Pre-K Graduation

Maia is officially off to elementary school in the fall! She's a pre-K graduate! Eva is officially off to pre-school in the fall! She is a graduate of hanging out with me all day! And I am officially off to celebrate! 

I never went to pre-K. I'm guessing that most people my age never went to pre-K. We started off our school career in kindergarten. Not anymore. Apparently you now start with pre-school, then pre-K, THEN kindergarten. And a full day of kindergarten too, no half day here. I was a little shocked when it sunk in that starting in September Maia will be gone at school 5 full days a week. School just got real! 

I am happy that Eva will be starting pre-school at the same place Maia has been for the past 2 years - The Methodist Christian School. We have found a close-knit group of awesome friends at the Methodist church and the school has been great. We got lucky and when we moved to Durango in June of 2013; a neighbor mentioned the school, we called that day, and they just happened to have one opening in the exact class Maia was to be in. It was meant to be. 

Maia met her best friend the first day of school, she has loved every one of her teachers, she has grown up with the same group of classmates for the past 2 years, and she has learned more than I could have struggled to teach her at home (my patience could use a little work some days!). 

I just recently learned that Maia will be in the high school graduating class of 2028. Holy geez! Seems like forever. But stay tuned for that blog (or whatever the hip social media trend is then) when I post this pre-K graduation picture next to the high school graduation picture and say, "Where did the time go???"

Last day of Pre-K 2015

Miss Megan

Miss Ashleigh

Annual last day of school ice cream date

Hasta...

Dance-A-Polooza

This last weekend wrapped up another year of dance for the Garcia girls. Sent out in style with a weekend full of costumes and makeup and hair and recitals (this was all Magan...I can do a pretty awesome pony tail or side braid, but this weekend's requirements were way beyond my skill set)! 

This was Eva's first year of dance so she had a mini-recital at the dance studio. You wouldn't have known she wasn't on the big stage with her performance. She was so proud to show off! She has really come out of her shell since she started dance and her self confidence is obvious once she puts her ballet shoes on. The only thing she likes more than dance is her teacher, Miss Miriam. Thanks to Miss Miriam for making Eva's first dance experience so special! 

 

This is Eva's sign for "I Love You".

Maia did dance on the big stage in front of the big audience for the second year in a row. She was amazing! They danced to a song from the movie "South Pacific" and now Maia is obsessed with all the songs from that movie! I cannot even find the words to describe how cool it is to watch my girl perform in front of a sold out crowd during such a skilled show. Proud Daddy for sure! 

Thank you Durango Dance and all of the teachers (especially Miss Kristen, Miss Jessica, and Miss Miriam) for not only teaching my girls to dance but also for helping to grow their self confidence. See ya next fall dance class!

Hasta...

Mr. Mom

This month marks my 2 year anniversary since I became a stay-at-home Dad. I wrote a similar blog about this last year and said check in with me next year. Here we are... And to be honest, not a lot has changed. 

Magan is still working her same job, we still live in the same house in Durango, Maia and Eva are still involved in their same activities, and I am still staying home attempting to keep the same 2 (well 3 if you include Magan) girls happy, healthy, and productive. 

What has changed is my approach to this "job" and other people's reaction to my family's "arrangement". Me staying at home is no longer an experiment. I no longer feel like I am trying to figure out how to do this thing. Most people are no longer surprised when I show up at school/activities/appointments with the girls instead of Magan. This is officially our lives and it doesn't feel temporary anymore. 



I won't claim to have everything under control. Just as I am settling into this role, Maia will start kindergarten 5 days a week in the fall (starting at 7:50 am each day so wish me luck...we struggle to make the 9:00 am start at pre-k) and Eva will start preschool a couple of days each week. I will have a few hours of kid-less free time on my hands each week in the very near future. And I am beginning to think about what to do with myself during those hours. Going back to work full time not an option if Magan continues her job. And she digs her job so I don't see that happening anytime soon. I'm not complaining! Soon enough both of my girls will be in school full time and won't need such hands on parenting so I am truly soaking up every opportunity I have to hang out at the library and the park and play puzzles and princesses. 



The changes coming in the near future have had me thinking recently about the last few years. I have been given a really awesome gift of being able to be so present in my daughter's young lives. As a Dad to two daughters, there are a couple of life skills that are absolutely required. There will be test on these requirements at some point in the future:
• Using tools properly
• Basic car maintenance 
• Driving a standard 
• Throwing a baseball 
• Throwing a punch (for self protection of course...preferably not on your sister) 
• Understanding the basics of sports
• Doing a real push up
• A strong handshake 

This list is intentionally "masculine" and limited to things that I can do well and know I can teach my daughters (if you take offense...don't). 



Of course, there is the list of things that I hope for my daughters (things we all hope for our children), but I cannot teach necessarily them: 
• Happiness
• Health
• Success (whatever that means for them)
• True love



And then there are those things that I hope I am actively instilling in my girls. With the daily grind and all the other lessons we are responsible for teaching (i.e. the reading, writing, arithmetic stuff), these are the things that I am really focused on and can only hope that this stay-at-home Dad business is making an impression on:
• Kindness
• Self confidence 
• Humbleness
• Silliness 
• Compassion
• Independence 





Check in with me this time next year. If I am lucky, I will, once again, be able to tell you not a lot has changed! 

Hasta...

Happy 5th Birthday Maia!

We are wrapping up what has turned into almost a week long celebration for Maia's 5th birthday...like Father like Daughter I guess (I tend to claim at least a week for my birthday as well)! 

Maia chose to go painting with 13 of her best friends for her party. We took over The Clay Room (literally) and created an organized mess. Each kid got to pick and paint something, which they really seemed to like...for the whole 5 minutes they actually painted. The giant chocolate chip cookie Maia choose instead of cake seemed to be more of a draw then the actual painting process. But for having 14 kids and several sets of parents in a small area with a lot of paint, glass, water, juice, and snacks, I would say it was a success! Nobody and nothing was broken and all the kids were very proud of their artwork. Maia's friends made her feel very special and she was spoiled with way too many gifts. We are lucky to have met and become friends so many awesome families here in Durango!  

The next day Maia got to wear the special birthday crown and bring brownies to school. Once again, she felt very special (and when your snack choice is carrots or brownies...I'm pretty sure you know who's going to be your best snack time buddy)! 

Today, March 10th, is Maia's actual birthday. Instead of breakfast pancakes, she chose to go to gymnastics in the morning, so we found ourselves at Denny's for dinner. Classy, I know. But Maia's birthday, Maia's choice... Pancakes for dinner followed by Cold Stone. Good thing birthday's only come around once a year with that menu!

The last birthday request is going to the movies to see the new Cinderella movie this weekend. Birthday week almost complete! Happy Birthday Sugar Bear! You continue to grow into such a beautiful and smart and kind girl each day. 

Hasta...

P.S. Here is what you looked like exactly 5 years ago today! I didn't know I could love you anymore than that moment...but I do! 

Snowburners 2015

Maia just finished an 8 week ski school program called Snowburners, and guess what...she can ski...really well! This was quite possibly the best money spent on any activity yet. She went every Thursday for 3 hours for the past 8 weeks. 3 hours was just enough time to keep her attention and wear her out without pushing her into the meltdown zone. 

And she LOVED it! I had to drag her off the slopes each week. She took to skiing like a duck to water (or however that saying goes). The first couple of weeks I sent her off with her instructor, Coach Tim, and the rest of her class with a prayer for no broken bones or crushed spirits. After a few weeks, I found her class on the mountain and rode just far enough behind that I could watch but not be seen. At one point she skied too close to the edge of the run, fell, and got stuck in some powder. She called for Coach Tim, he got her out, brushed her off, put her gloves back on, and off they went. Any parent knows, if that had been me skiing with her, she would have had crying fit about snow in her clothes and how something was hurt, but not with Coach Tim. 

Week after week, these little kids just got better and better! It was crazy to watch them get on the BIG lifts and navigate BLUE runs with all the other skiers. They even rode the half pipe some weeks. These kids had total trust in Coach Tim and followed him wherever like little ducks (another duck reference...). After a few weeks, Maia was telling me about the runs she rode by name, like she had been skiing Purgatory forever. I put a dollar in her pocket each week and she even bought her own hot chocolate at the warming hut (The Powder House is what is called apparently, she reminded me...), like a pro! 

Seriously, this kid was made for a pair for skies. And that was the biggest shocker of all. I really did not think this activity would go well with her aversion to cold and her dramatic attitude, but she's a natural. After her last lesson, she and I decided to ride together for a while. I told her that I would follow her and she lead the way. She stopped to make sure I was behind her occasionally and bombed down mountain. I had 4 people comment on how awesome she was! As a guy who played a lot of sports growing up, having 2 girls, and hearing the constant question "Aren't you going to try for a son?", I couldn't be more stoked to share this sport with my daughter! 

(Maia is in the pink helmet)

Hasta...

Dance Dance Eva!

Eva couldn't wait to turn 3 so she could go to dance class just like her big sister. She has patiently waited, watching all the other girls from the window, until now!

She just completed her 4th week of creative dance, observation week, and it might have been the hardest one for me yet. It's official, my baby is growing up! She doesn't hesitate to tell me goodbye and run off with the her little dance friends. She joins right in (she is not shy) and listens so well. She is so happy to be independent for that hour each week. 

From dance to gymnastics to bike riding, Eva really has proven to be quite the little athlete. She is so goofy and clumsy at home, but get that girl into an activity and she really excels...she's a natural! 

I would say that I am so proud of my baby, but she has recently started reminding me that, "I'm a big girl Daddy!" Oh ok...

Check out that form.

Hasta... 

Eva's Big Girl Haircut!

Look how beautiful and grownup she looks!

 

 

Hasta...