Abigail's birthday has come and gone. She turned 5. In the meantime, fall came and went for our little 4-year-old and I never could find a chance to give her the update she deserves.
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| Abigail kicking white belt butt! |
Abigail love-love-loves TKD. When we walk through a grocery store, she practices her forms up and down the aisles. When she is waiting for us to make her a snack or get her a drink in the kitchen, she does her 1-step-sparring moves for her shadows being made on the wall from the soft fall sun coming in the south windows. I know she is a little kid and not perfect, but she certainly is pretty graceful and confident when she practices her moves. I have said for years, I love watching that kid move; she is athletic and lythe and just beautiful to observe. In July, she tested for her yellow belt and there were only 3 kids in that rank test. Abigail and 2 older boys. For the sparring portion of the test, the Master made Abigail spar both boys at the same time and it was adorable and awesome to watch: she would move toward one and then to the other and back again. Back and forth, back and forth, she had so much confidence and just blew us away.
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| The boards used for older people are in Abigail's right hand, the boards used for little kids are in her left. |
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| Ah, I remember this night. I wish they went to bed this easily EVERY night! |
After Joseph was sick in July and then had surgery, Abigail has really grown into her role as the Big Sister. She has a 6th sense about what he needs and also about what Larry and I need. It isn't uncommon for her to notice we are at our wit's end with him hanging onto our legs screaming because we can get dinner ready fast enough or something and she expertly distracts him and plays with him. She is amazing. We are not making her into a pseudo-parent or babysitter for Joseph (we know people who have done that it is isn't fair to the older kids to deprive them of childhood by making them responsible for younger siblings: Abigail still needs and deserves her own attention, to be a little kid). But it sure is nice when she gives us a 5 or 10 minute sanity break. She also really and truly loves him. In the morning, it is hugs all around. She recently said that Joseph will be her first boyfriend. (Interesting note, however, is that Joseph has started getting jealous of Abigail! If we hold her in our lap he will fly into a jealous fury.)
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| First Day of Kindergarten |
Abigail is 9 weeks into kindergarten without even a mention on this blog! After her first day, we asked how it was. She said "Great. We had grapes." But when she found out that she had to go back, she was surprised in a bad way. She thought kindergarten was a one-and-done kinda' thing. We have a 1st day of school pic, but there is apparently a reason that there are no "2nd day of school" pics. It breaks our hearts when she says that she doesn't like learning, which she says on some days, but we enjoy hearing her stories about the "hard but fun" math that they do.
Star Wars:
Since we watched Star Wars episodes 4, 5, and 6, with Abigail this summer, she has been into all things Star Wars and wanted to be Darth Vader for Halloween.
Turning 5:
Abigail got her Darth Vader costume, a kit to make your own mummy, a wooden version of connect 4 and a yellow toy car from Lar, me, and Joseph. Her aunts and uncles bought her several Star Wars action figures, a Star Wars wall decoration, storm trooper pjs. All of her grandparents gave her some money, a fishing rod, and a Star Wars pillow. She had a few friends over from school for a play-date sort of party. Reflecting on 4, Abigail said her favorite parts were riding a horse, starting karate, and going to China. This made me realize that it is true what I hear about kids: they want experiences, not stuff.
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| Our big 5 year old! |
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| Abigail and her bestie, making spiders for her birthday/ Halloween. |
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