Second Gold Belt!

David tested for his gold belt in Taekwondo on Monday night.  He did so awesome!

Because of his broken arm, we had a long time to look for a karate school.  We looked and looked.  We finally settled on a nearby Taekwondo studio.  It's quite different from Karate America in Verona (which I highly highly recommend!), but we think it will work out well.

Because the memorized forms are somewhat different, David started as a white belt (again!).  But he was a really good sport about it.

Monday night was his belt test, and he rocked it!  He was one of the best, if not the best, and he knew it.  What a great feeling to tell your kid, "You did awesome," and they really did and they totally know it!  He has worked hard, stayed focused, and been disciplined--and it paid off.  We are so proud of David!  (Even Mary was beaming with pride, and she's tough critic.)

The final step in the belt process is breaking a board.  David hadn't done it before, but he was prepared.  He did it on his first try!  Yay, David!  He took the board pieces and held them in the air, jumping for joy.  It was great.

Good job, David.  We love you.

Watch David's belt test HERE and smile with pride!

Sara Receives Rosie the #1 Mom Bear

Last video link I'm posting today.  It's a cute one!  (Recorded sometime in September, I believe.)

Sara Receives Rosie the #1 Mom Bear

Sara crawls!

Sara really can crawl.  See HERE.  This was recorded before Thanksgiving--now she is a little speedy Gonzalez and loves to go on her own independent adventures around the house.  (How did she get so big?)

Mary ballerina

It was Observation Day at Mary's ballet school the week before Thanksgiving.  Since Greg won't be here for the next observation day or the big spring recital, he took the camera and enjoyed a little daddy-daughter time.  (Meanwhile, David had the fun task of going to Costco with Mom and Sara!)

 There must be a dance school on every corner here.  Still, we struggled to find the right place for Mary to continue ballet.  (We miss Ballet U!  It is a very special place, and I highly recommend it.)  Finally, based on the recommendation of a trusted friend, we settled on a large dance school in the neighboring town.  They teach all kinds of dance there, but their ballet program is strong and focused on the fundamentals.  I also appreciate choices they have made at the school to keep their programs fair, positive, and well-organized.

Mary's class is on Friday night!  I was worried she would be exhausted.  But she is a champ!

I think she gets a little tired sometimes.  But she is focused and disciplined.  The class is made up of first through third graders, making her the youngest.  But she more than holds her own--the instructor was wowed on Mary's first day.

She is so serious during class--I always worry that she's miserable.  But after class she always bounds out of the studio with a smile on her face and declares that she loved it!

We are proud of how hard Mary works.

I am grateful Greg had the opportunity to see her dance.

And I'm grateful that he took the camera!  See the video footage HERE.  At the end the children perform a short dance to part of the The Nutcracker.  You can see the joy Mary experiences in performing.

Will Sara crawl?

See HERE.

Sara and her sweet little growl

I have a video that goes along with this post.  That growl of hers is a signature--everyone recognizes it as Sara's baby noise.  (It's the background noise in Sunday School.)  She's been making that noise since she was three or four months old.  Whenever she's concentrating, she growls.  Greg and I joke that she'll still be doing it when she takes the SAT!

6 minutes of not crawling

If you would like to watch six minutes of Sara not crawling, go here.

Sara videos

An effort to have some sort of record of Sara's babyhood.  (This is really for me and my kids, and maybe my mom.)

Mary holds Sara in the hospital

Mary reads to Sara on her first night home

Sweet David and 2 month-old Sara  gazing at each other lovingly

Sara, age 3 months, giggles for Mommy  and then Sara goes serious

Sara, age 3 1/2 months, tries out the excersaucer ... with help from David and Mary

Mary plays peek-a-boo with Sara, age 4 1/2 months and Mary makes Sara crack up

Mary and Sara play "police" (Sara is almost 6 months old)

Sara loves to kick her legs (a day shy of 6 months old)

Sara's funny baby noises, age 6 months

These are all very sweet to me.  Especially the ones of the David or Mary interacting with Sara.  What great kids I have.