Broadway Debut!!

Charlotte had her Broadway debut today!!

Well, it was off off off off off off off off Broadway, but it was still a big day! :)

All week long my big sister has been attending Broadway Bound Camp at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater. She learned so much about being on stage and made lots of new friends. The camp ended with a short performance today at the theater. The production was called Princesses and Pirates. Can you guess which part Charlotte played? :)

Mommy recorded most of the show. She did miss one of the pirate songs because of a technical difficulty, but Charlotte was sitting down on the back of the stage for that song, so no harm done :) She recorded the show in 5 segments. Enjoy!!











We are so proud of Charlotte!! Broadway, here she comes!!

Just Another Day at the Castle..

Baby, You're a Firework!

Happy Birthday, America! Even though I am happy to celebrate the birthday of our country, I think I'll enjoy it a little more next year when I can participate in more of the festivities. I'm not allowed to stay up late, so I didn't go to see the fireworks with my family. I also missed out on some craft time - Mommy and Charlotte made some candy and goodie bags for their trip to Long's Park to see fireworks while I was napping.

Mommy and Charlotte made Jell-o Patriotic Popcorn and a bag to carry the goodies. Mommy, Charlotte, Daddy, Aunt Sammi and Auntie Tara all took one to the park (they made one for Nana, too, since she stayed home with me that evening.)

Charlotte loves to be crafty!

Auntie Tara loved her bag! It's too bad she wasn't smiling like this on the drive home. She thinks Daddy drives a little too fast...:)

Mommy, Daddy and Charlotte had a great time at the concert and fireworks. They said they missed having me there and are looking forward to taking me next year. I can't wait!!

Happy 4th of July!!

Kindergarten Graduate!

Charlotte is a kindergarten graduate!! Congratulations, Big Sis!! Here she is on her very last day as a kindergartener.
This is Charlotte on her first day as a kindergartener. What a difference a school year makes!

Charlotte was very sad to be leaving kindergarten, but luckily her last day was filled with lots of fun and games. She didn't have time to be sad! The mommies planned a great luau themed party to end the year. Charlotte loved playing pass the pineapple.

She was a bit slow on the relay race, but she sure did look cute :)

Run, Charlotte, run!!

Charlotte and her good friend, Sophia.

Charlotte with her BFF, Anna.

Charlotte is going to miss all of her classmates.

Charlotte and her amazing kindergarten teacher!

Mommy, Daddy and I are so proud of Charlotte. She received another outstanding report card, and she also received the attendance award for her class. She missed the least amount of days - only one (darned stomach flu!)

Watch out, first grade! Charlotte is ready for you!!

Claire's Canine Walking Services

Now that I am two, I have been awarded the privilege of walking one of our pugs. We took our inaugural walk this morning, and Trixie and I did great!!

Since we had such a lovely stroll, I thought maybe I could start my own dog walking service. I think it would be an easy way to make some extra hat money!

If you hire me to walk your dog, I'd give her special attention. I wouldn't let her walk too far ahead of me.

I would even let your dog pick the route!

I would always let her stop for a quick shake.

My only requirement is that your dog be at least ten years old and not walk too quickly. Oh, and your dog can't run after every squirrel, rabbit or horse that she sees. Your dog can't weigh more than 18 pounds. I'd also prefer it if your dog did her business before we went on the walk - I don't like stopping to clean up. Other than that, I'd welcome any dog on my strolls!!

I promise I will be very gentle with your dog... :)

Charlotte Clijsters

Watching Daddy play tennis for so many years has made Charlotte want to learn how to play, too. She really wants to go out on a court and spend some time with Daddy. She also really likes the outfits :)

Yesterday she finally went to her first clinic. I spent the afternoon with Nana while Mommy took her to the rec center. She looks ready to go, doesn't she??

The kids started off practicing with bean bags. Charlotte was able to keep hitting the bean bag for quite a long time!
Once they started working with the balls, it was time to practice the forehand.

Charlotte had trouble with the stationary drills, but once they did drills where she had to move to the ball, her racquet made contact a lot!

Charlotte said that she enjoyed the entire hour, and she wants to go back again next week. That means she'll need more tennis outfits, which I'm sure she will just dread shopping for... :) Charlotte is well on her way to hitting the court with Daddy! Now Daddy just needs to buy me my own racquet so I can get started, too!!

Crafty Charlotte

Charlotte has been a busy little bee lately while I am napping. She loves to craft, draw, paint and color. She told Mommy recently that she wants to be a clothing designer when she is a grown up - maybe she can design some fancy royal wedding hats for me!

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and if there's one thing that my mommy and Charlotte do, it's appreciate the hard, wonderful work that teachers do every single day. Charlotte wanted to make a handmade gift for her teacher and her librarian.

Charlotte wanted to give her something that she could use everyday, so she decorated a container that had lots of little compartments (Mommy and Charlotte got the idea from a craft blog that they like.) She glued some pretty scrapbook paper and a giraffe (Mrs Ditzler's favorite animal) to the top.

Then Charlotte filled it with lots of things that Mrs. Ditzler can use in her office! Charlotte was so excited to give it to her, and Mrs. Ditzler said that she loved it!!

Charlotte decided that she wanted to show her librarian how much she appreciated her, too, she she decided to make her button ribbon bookmarks. She made one with her first name initial and another with her last name initial. Charlotte was very proud of how they turned out!

Then Mommy found a template of a library check out card online - she printed it out and Charlotte wrote her message to Miss Barnett. She decorated the library card envelope and presented it with the bookmarks. Miss Barnett thought that Charlotte did a really good job making the bookmarks. :)

I hope that I get the same teachers that Charlotte has this year. Charlotte always talks about how much she loves school, so she really wanted to do something special for Teacher Appreciation Day.

I wonder what Mommy and Charlotte will do while I'm napping tomorrow...?!

I Don't Want Your Freedom

As some of you might remember, I took my sweet ol' time learning how to walk last year. It wasn't until the end of the summer that I finally put one foot in front of the other. Honestly, though - if someone was carrying you everywhere you wanted to go, would you bother learning to walk on your own?

Yeah, that's what I'm saying!

Anyway, now that I am walking and it is finally warm again, I can go out in the backyard with Charlotte and the pugs to play. We had some really nice weather a few days ago, so out to the back we went.

You'd think that with my new found freedom in the backyard, I'd be running all over the place like I was chasing a cupcake. Yeah, not so much. I decided that I was much more comfortable keeping watch over everything from the top of my slide. I didn't feel the need to go crazy with my new freedom. Mommy said that I spent at least 45 minutes sitting there while she and Charlotte played soccer. Everytime Mommy came close to me, I'd yell "Bye bye" and wave her off. I was enjoying my peaceful perch :)

I finally had to leave my spot when Charlotte decided she wanted to draw on the driveway. I was upset at first, but then discovered the joy of sidewalk chalk!

Charlotte later brought out her jump rope. She is getting really good!!

I have to do everything that my big sis does, so I tried my hand (er, I mean feet!) at jump roping. It's fun!

Blowing bubbles was a blast until Mommy told me that I wasn't supposed to eat the bubble wand. What fun is that?!

I'm thinking that maybe I should have walked sooner last summer. Maybe I do want freedom to be in the yard. Playing outside with my sister is fun!!

I hope you enjoyed my Wham! reference in the title, Auntie Tara :)

Sneaky Bunny!

Happy Easter, everyone! Since Mommy is trying to keep the blog current again, she decided that the baby of the family should now have the chance to narrate the posts. Charlotte has been narrating for the past FIVE years now (yes, this blog is that old. Mommy said she started it in February, 2006!), so we all figured it is my turn. Don't tell Charlotte, though - she doesn't like to lose a turn on anything ;)

Charlotte's Web and Claire's Lair is now under the control of me, CLAIRE ABIGAIL!!! :)

This is my first post. Please be kind!

We had a very nice Easter this year. The sneaky Easter bunny visited our house again. Why is he sneaky? It starts off with this note...

We had to find eight eggs that each held a clue as to where our baskets were hidden. Luckily, my big sis knows how to read, so she was able to follow the clues.

After some serious detective work, we found our baskets hidden in our playhouse. Mommy brought them out to the kitchen, and we were able to look through our Easter surprises.

Somehow the Easter Bunny heard about my hat obsession...
He also knows that I enjoy a nice pair of shades.

He guessed correctly that Charlotte loves anything to do with fashion and her favorite movie, Tangled.

He also guessed correctly that Charlotte enjoys Barbie.

After a lovely morning spent at our house, we went to visit Nana and JoePa's house for Easter dinner. I was so busy playing that I made it very difficult for Mommy to get a nice Easter photo of me with anyone...

Even a food bribe didn't help.

Yeah, I had too many things to do and to see to be bothered with any photos!

I was willing to show off my new Michael Jackson hat, though.

Easter Bunny? Are you there? Can you hear me now?

I love how this dress shows off my muscles!

Maybe I'll smile for a photo when I'm a big kid like Drew and Charlotte.

The day before Easter, we traveled up to Grandma Betsy's house for a yummy Easter dinner. That sneaky Easter Bunny hid eggs all over her apartment. Charlotte and I had a great time trying to find all of them!

Speaking of eggs - a few days before Easter, Drew and Charlotte colored eggs together. Reed and I weren't too interested in what they were doing. Who wants to color eggs when there are instruments to play and books to read? Drew and Charlotte sure did seem proud of their work, though.

Don't bother me about coloring eggs - I want to go on egg hunts and get the yummy stuff that is inside them. Last week we went to the middle school with our empty baskets and came home with very full baskets :) The little kids got to go first.

Even though I was more than capable of finding the eggs on my own, I let Charlotte think that she was helping me by letting her walk me around the field.

Look out!! Coming through with a heavy basket!

A bit of an embarrassing moment - someone forgot to tell me that the second egg hunt was for kindergarteners...

Once I was herded back to the sideline, Charlotte and the other big kids took off on their hunt.Charlotte didn't have too much competition.

Our friend Natalie came to the hunt with us. A five year old, a three year old and a two year old - unless you are Jessica Barnak, you aren't going to get a good photo of that group! Funny Mommy thought she'd get a nice shot...

The highlight of the egg hunt for Charlotte was the face painting. That girl is a sucker for paint on her face. Especially pink paint and butterflies.

Overall, we had a bunny-riffic Easter. Charlotte and Mommy got their Easter crafts on - I assumed they took a nap every afternoon like I do, but apparently they spend that time crafting. Silly girls. Here are the bunny cups that Charlotte made for Drew and Reed.

Charlotte also made these very pretty vases.

Daisies for Nana...

...and tulips for Grandma Betsy.

We hope you all had a lovely Easter!!