Dear Family and Friends,
They say that as you get older “times flies.” Now that I’m 3 years old I understand what “they” mean! So much has happened since I’ve last written to you, yet it seems like it was just yesterday…but it’s been a few months and I was only 2!
Since then I’ve had a fabulous birthday party! My pony, “Tony” threw a terrific bash at the Johnson’s Corral for me and 60 of my closest family and friends. Thanks to all of you who came to help me celebrate. A special thanks to Uncle Tommy and Naynay (Renee) for having it at their house, and to my Abuela who flew in from Florida for the party. Grandma and John Daddy helped with the festivities too! Don’t miss the photos in our Album by clicking here and check out the special slide show from the party below in the post about the birthday party.
Just after turning 3, I was off to school for the first time! I began preschool at the Spanish Schoolhouse in September. As I’ve mentioned, it’s an immersion program where they only speak Spanish to the students all day and you learn the language much like we learn English, by hearing it spoken and associating. It’s been a bit of a challenge but I’m catching on! I love my teachers and the kids in my class. We do some fun things too!
Our first “event” was Grandparents Day. Students invited their grandmas and grandpas and there was a breakfast where we all ate together. Grandma and John Daddy were planning to come, but the night before Grandma got really sick and didn’t think that they would be able to come to the special breakfast. She was really disappointed. But Mommy called Rita and Martin, my favorite friends and occasional babysitters and asked them if they could fill in as “honorary” grandparents the following morning. I was sooo excited that they came to the party. I just love Rita and Martin and they did a great job filling in for Grandma and John Daddy!
Last week at school we had our Fall Festival and we got to wear our Halloween costumes to school. I was a Space Shuttle Commander from NASA! I got this really cool suit for my birthday from Mrs. Busby and since I’d been to both the Kennedy and Johnson Space Centers this year I was REALLY excited about being an astronaut for Halloween. In fact, I loved my costume so much I wanted to wear it a lot! I even wanted to sleep in it but Mommy said astronauts didn’t sleep in their suits. I’m not so sure about that, I may have to call NASA to verify that. I did wear my costume to deliver Meals-On-Wheels a few days before Halloween and everyone thought I looked “very cute!” Anyway, we had a party at school and a parade and everything!! Then, the best part was trick or treating that night! I just love begging for candy, and strangers are much nicer about giving me candy than Mommy is!!!
Speaking of the Space Center, I’ve been to two air shows since I last wrote! The first of October we (Mommy, Daddy and I) loaded up the car and went to Houston for a really cool air show at Ellington Field Airforce Base. The Canadian Snowbirds Aerobatic Team were the main attraction and I’d been wanting to see them perform. I have a video of them flying and doing their tricks and I have watched it a million times, in fact I knew their maneuvers as well as they did! While we were there we spent a day at the Johnson Space Center, and I got to see an actual Saturn V rocket just like the ones that took the astronauts to the moon. It was so cool! We had a great time.
A few weeks later we were in Fort Worth for the Alliance Airshow to see my favorite Blue Angels perform. The Clendinnings went with us and Ella and I had such fun! She’s pretty cool about airplanes for a girl, but she doesn’t like the noise. Usually I don’t either so I’ve been wearing Daddy’s ear covers, but Ella needed them more than I did so I braved the loud roars of the turbines.
Ella and Logan and I also went to a really cool Pumpkin Patch and got our faces painted and went on a hayride! It was a lot of fun! On the hayride we stopped and fed the cows and donkeys. They had a playground, a hay house, and lots and lots of pumpkins.
Also since I last wrote my mommy went back to work! Just part-time, while I’m in school she is working at Allen Community Outreach. That’s where she used to work before she had me!! She really likes it there. Sometimes she takes me with her for meetings or to stop in to have lunch with everyone on days when I’m not in school. I’m glad she has something to do while I’m at school. I was worried that she would be lonely and not be able to find anything to do without me by her side!
Rebecca and I have been meeting for lunch a few times lately and playing together at the mall play areas. We’ve been having a good time running around and chasing each other! Our Mommies like it too because it gives them time to talk. Next week Rebecca and I are taking a cooking class together- I’ll let you know how that turns out!
Ethan and I had a playdate at the mall recently too, after we had our portraits taken in our Halloween costumes. You know how our mommies are- they like portrait studios and coupons! When Ethan’s mommy and mine get together you can bet we’re going somewhere for pictures!! Ethan was a rock star for Halloween and he looked very, very cool!
Well, it’s just a few weeks until Thanksgiving and my Abuela is coming to Texas! While she’s here we are going with my Grandma and cousins J.D. and Carley to Casa Manana in Fort Worth to see Frosty The Snow Man! Maybe we’ll see Santa while Abuela is here too! Downtown McKinney has a big Victorian Christmas weekend following Thanksgiving so we’ll probably take Abuela there too. Mommy and I have already had the “Santa Talk.” She told me that I have to talk to Santa personally to tell him what I want for Christmas. She also said that he won’t bring me anything if I’m bad. From your own personal experience, do you know this to be true?? It’s not that I don’t trust Mommy, but she does have some sly parenting skills… Email me and let me know if Santa has ever left you high and dry on Christmas morning for being bad! I may be in big trouble this year….
Check out the latest photos in our PHOTO ALBUM- Click here
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
LOVE YA, MARTY
Jean-Martin (MARTY) Vaneskahian
Email- marty@vaneskahian.com
p.s. FROM MOMMY—
Well it’s not wrapping paper or cookie dough, but Marty’s school fundraiser sells tamales from the Dallas Tortilla & Tamale Factory! They are pricier than what the Factory sells them for, but hey- it’s a fundraiser! Last year the school made $12,000 profit selling tamales! Funds raised this year will buy picnic tables, classroom materials, gym equipment, books and costumes for the annual school show.
If you’d like to order, let me know before Nov 28th, I’ll pick them up on December 6th and deliver them to you. They are $12 per dozen and you can choose spicy pork, beef, chicken or bean & cheese. If you pay me before Nov. 28th make the check to the Spanish Schoolhouse. If I collect afterwards make it payable to me!! Cash is good too. No pressure on this, but if you’d like tamales delivered to your door it will benefit a good cause! ~~Thanks, Marjorie
Marjorie Baker Vaneskahian
Email- marjorie@vaneskahian.com
