Trick or Treat!

By MAGGIE WANG

We started the morning with a birthday party at My Gym in Manhattan Beach to celebrate the 3rd birthday of one of Maven's classmates, Riley. Our girls love My Gym and run around with such ease there. It's adorable.

Andrea and her daughter Regan are sitting next to the girls in the left photo. Andrea is my fellow room mom in Maven's class. Maven is in a Texas A&M cheerleading outfit, and Sedona is Snow White (to ensure we don't get our "real" costumes dirty for the evening trick-or-treating).

Girls in their "real" Halloween cheerleading gear with Riley and Sophie at the Abes' new house in Palos Verdes Estates.

Sedona had a great time running to the houses, ringing the door bells, yelling "trick or treat" and running back to me to show me her candy. It was so cute! Maven, on the other hand, was a little scared of the spookiness of the day but managed to draw adults who really wanted to bring her to the door to get candy.

All the girls at the door: Mia (Sophie's school friend), Riley, Sedona, Maven and Sophie.

Annual School Photos

By MAGGIE WANG

We got our school pictures for this year ... and here are some October work projects the girls did, too.

Sedona's classroom

 School picture! I think she looks very similar to last year... though, it feels like she has changed a lot in a year so it is surprising to see that.

  

 Maven's classroom.

 Maven's first school picture ever! So cute!



Montessori Harvest Festival

By MAGGIE WANG

The annual Montessori Harvest Festival (Kevin missed it again because he was with the Lakers in Phoenix) was a lot of fun, albeit exhausting. We arrived at school at 8 a.m., to start setting up Maven's classroom booth. I worked her booth until it was time for Sedona's class to go out at 10 a.m. and experience the festival.

This booth had silly bands. I've seen them in stores but thought nothing of it -- yet of course, Sedona knew exactly what they were and was so excited to get three! She is with Katie Meggers (with whom we play often outside of school) and Keller (his birthday party is Saturday at Spectrum in Redondo).

Sedona took time out to eat lunch with Jack Fisher, a boy in her class last year whom she didn't like much because he "roared" as part of a playground game. But she is now super-friendly with him in the new class -- although Kevin wasn't thrilled that Sedona let Jack Fisher pull on the loose sole to one of her shoes, making for more Super Glue repair later. (The first day Sedona wore the repaired shoes, one sole was still a tad loose, but Sedona told Kevin after school that she didn't let Jack Fisher pull on it it this time!)

At 11a.m., it was time for Maven's class to head out to the festivities ...

Maven seemed to have fun, even though everything felt very new and different for her.

Maven's First Haircut

By MAGGIE WANG

After Kevin cut Maven's bangs just a little too short, we opted for a haircut with a professional at First Cut at the Promenade on the Peninsula in Rolling Hills Estates.

I mean, Maven's hair going in wasn't that bad. (She looks absolutely adorable here in the photo above with her pal Belle.)

The finished product! Isn't she still even more adorable?! Is that possible?

(I know! I know! I'm clearly her biased mom!)

Montessori Open House 2010

By MAGGIE WANG

Today was Open House at school for Sedona and Maven to show us their classrooms and what they have been doing while away from us.

Sedona has three teachers: Miss Valerie, Miss Traci and Miss Marisa -- with Miss Traci being clearly her favorite (and vice-versa!). When we drop her off at school, she immediately wants to go to Miss Traci. It's very sweet. She told Kevin last week that Miss Traci hadn't been in the room much (she also has administrative duties at school), clearly missing her.

I got a chance really to talk to Miss Traci about Sedona during Open House, and she continued to rave about how smart Sedona is for her age. :) She also said that Sedona is shy but not meek or timid. She has a strong sense of self. It takes a while for her to trust you, but when she does, she is loyal. She has a lot of friends. She loves being the line leader but doesn't enjoy being the center of attention -- so if it is her turn to announce something to the class, she'll ask the teacher to do it for her.

Sedona told us that her favorite part of the classroom is the library and has giggled when telling us the story of when the teacher tells the kids to "lay" down to nap -- and Sedona will correct the teacher. (This has clearly been a recent point of emphasis at home with Kevin, and Sedona has been fully on board.) Miss Traci confirmed it all today: She said Sedona corrected her by saying, "Excuse me! You said 'lay,' but it is 'lie.' "

It is super fun to see that Maven may not be in the classroom with Sedona, but she is still thinking of her little sister.

As we've said before on the blog, Maven is in Sedona's old classroom -- and I am the room mom. When Maven walked in tonight for Open House, her friend McKenzie popped up with such joy, hopping up and down, that her mother was surprised to see what good friends they are. It was nice to finally meet her parents.

Miss Valerie was telling me stories about how funny Maven is, saying little funny, mature things that crack the teachers up. Miss Valerie said Maven will tell a story and then say, "Well... you need to come to my house and see."

Maven was looking at a group picture of her class and telling Kevin how her best friend in class was McKenzie and then her next-best friend was Bailey. She had previously told Kevin that Darby from her class was not a good listener, and tonight she added Jakey to that naughty list. When Kevin asked who were the best listeners, Maven said: "Me, McKenzie and Bailey." Kevin told Miss Valerie, who chuckled and said: "Well, we have a good group here, but you guys are good listeners!"

Maven missed school yesterday because she woke up to her right ankle swollen. It was the strangest thing. She was fine the night before. Then somehow it got hurt, so we kept her home from school -- although she wasn't that unhappy about it and was willing to try and walk on it periodically without success. After her nap, she was able to limp on it and by the evening, she was good. Today, she said that it hurts a little run, so we suggested she maybe not run! ;-)

Pumpkin Carving with the Chus

By MAGGIE WANG

When we Sedona spotted her first pumpkin of the fall season at Trader Joe's earlier this month, she immediately said, "Uncle Jason!" I asked, "Do you want Uncle Jason to carve pumpkins with you again? Do you remember what you made with him last year?" She eloquently said, "Yes! Wubbzy! And Maven was sleeping" -- which I totally did not remember.

So Uncle Jason and Sedona have been planning for weeks for the big pumpkin carving day! 

Anita and Jason showed up with cupcakes from Susie's Cakes in Manhattan Beach (a favorite of ours) for the ninth anniversary (Oct. 20) for my friendship with Anita. I am forever grateful for it!

 Jason decided that he needed to lick his cupcake wrapper because it was so yummy. Not surprisingly, a 2-year-old we know copied him.

 While everyone else was finishing their cupcakes, Sedona decided to show off her penmanship by writing "Jason and Anita."

 Now time for the fun! Sedona topped her Wubbzy request from last year by asking for a princess pumpkin face this year, which made Uncle Jason very nervous.

 Girls looking inside at all the guts.

Girls (of course) not willing to get their hands dirty, so our guests have to do the dirty work!

 It is clear that Sedona and Uncle Jason have a special bond. Maybe it is because Sedona is secretly Uncle Jason's favorite? (Wait, I guess not a secret anymore.) She seems to sense it. Look at the admiration and delight in her eyes as she watches him work.

 Sedona tries to help carving ... for all about two minutes but it was a contribution.

Anita & Jason actually carved the pumpkins -- with no help from me either. Sorry!

The finished products!

The skeleton/cat on the left was carved by Aunt Anita for Maven because she wanted a cat. I was impressed. The "princess" on the right was carved by Uncle Jason for Sedona. We love this tradition with our Chus. Thank you!

 Aunt Leslie came by at the end to play with the girls before bedtime.

 She brought Hello Kitty ball and bag treats from Japan. Thank you!

Before we could end the night, Sedona had to challenge Uncle Jason to a game of Uno, which we've been playing with her since she discovered it on our summer cruise. After Uncle Jason won the first time, they decided to play two more!

Can you tell who is about to win Game 2?

And well, the third game didn't quite have the same results. It was not only a loss for Sedona, but Uncle Jason had her picking up so many cards that she couldn't even hold them anymore. She ended the game with six cards; that was an accomplishment. Sedona was pouty afterward, but after speaking with her about it, it wasn't because she lost, it was because she was really tired. It was a long and fun day.