First of all, let me state that I am loving the age and stage of five. Loving it. No, she isn't a baby anymore...but, then again...she isn't a baby anymore! She is self sufficient and independent, yet still asks me to lay with her and rub her back at bedtime. The best of both worlds.
Her world has exploded to include the realms of kindergarten and extra curricular activities and watching her grow and learn and develop is absolutely the most amazing part of being a parent. She loves school and is very easy to teach. I know I am biased (remember I warned you)...but the girl is smart. Really smart. She has picked up almost every new concept we've worked on this year with ease and has a memory like an elephant. She has made me love homeschooling.
We started a reading chart for her a few weeks ago...with a goal of 20 books to read. I let her choose her incentive (with a few parameters...no, we cannot go to Disney world!) for completing her chart and she choose a trip to chuck e cheese. (Sidenote: That place is my idea of hell on earth.) I set up a few rules (no counting the same book twice, etc.) and told her that this chart was going to be completed on her own initiative...no begging or prodding from me.
And I sat back and thought I'd get at least a few months out of this thing.
Nope. It was finished last week.
So we had a date and went to hell on earth last weekend. And set up a new reading chart with a goal of 50 books.
She finished up her first session of gymnastics this week and man, she has loved it! She normally can be a bit quiet and shy in new group settings, but this did not apply here. She walked right up to the front of the class from the very beginning and never looked back.
She is also taking piano lessons from our good friend Kristen and while she had a traumatic start (she fell backwards off the piano bench and hit her head on the corner of a rocking chair on her first lesson!) she has grown to love it. I am of absolutely no help to her on this and refer to her Daddy for all help with homework and practicing.
She is my sleeper and still takes a nap 1 or 2 days a week and is always the last one up in the mornings. She is not a picky eater...just a dainty one and only eats about half as much as her brothers. While sweet and fairly easy going she has a very strong competitive streak that surprises us at times. It is a great source of frustration for her that she has not lost a tooth yet. She loves fairies and horses and climbing trees. She is working hard at mastering a front flip on the trampoline as well as braiding her barbies hair.
We have seen her relationship with the Lord deepen as she has grown in understanding. She genuinely desires to do her "Bible time" and fastidiously copies letters and sentences in her journal. And how completely humbling it is to realize that she has set the standard within our family on how to love Eli.
No. She isn't perfect and has her penchants for bossiness, manipulation, and occasional meltdowns. (The apple doesn't fall far...)
But she is the best first born five year old daughter I could have ever been blessed with.
5 comments:
So sweet Jenn! Beautifully written:)
Beautiful post Jenn. Beautiful baby girl! part of the stubborn streak is the McKay in her...its good sometimes! ;-)
We love every part of her including that determined stubborness with a purpose. She has grown up and is the best firstborn grandaughter that we have too :)
Awesome, hey btw Pizza Hut has a "reward's program" for reading. The great thing with the homeschooling program you set the number of books. They mailed me all the certificates. I choose when to give the children their certificates. :) Works for all of us. (and no hell on earth) hahaha
Just want to say that I agree that Chuck E Cheese is hell on earth. Just sayin' . . .
Connie Hemric
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