Dear Family and Friends,
Whew...it's a hot summer already! But I'm sure trying to keep cool and I hope that you are too! I'm currently taking swimming lessons at the Cooper Aerobics Center and having a great time in their super-gigantic, double-Olympic-sized pool. I'm sure they'll ask me to become an instructor myself by the end of the summer. All of the coaches just love me, especially Coach Stephanie...they tell Mommy that I'm such a "cutie" and "such a little gentleman." They think it's cute that while most of the kids in the class cry because they don't want to be there or because they are scared to swim, I only cry when the class is over and I don't want to get out of the pool! See pics from my swim lessons and more in our PHOTO ALBUMS by clicking here.
I kept cool last weekend too down in the Texas Hill Country at the Baker Family Reunion. I think it was the 90th Reunion, but it was my first to attend. I had a blast! I met many cousins that I didn't know I had. We stayed up late. I mean really late, like until midnight! We played hide and seek in this really big, old house that was three-floors tall! We all stayed in this Bed & Breakfast Inn that was rented out just for our family. There were 40 of us! It had a swimming pool and was right on the Guadelupe River. I even went down to the river with my cousin Charlie and skipped rocks and collected pine cones and fished too. Once I got to know him I followed him everywhere! I think my cousin Charlie is my favorite! He's kinda tall, and he knows all about airplanes too! He's really cool for a grown-up.
Chalk up another milestone for me! I've now completed my first year of preschool at the Spanish Schoolhouse. In honor of the occasion my Abuela came from Orlando for a two-week visit! She began her visit on the day of my End of the School Year Program, where all of the classes in the school perform songs and dances of the Latin/Spanish culture. Abuela, Grandma and John Daddy all came to see the show! It was an exciting night to say the least.
My class sang and danced to La Bamba! A short video clip from the entire 90-minute program can be viewed below of my class performing. You'll see me on the back row, in the middle with the red bandana in my hand. I tried to stay low-key and not out-shine the less-talented kids in my class. If you would like to see the show in it's entirety, please let Mommy or Daddy know, they paid 20 bucks for a copy of the DVD of the whole show and would be more than happy to let you borrow it!
Daddy took off from work the two weeks that Abuela was here, and Mommy spent more time at her work during those two weeks! It gave Daddy and I some special time to go do things with Abuela and Mommy time to enjoy her work at Allen Community Outreach, where they help families in crisis. Daddy and I took Abuela to see real airplanes at the airport, and to see toy airplanes at the RC flying field, and even old airplanes at a museum! I think she saw more airplanes than she'd ever seen before! We also rode the train and ate out a lot! Abuela also brought me a Blue Angels Airplane kite that's really, really big and we took it out and flew it! It's so cool! I really miss Abuela and hope she comes back soon!
While we were having fun with Abuela, Mommy must have been having some fun too because she's decided to go back to work at Allen Community Outreach doing what she used to do before I was born! This past year while I was in preschool Mommy worked at ACO filling in wherever she was needed, but recently her former position opened up and they asked her to come back as the Director of Volunteer Services/Marketing. It's a full-time job and she's not ready to give up her time with me just yet, but I am going to school 3 days a week starting in the Fall, and with some time working from home she's going to try to get the job done on a part-time schedule. She's excited to get back to working with her volunteers again and Daddy's really excited about the extra income! Of course, Daddy says that anytime Mommy's at ACO he's saving money because that means she's not at the mall!
Last month was a busy month! In addition to wrapping up the school year, we had a bike parade at school! Mommy and I decorated my Diego bicycle and took it to school for me to ride in the parade with my class. (Actually Mommy decorated it, and Daddy finally told her to STOP- after the streamers, balloons and windsock- he thought she'd gone a little overboard!) In Mommy's defense, had I been a girl, my bike would have had fairy wings or princess crowns and wands like some of the girls' bikes in my class! There are more photos if you scroll down into the blog from last month to see more.
Aunt Mary and Uncle Vic had their big shindig at the lake last month and we celebrated Uncle Vic's retirement and christened their big boat! It was a fun weekend with the whole family, as well as many of their friends. We all stayed at the lodge at Lake Texoma and had Mother's Day brunch there on Sunday. Uncle John and I did a little fishing off of the dock...of course the "big one" got away!
One weekend last month we met the Clendinnings at the zoo. I was so excited to see my friends Ella and Logan and their parents, Ben and Jill. It had been a busy morning getting ready, and a long car ride to Fort Worth and I wasn't feeling so good. Mommy told me I'd feel all better once I got out to see the animals and to play with Ella! We walked through the exhibits, and the day was really warming up. I was wanting to sit down, but Mommy kept pushing me along. She was more excited than me to be at the zoo...you know how she just loves animals! Finally I got a little sympathy from Daddy and we sat down in the penguin exhibit while we waited for Ella and Jill to catch up and for Mommy to look at the penguins which she thought were so cute...they just looked like black birds to me. Well, off we went through the reptiles and towards the train and I was feeling a little queasy. I told them my tummy was hurting...but nobody was listening. Mommy said I just needed to eat.
Finally we got somewhere where I could sit down and cool off, and here she comes at me insisting that I eat a corn dog and drink some chocolate milk. So I did...but I kept telling everyone my tummy hurt. It wasn't long before the unthinkable happened...yep, the corn dog AND the chocolate milk came back up all over me AND Mommy! Ella was sitting across from me in horror with a grossed-out look on her face. I started crying and Mommy did her best to clean us both up. Daddy got up and announced that our day was over and apologized to the Clendinnings. Hmmm...you know, we haven't heard from them since! Daddy took my yucky clothes off and put them in a plastic bag and I rode home in my underwear. Mommy only wished she was riding home in hers!!
I also took soccer lessons last month at the Plano Sports Authority and what a great time that was, but it wore me out! I learned the basics of the game, like kicking and guarding the goal. I also learned that soccer is a lot of work with all of that running up and down...whew, it takes a lot of energy! Daddy practiced with me in the backyard, but he's not very good either! My Abuelo already calls me "Pelé", but I think I might take some more lessons when they start again in the Fall.
I've got a busy summer planned. In July I'm going to Spanish camp for 2 weeks. It's at my Spanish School, and they have lots of fun stuff planned for us to do and it's all in Spanish. It's just 3 days a week, and Mommy is going to be working on those days while I'm at camp. Then I'm also going to Fort Worth Zoo Camp for a week. That will really be cool to be hanging out with the animals! I'm really looking forward to that, and staying at Grandma and John Daddy's house that week!
A few weeks ago Mommy and Daddy celebrated their 9th wedding anniversary and for the first time we all three went out to celebrate it together! It was such a fun evening. With me along we went out to dinner early, picked a restaurant with a kids menu and crayons, and were back home in no time at all! I hope they will take me again next year!
Drop me a line this summer and let me know what you are up to, or better yet call Mommy or Daddy and tell them your vacation plans and when I should be packed and ready to go with you! Take care and please keep in touch!
I love you,
MARTY a.k.a. Jean-Martin Garabet Vaneskahian
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