Round 'em up

Today the girls had kindergarten roundup. How could they be old enough to go to kindergarten already? They were both super excited. AnLi changed her clothes three times before we left. Um, she's 5!! They each went to separate classrooms and did some art and had snacks while the parents stayed in the gym and listened to speakers and took a tour.

I can't believe the things they do in kindergarten! They don't even have chalkboards anymore. They use smart boards, where they also watch the school announcements every morning that are recorded live by third and fourth graders from a full TV studio suite. They have lockers, go to art, music and gym, computer lab and library. They have a fitness club that meets before school if they want to take walks or just do some exercising in the morning. They have a free breakfast every morning before school that they could partake in. I was talking to my sister and she was talking about her kindergarten teacher and I about mine, how we both remembered them so vividly all these years later. That first year of school can have such an impact on your life, so I hope they both really love it - as much as they did today.

They both had a GREAT time. This is the same school Carli goes to now, so she was right at home. She knows her way around and many of the teachers/staff already. AnLi wants to go to school there NOW! She doesn't understand she has seven months to wait.

I left my camera in the car, but we had to get a quick shot of them by the school, and only one since it was freezing out!


Afterwards we went to BK for lunch and some play time before preschool.
The two littles hamming it up for the camera.

Names

On New Year's Eve we saw the Squeakquel, and ever since then the girls have been performing some Chipette routines for us. AnLi has renamed herself Brittany (or Bertny as she says it), Carli is Eleanor and I'm Jeanette. She has us all do our hair the way they have theirs and we must each wear the respective color they don in the movie.

Eleanor in green - two ponies
Brittany in pink - one pony up high
Jeanette in blue - one very high pony


AnLi tells EVERYBODY her name is Brittany. She told them at school, at swimming, the store, anywhere we go. When we say goodnight, she reminds us that her name is Bertny and Carli is Eleanor.

Here they are with their band instruments, hair in the proper positions. AnLi did change into pink shortly after this.





One day when AnLi was supposed to be taking a nap, she came down in too small Chinese outfits. She couldn't reach the shirt that goes with the pants, so she got her size 2 winter jacket. She asks just about every day when their new Chinese dresses for Chinese New Year are coming. Hopefully they'll be here soon!


And back to the subject of names - We've been talking a lot about the girls' Chinese names. AnLi's is Li Xiao and Carli's is Wen Ye. We do know from our paperwork that they called AnLi Xiao Xiao, and we heard the nannies call her that on adoption day. We also always call Carli "Carli Jo Jo". We almost always say that. Yesterday AnLi decided that along with Brittany, she'd like to be called AnLi Jo Jo. I explained that Jo Jo was Carli's nickname, but maybe we could call her AnLi Xiao Xiao and she thought that was a good idea.
So now I'm not sure what I'm supposed to call her - Brittany or AnLi Xiao Xiao. LOL!
And next week it might be something else.

Saying Good-Bye

I have several posts to catch up, but need to start with this one. My grandpa, who was 97, passed away on January 9th. He lived a wonderfully long and great life. He's an example to all of us. Up until a couple of years ago he still walked a mile or two a day (around his car in the garage if it was cold out) and sat in his recliner and lifted weights (jars of rice). I have so many great memories of he and my grandma -too many to list. What it does make me realize again is that my kids will never have any memories of my dad, who passed away in 2002. Don't get me wrong, the girls are spoiled rotten by their two grandpas they have now, Papa and Grandpa Pat, and love every minute they get to spend with them, building lasting memories. But I just wish my dad could have met my two amazing little girls. He would have loved them and they would have adored him. He was amazing and I miss him every single day.



While it was a sad time, we did get to see some family whom we haven't see for years. The girls got to meet their second cousin Xander, a total cutie, and the girls had a great time playing with him and their cousins Kiya, Kyle and Sydney . Mom took us out for dinner one night and then Kolene had us all over the next night for dinner, and it was great to see all of the "big" kids and the littles enjoying the get-together and spending time with extended family.

Xander, Kyle, AnLi and Carli