Baseline

One of my new years resolutions is going to be to post more here.  Do you have any idea how many times I wish I had been tracking your progress (or lack of) so I could reflect back & maybe learn from what I've posted?

So, I'm just going to jump in today.  It's December 26th.  The day after Christmas. You are 7.  Jessica is 11.  For Christmas, Jessie got a pottery wheel (that she hardly used), a sweater (that she wants to trade in & that's fine because her & I have very different taste & I would have been shocked if I was able to pick out some clothing item that she loved), a puzzle, a game (apples to apples), a root beer making kit, & some makeup (lip gloss, nail polish, & hair coloring stuff).  You got a game (penguin game) & a puzzle (dinosaur), a bear (you wanted a beanie buddy bear just like Jessie's "beary" only brown or yellow), and a bike.  So the bike was questionable because you are getting so tall. We actually measured you today for the Wi game & you are 4'1" tall.  So, we needed to go at least 18" bike but the 20" would have been ideal but guess what!  You are still using training wheels!  And 20" bikes don't come with training wheels. You know how to pedal but you get frustrated easily when you can't steer/pedal at the same time (these hills up here are tough to bike up). I worry that you will never be able to ride a bike without training wheels! 

But here is some encouragement for me....you started playing with the Wi about a week ago.  You started bowling.  Then Jessie started bowling with you.  Then you two started playing baseball. Your dad & I are sitting in the living room watching you bowl; I'm wondering if Dad taught you this & I'm sure your dad is wondering if I've taught you. I asked him if he knew you could do this & he says "no".  This seems to happen quite frequently actually. Something you couldn't do (or wouldn't do) & I wonder if you will ever be able to do it & then one day you just do it! 

I can't remember the book of the bible this comes from but the verse is "do not be anxious about anything but with prayer & petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God".  "Do Not Be Anxious About Anything".  That's hard.  But it sinks in a little when this kind of thing happens.

So just to provide you with somewhat of a baseline of where you are right now:
-As I mentioned, you are 7 years old. You are in 1st grade.  You met a new friend at school (Bianca).  The school is struggling with you...if you don't want to do the work or whatever activity that they are working on, you will find a way to get out of the classroom.  Just leave, maybe.  Start screaming or saying "boorrrinnngg".  You are still biting & hitting occasionally at school.  Bit through Kim's jeans into her ankle about a month ago enough to draw blood (my question was how the heck she let you get ahold of her that firmly without shaking you free...not that it's ok for you to bite ever & I'm not excusing your behavior but she's a grownup & you are 7 so you'd think she'd have figured out how to get a biter NOT to bite her). 

-You are a good reader & are good at math but you don't like to do it - at least not for "homework" or because you are supposed to.  We started you in piano about 3 months ago & you are not yet reading music (Ms. Joyce is still working on a lot of the preliminary stuff so actual piano playing has not started yet).  You love music so I think if I can stick with it (I say "I" because it's quite a challenge to get you to go somethings.  You always say you don't want to go but once you get there you always seem to do fine - typical, by the way).  Jessie is playing too.  She's ahead of you - partly because she is older & partly because she played the recorder in 4th grade & is playing clarinet this year in 5th grade.  But, I suspect you could get ahead of her quick enough.  I think music might be more your thing than hers. I might be wrong.  We'll see.

-We went to Hawaii earlier this month. Our first real family vacation.  We were worried about how you would do on the plane. It was your first flight & it was a long one.  A couple short flights from Missoula to SLC & then SLC to LA but then about 5-6 hours between LA & Hawaii.  You loved looking out the window!  Occasionally, you played with the iPad or iPod. You & Jessie did GREAT!  Jessie is a lot like Dad.  Happy to hang out at the pool & swim or work on their tans. You & I, on the other hand, can only seem to stand so much of the pool before we want to do something.  We went to Volcano National Park & swam with the dolphins (I think the dolphins were a highlight for you & Jessie both). 

So, at this time, I better go. You are wanting to play on the computer so are hanging on me.  I'm telling you you need to keep your feet on the floor & you listen but within 2 minutes your feet are back up on the back of my chair.