A Post All About Grace

It's been a while since I've documented what's going on with the kids, so I thought I would take the time to jot a few things down tonight.

My sweet Grace girl...

You are growing up on me.

You are (almost) 4 and a half.

Wow. How can that be?

I want to stop the clock and stay here forever.

You really love to draw and will draw very detailed pictures of not only things (flowers, people etc) but also actions (playing soccer, going shopping). I like that. I think it's a great skill to develop.

You really like to draw with the thick yellow pencils Nana got you and paint.

When you write with pencils sometimes you scribble out "words" like all kids do. You call these "children's words" because only children can read them. Adults read real words. I like that idea too. I think it's smart.

When you paint with watercolors you do a very neat job at first but then you always end up painting your hands and making handprints and thumbprints and "chicken pox" on your arms.

You really want to have the chicken pox! I think this is just because you want to have an oatmeal bath. You have been vaccinated so I don't think you will get your wish. :-)

You are still a tough kid. You never show when you're sick.

When you are sick you never complain. You just want to watch Curious George.

Curious George is your favorite. You watch him every morning at 7:00 while I make breakfast. You may not watch anything else all day, but you will watch George. I am glad you like George so much because it really is a good show. I enjoy watching with you sometimes.

Your favorite movies are Madeline, Pippi Longstocking, Cinderella and Mary Poppins. You do not like Matilda because it is too scary.

You do like to go to movies. You always get a coke popcorn and candy when you go and that is a big treat!

You want desperately to sit in a booster seat, but I don't think you weigh enough yet. Maybe soon we will get you one.

You also want to drive. That probably won't be happening so soon but I will let you pretend!

You don't take a nap every day anymore. This is sad for me but not so sad for you. You do a very good job of staying (pretty) quiet in your bed during naptime, but sometimes you just get carried away with playing and pretending and singing. It can get loud! Some days you do sleep if you know there is going to be a reason to stay up late, but if you don't sleep then you have to go to bed at 7:00. This doesn't seem to bother you much though.

You love all animals. You can feed Maggie and let her out and walk her. She sleeps by your bed every night and wakes up with you every morning.

You have started to make some good friends. Leaving Georgia and your good good friends there was very hard so I am glad that you are finally making some new friends here in Shreveport. Your best friends are Marshall and Ella. You also spend a lot of time with Claire, Julianne, and JW. They are a year younger than you though, and so I think you don't enjoy playing with them quite as much. You don't seem to really care too much for the little ones like Sophie, Catherine, Caroline, Charlotte and Elizabeth. I think you are scared of the crying. You don't like it when anybody is unhappy!

Jack is by far your best friend and playmate. You are patient with him and a good big sister. You love to play in the tent together. You also play Sunday school together and Sonic and good old race and chase. I often find you two in the bathroom brushing your teeth. I don't know why you find it so fun but you do!

You really love to play by yourself. You play bunny house, Sunday school, kitchen, and baby dolls.

You do want a sister and talk about it often. Maybe some day but not today! We will have to be patient!

You also really want short hair... Like short as a boy short hair! You told me you wanted hair as short as Maggie's. when I said people might think you were a boy you just said "but nobody thinks Maggie's a boy." I think you will have to wait till you turn 18 for that.

You are super super smart. You know your letters and sounds and can read and think critically. You understand basic addition and subtraction. You can listen and comprehend and remember and debate and persist. You do need a little urging sometimes to get your schoolwork done but I think that's natural... You would just rather be playing by yourself or watching tv... And nobody ever got smart and well rounded by watching tv all day.

I think you would really enjoy school if you weren't so so very very shy. You hate being away from home... Really away from me.

We are going to test you for the magnet school just down the street. Its the best school in the state and also super hard to get into. We shall see what happens! Its kind of exciting and scary all at the same time to think about you going to kindergarden.

You are so much fun to be around, grace. You enjoy going to get milkshakes for an evening treat. You enjoy getting icees at Walmart. You love to go to the park. You still like to eat at strawns and Johnny's. but you love peanutbutter and strawberry jam sandwiches at home... Especially if you get to have Cheetos.

I could write and write all night about all the things you are doing and learning and enjoying and struggling with, but I think this is enough for now.

I do love you my sweet sweet girl! You are a joy to parent!