April Fool!

Emily and Zachary were going to play at Busia's and Dziadzia's today and Busia came to pick them up.

Busia walks in.
Emily: "Aunt Tamara called and said she can't come in this week."
(smile smile, snicker snicker)
Busia: "OH NO. DID SHE SAY WHY?"
Emily: "April Fool's!"

Emily must've learned about April Fool's Day in school... she had been talking about how we were supposed to play tricks on each other this weekend. I think we got Busia good... (course we need to work on the smiling and snickering during delivery.)


Emily was invited to McKenna's birthday party yesterday... at Chuck E. Cheese's. Emily was so excited, I don't think she slept Friday night! And what a treat to walk in and have 3 little girls run up to Emily and see them all jumping and screaming. 'Course, there's more of Momma in Emily than we probably realize... and even though she knows all these friends, and likes them all, she still clung to momma's leg for... oh the first hour. After that, she was much better... of course after that, Momma was ready for the party to be over!

Here Emily's at the table w/ her friends. 9 friends total... most all of them her "old" friends from the 3's room. (Ever since she turned 4, she (and probably momma and daddy too), couldn't wait for Emily to move to the 4's. We knew she was ready! However, while they are pretty free to move children throughout the different rooms... once you get to the 3's moving slows down. And it makes sense... after 3's is 4's and after 4's is kindergarten. And that's based on the school year... SO, you can't just move kids out of the 4's room... so unless there's some other change of enrollment, kids are in the 3's until there's a spot to move into the 4's.) SO we couldn't wait for Emily to move into the 4's... and after the first 2 weeks, we wish she were back in the 3's. We really miss the teachers, and the friends... and it seemed so much more warm and inviting, (you know, where everybody knows your name...). I have yet to meet the 4's head teacher... (the 3's teacher left us a welcome note right away for Emily's first day... and also often on her progress). Daddy drops off in the morning... and there are no hellos/goodbyes, and more of the same when momma picks up in the afternoon. Humph. I don't even know who to complain to... as I don't know the teacher... and what am I supposed to say... I don't think your room is very friendly/inviting/informative/cooperative for the parents??

OK, so aside the aside... Emily's been in the 4's room for a couple weeks, and it was a big treat to see all her old friends at the party! (Save for the huge adjustment time it took her to get warmed up.) OH, and Chuck E.... well we didn't care for him either!

Here's two of Em's favorite friends... been together since their worlds began... (well about 12 weeks old anyway.) Hannah and McKenna (the birthday girl.) In fact, when Emily and McKenna were babies (like they still aren't to me... but NEWBORNS), and had no hair, they looked very similar. They had the same coloring, and face shape and quite a few times going into the infant room I had to double-take to see who was which....

Early in the day, the friends wanted to climb up to the tunnels (at the ceiling) and go down the slide... well Momma wouldn't even want to do this (germs/close spaces/heights)... although I coaxed Emily to go along... apparently Emily is more like Momma w/ that respect too.. (although I'm sure fear of germs was not the hightest on her list.) However, she felt brave after pizza and cake, and called to Lily (the 4th muskateer) "LET'S GO DOWN THE SLIDE!" Yay! let's go....This is as far as they got... mid level 3... and then momma had to climb in and help Emily back out.

Then on to other fun, games and merry-go-rounds, and the roller coaster w/ McKenna and Carly... Phew, FINALLY, she can claim something from Daddy as momma also doesn't like coasters.

Time to pose in the camera booth... Lily, Emily, Carly and McKenna...
Two hours later and the place was packed, there were larger, meaner, ruder kids running around, Momma was tired, and the friends were all getting just a tiny bit crabby. It was SOOO nice to get into the truck and listen to nothing on the ride back home!