Dance and Gymnastics

I'm sure some of you have already seen these pictures on facebook, but I thought I would post them for those that haven't.  Anna Claire has been taking ballet and tap since August of last year.  They are getting ready for recital in June and got to try on their costumes a few weeks ago. 

This is their ballet costume and they will be dancing to a song from Princess and the Frog. 

 This is their tap costume and I'm telling you, this is a dance you will not want to miss!!  The parents got a preview of it and it was hilarious!!

Anna Claire has been taking gymnastics on and off for about 2 years now.  We just recently changed from Murfreesboro to Tullahoma.  Tullahoma was closer and the time frame worked better for us.  Little did we know, it would also be a better gymnastics class for her age.  If you haven't seen the video on facebook, go check it out.  Miss Anna Claire can pull her legs up and flip over backwards on the bar, all by herself.  She is in a Mommy and Me class right now, so that allows me to help her, even though she really doesn't need it anymore.  She's old enough and strong enough to move to the next class, but she just doesn't want to yet.

As you can see, all I do on the balance beam is walk behind her with my hand on her back.  That gives her just the right amount of reassurance that she thinks she needs.  : )

 I do have to help her with her handstands because they flip on over in to the center of the circle on the one below.  It amazes me that when we first started the new class in February all she could do was stand on her head and now look as those "strong arms".  "Strong Arms" is her cue to push and hold herself up.

And I cannot remember if I shared or not that Anna Claire has moved in to her "Big Girl" bed.  She LOVES it and sometimes it secretly hurts my feelings that she wants to be a big girl and sleep in her bed.  : )

Her baby bed went to a toddler bed and then to a full size bed.  I was afraid she would just play on the foot board, so we left it off. 

Granny

My Granny (my Mom's Mom) passed away on March 14th.  I say my Granny, but she was everyone else's Granny too.  Momma had hoped before Anna Claire was born that she would call her Granny, but Anna Claire knew she only had one Granny and she decided to call my Mom, MeMe.  Granny passed away in her sleep.  I'm happy she went peacefully, but it was unexpected.  She had not been sick and I had seen her outside on Sunday night messing with her trash cans.  I can see her side door from our kitchen window, so any time I saw her outside messing with those silly trash cans, I made sure to watch her until she went in and shut the door.  She never knew how many days and nights I stood at the kitchen window watching her.

I explained to Anna Claire on Monday night that Granny had gone to live in Heaven with God and Baby Jesus, as she likes to call him.  It was the hardest conversation I think I have ever had to have with anyone.  I could tell that she didn't understand, so I didn't push it and just let her go back to playing.
 
By Wednesday my talk with Anna Claire was forgotten.  Anna Claire was taking pictures with her camera and asked Momma to go take a picture of Granny.  Momma wasn't prepared to have the talk with her, so she told her she wasn't at home.

Friday we had graveside services and as we waited for the service to start I saw a yellow butterfly.  Granny loved yellow butterflies, so I knew at that time that all was well with Granny.  I love her so much!!  After the services Cliff went and picked up Anna Claire at daycare and brought her to their house so she could visit.  She was outside with Cliff and Kerry and Kerry noticed she was at Granny's beating on her door and hollering for her.  This was totally normal for Anna Claire.  LOL!!  Kerry went over and sat on the steps with her and explained to her that Granny was in Heaven.  As he is telling me this story, I realize that I am glad it was him having this conversation with her and not me.  He told her that Granny wasn't at home, that she had gone to live in Heaven with God and Baby Jesus, and Anna Claire's reply was, "well Daddy, I can go in and pretend that she's at home."   You see why I was glad he shared that conversation with her and not me.  How do you respond to that?  Her innocence amazes me.

Sunday during the children's minute at church, Heaven was mentioned and she told everyone that her Granny was is Heaven.  I, along with half the church, had tears in my eyes.  It was tears of sadness, but more so tears of joy knowing that I get to share my life everyday with such a wonderfully sweet child.

We love you Granny and will miss you so much!  

FiRsT hAiR cUt AnD mOrE......

Anna Claire had her first haircut on March 7th.  She was so excited and loved every minute of it.  I think she felt like a "real" big girl getting her hair cut.  It wasn't much, she got her bangs trimmed and Sondra fixed the mullet she had going on.  LOL!!  She loved Sondra, as do we, and decided before we left that she wanted her hair the same color as Sondra's.  I don't think Daddy is going to go for it.  : )  She can't wait to get another hair cut.

The Friday before, Daddy took a vacation day from work and took "his girls" to get manicures and pedicures.  (don't mind the bandaids, she needed them for her fake boo boo's)

Other than that, we have just hung out,

 dressed up like Cindy Lou Hoo,

and took some naps.  : )

My Baby Girl..........

..........is just precious,

 ...........and entertaining,

.............but most of all one of the sweetest children that you will ever meet, even on a bad day.

Mommy loves you Anna Claire!!

Health

I know some of you have seen my posts on FB about all the tests that have been run on me.  So far I have had 2 CT scans, an Echocardiogram, 5 sets of blood work, and a 24 hour urine test.  The Dr still does not have an answer to this:

That up there showed up over night back in January.  I've been to see Dr. McGowan, as well, and even though it looks like it, I am not pregnant.  My blood pressure went wild for a little while, but now that I am no longet taking the "pill of death", as I like to call it,  my BP has gotten better.  The "pill of death" is HTCZ or Hydrochlorothiazide.  It's a water/BP pill that just made my BP sky rocket and I'm pretty sure it helped cause the above bc it all started when I began taking the HTCZ daily.  It caused lots of other side effects as well.  I did change Dr's a few weeks ago, which caused me to have the 2nd CT scan, the 4th and 5th sets of blood work, and the 24 hour urinalasis after I gained 7 pounds in about 4 days and had zero change in my eating habits or anything else.  He does seemed concerned and has scheduled me an appointment (since the last office didn't follow through) with an Endocrinologist.  I go see this Dr on April 1st, unless he deems me more needy and reschedules me for earlier after he sees my latest test results.  They sent those to him today.  The Endoctinologist is at Saint Thomas, so hopefully he will "fix" me.  In the mean time, I have joined MG Sports & Fitness to attempt to get whatever that is above, off of me!!

So, there you have it, incase you have been wondering.  : )