella's mom) are friends so we talked more than paying attention, so I only took one pic...

And one of Reese from forever ago...

Reese spent the weekend with Gigi, Boo, D, & Baby Penn at Boo's house so I could catch up on editing. She had an absolute ball! Back to a busy week!

3rd birthday party & children's museum!

It has been a busy couple weeks here! Reese is LOVING school so much. She just walks right in and puts up her folder, then her bookbag, then goes to her box & gets out her markers, scissors, whatever project they are starting for the day. It's the cutest. We went to Ashley's MJ party last week, me, mom & Reese and had fun! Then, this weekend after church, we met Ashley & Lux at the Atlanta Children's museum. It is the BOMB! Seriously, awesome and perfect for their ages. Dummy me, brought me camera but no memory card?!?! Awesome. It was so great and nice and cool inside in this miserable heat. The girls played in moonsand, performed on stage in costumes, went fishing (where Reese literally drenched the kids around her because she railed back like she was actually throwing a line...) painted on a wall, played in balls, milked a fake cow (but water actually came out), worked a UPS truck with a conveyor belt with boxes, played kitchen, grocery shopped, this was the most amazing place! We will be back soon and I hope to actually have proof that we were there next time! Here's the one pic I took with my point & shoot before it died! You can see Ashley's pics here...

And her 3rd birthday party was the best yet!! Reese had the best time (and it still thanking me for it!!) Everyone had a ball and Reese got her playground (that she now lives on), everyone just had a great time! Here's some pics...

Baby Penn fell out before the party even started...

close up...

My best friend Mhari is unreal talented! She did everything (I don't have this gene in me to do this kind of stuff...) for the party, everything on the table is all her creations! Thank you! Thank you Mhari!! The princess LOVED it!!

REESE sign...

napkins...

forks & spoons...

cupcakes...

I loved the cupcakes! Here's one design...

and another...

and the third...

tons of cupcakes...

more...

suckers for the girls: castles, princesses & carriages...

and frog suckers for the girls...

tiaras for the girls...

the goodie bags...

girl bags...

drinks...

and boy bags...

My Dad & baby Penn...

Jackson, Jill & Jeremy...

Noah enjoying his food...

Taylor, Rebecca & Phoenix...



pink cupcake face...

opening presents...

so fun...

this went by in a flash...

Ashley & Lux talking...

The bounce house....

Reese lived in it & was drenched after hours of bouncing...

Everyone watching from above...

Brooke & Noah...

I didn't take a picture of her playground(??) so I'll get one up soon! She loves it! Thank you Papa!! And thank you to the Braddy family for building it! Don't know what we would do without such great friends!! I had a great girls night out with Jill & Rebecca tonight with shoots all weekend! Lots of business ahead! I'll blog Reese's first ballet class and first gymnastics class (in Georgia) this week!

second day of school...

Today we pulled into the parking lot and Reese was so excited. Then, I open the door and she says (with the most dramatic face ever), "I can't get out of the car. I miss my Daddy too much." OMG. Five minutes later, she's laughing and excited to go in. She was a big girl, grabbed her coloring box and sat down. I told her bye & I loved her and she literally hardly glanced up. Now I'm the one leaving school sad. I did take a few pics this morning. Here is what she did when I said, "We're headed to school!!"

This is right outside her classroom...

and getting out her colors...

I know these pics are terrible but I was so proud that I've taken some lately. It is so easy to get burnt out when you shoot clients all week. I can't wait to go pick the little stinker up. I have to say, I looked into longer preschool for her (so I could actually get work accomplished while she was in school instead of at 3 am) but I MISS HER after 3 hours. I'm glad I didn't change her too, she knows all her friends, its at our church and the best preschool in our town. I can't get out of there without stopping to talk to everyone I run into (which is really good, except that I look like a hag in my workout clothes and not because I am working out, just bc I am too lazy to get myself ready) and I like that I've known lots of the people there for years. Literally, I can't wait til noon to pick her up!

1st day of school & backyard fun...

On Friday, we rushed over to meet Reese's new teachers for Open house (we literally ditched the 10 people at my house all working like slaves for Reese's party...) and really enjoyed it! Saturday, was her party and it was so much fun (I'll have pics up this week!). She keeps thanking me for "such a wonderful party, mama." Such a sweet girl, that Reese. Today, was her first day of 3 year preschool. I was a little worried as to how it would go but she was super excited. We pulled into the parking lot and she sees all the kids heading inside and says to me, "Maybe I should just stay home with you today, mama." (can you hear my heartbreaking?) I said, "Well, we're already here, why not trying it out." Otay, mama.
This is the only sucky picture I got, so I'll have to try again tomorrow. She was so good. She looked for her name on her box & found it right away, sat down and started coloring. She even waved bye to me. They put the little boy that I swear, never spoke all year last year next to her, think that was for a reason??? I'm thinking he's gonna learn the words, "shush Reese" really quick like.

I picked her and asked what she learned. She said "nothing." Awesome. Then she said they talked about got and the teacher said "Be Quiet." I'm thinking that much is TRUE. I'm deep in some editing, but here's a few from last week while my mom and Scott (aka the best friend ever) built her playground. Nice of me & Reese to watch while we licked our popsicles...

This is my favorite little smile...

Drama queen...

She's a laugher all day long...

And my sweet little angel face...

And one of my favorite little guy...penn...

We've had everyone here all weekend and really miss D, Boo, Penn & Papa already! I'm sure we'll all be together in the next week! Hope tomorrow is as good as today for school!