Lyra's Spring Piano Recital

Bill missed the first song but here is Lyra's second song, "Money Can't Buy Everything" AKA "Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay." She did a great job!

Will and Lyra do the Macarena!

Lyra picked this up pretty quick!

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Cutest cotillion ever!

Lyras's been dying to dance all of cotillion season and she is finally getting a chance! Will has really looked after her all evening. He took her under his wing during the class dinner and shared his very enormous dessert with her. I think the girls in his grade might be impressed.

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Lyra Learns to Swim

Here is Lyra at the end of her second week of swimming lessons and it's going really well! This is much better than last year's experience at the pool. Lyra is learning to swim for the wall, flip to her back to rest and float, and then flip back to swim. And this from a girl who, two weeks ago, refused to put her face in the water. Kudos to Miss Sarah!

Sorry the video is a bit long. I personally do not have the patience to sit through videos at all but this is cute and the length of the video actually matches the song (that never happens!)

A Chip Off the Old Block - Lyra Under My Desk Playing On Keyboards

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Photo: Blue Tongued Alien (Lyra after a blue rasberry lollipop)

Lyra loves lollipops that turn her tongue bright colors. She just finished a blue raspberry pop. The photo is processed through Plastic Bullet for added spookiness.

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Bill & Lyra in the Big Pool

While Lyra enjoyed the kiddie pool, she was even more enthusiastic about swimming with me in the big pool.  She would hold my hands and jump into the water so I could catch her *endlessly* - I never tired her out, I always called quits first.  She seems to have very little fear of the water, and occasional mishaps where she got dunked did not phase her at all.  

The new pool at Chaa Creek is pretty and well designed for older and younger guests.  It is also close to the bar and restaurant and has service from both (which the kids figured out very quickly).  The only problem is that the limestone tile around the pool is polished and is like ice when it is wet.  Chaa Creek management is aware of the issue and working to fix it, but the pool would never have been allowed to open at a US resort.  Eva fell most often, but Will took the worst fall, having his feet go out from under him on the stairs and ending up with a horrible bruise on his lower back.

Lyra *loves* the Water

The new pool at Chaa Creek was a big hit with all the kids, especially Lyra.  In addition to the main pool, there is a lower level 'kiddie pool' that is about 18" deep.  It is deep enough that Lyra can jump in knees first, but shallow enough that we did not worry too much about her while she was in the water.  She loved it and played for hours.

Sister Support

This is Eva holding Lyra's hand while we fly.  In reality, Lyra did not seem to have any issue with the small plane at all, actually telling me later she preferred it to the bigger jets.  I suspect this was partly because we flew 20min from Placencia to Dangriga, landed for five minutes to take on two passengers, and flew 15min more to Belize City.  Much easier than three hours from Belize City to Houston.

Lyra's first leo

Lyra is going to her first big girl tumbling class. She is SO EXCITED. She even has a new leo in her size! I really hope she doesn't have to go to the loo during class!

Lyra Turns Three!

A little belated but here's a little something from Lyra's birthday. Her birthday was spread out over a period of time because it is so close to Christmas. But she did have a small family birthday party with Grammy and Coach. She had lots of fun and loved opening all her presents, even though she did not know wost most of them were. She knew what to do with all of them but didn't necessarily know the word for it so people kept asking her "Lyra, what is it?" And she'd shout "I don't know!"

Lyra likes sour cream

She is eating it directly out of the little cup. I consider this reviolting but Lyra (and Eva too) consider me to be unenlightened.

Lyra goes to the dentist

Let's hope she gets to pick a prize out of prize bucket. This is at the beginning of the visit. Will was cooperative for his first dentist check up. Eva was suspicious. I didn't know if Lyra was going to follow in her footsteps.

Lyra's Last Day of School

Today was Lyra's last day of school before Christmas break.  Her class ended early so she could go to carol singing and get a candy cane (in her right hand) and a sleigh bell (around her neck). 

She had a great time and actually sang a few songs (Jingle Bells).   

Lyra Decorating the Tree

Lyra is almost 3 years old, and this is the first Christmas that she has been 'in the moment' in terms of all the activity and expectation.  She knows all about presents, Santa, going to get the tree, etc.  As soon as we got the tree home she wanted to decorate it, and when we finally set the tree up, she had the honor of hanging the first ornament.  

Lyra Got a Haircut

Lyra officially looks like a little girl now. I'm a little bit sad but also excited not to have to cut any more tangles out of her hair. She likes her new do! Will and Eva were not so sure yesterday when the deed was done but they are used to it now.

We shouldn't have to get it cut for another year now, although I expect we will because Lyra likes to go to the beauty shop and have her hair done. She is such a girlie!

I am realizing that there are many many posts on this blog related to Lyra and Eva's hair. I might have to make that its own category.

Look at Lyra's Hair!

Had trouble getting this photo, this was the best I could do. Isn't her hair funny? We have a couple of tents that are worth well beyond whatever we paid for them in terms of the amount of fun the kids have had with them. A special feature of the tent is the static electricity it generates, especially in the winter!

Lyra slept through the entire meal and woke up just in time for pie. We did manage to get her to eat two helpings of turkey and sweet potatoes before she got her own pie. She really dug in!

What's Fun?

After we arrived and got settled into our cabin, we went to happy hour, and it was happy! See Eva and Lyra having a good time? Our cabin was very close to the lake and there were canoes, kayaks and small sailboats to take out. There were hiking trails populated with fungi in every color of the rainbow because the summer had been so rainy and wet. Lyra was especially fascinated with the mushrooms. There was also a game lodge and one very exciting bingo night! Will insisted on staying through the entire thing.

Will and Eva Discover Waterskiing

One of the greatest things about Migis was the ski boat that was at the dock every afternoon to take anyone who wanted to go skiing around the lake. Younger kids went on a boogie board behind the ski boat. More advanced skiers did the slalom ski. We stuck with plain old water skiing and it was lots of fun even when it was cold. (Notice that photos of Bill and me waterskiing are conspicuously absent!) Lyra was afraid of the ski boat for the longest time. However, she says next year that she wants to "tummy board."