Oh Emma, how to summarize the last few months of your life. The phrase "keeping us on our toes" does you no justice. Mostly, you keep us laughing, with random bursts of absolute frustration. We've yet to find a truly effective disciplinary measure. You respond fairly well to positive incentives, because time-outs don't even phase you. You just look at it as a fine opportunity for solo singing practice. I do believe, however, that we might start taking away your coloring and drawing privileges. I think a part of you might shrivel up and die if you had to stop coloring.
Emma, you are brilliant. You write so well, and can recognize all of your letters and have even read a few words! You were moved up to the older preschool at Cybered because they felt that you were too advanced to hang out in the younger preschool. I was sad that you left Miss Dean's class. She is a wonderful teacher. But, you are doing so well--even with a few moves to the "yellow" zone for not listening to Miss Shirley. Last week you stayed in "green" all week! There was much rejoicing.
But, for now, let's do a summary of some of the highlights of these last few months that I haven't taken time to write. I only wish I had pictures to accompany them!
*Your singing is an exercise in stream of conscienceness. On road trips you will just sing for hours, to random tunes, about whatever might have just popped into your head. . . "I am a child of God, and the fox went out one chilly night, I am in the car and the sky is blue. . "
*You also do some personal variations on well known tunes such as:
"I know the Lord fobides a way"
Laman and Lemuel wer "laughing and hogging"
"Raindrops on roses and scriptures with noodles, light copper kettles and wowowo mittens, I-i don't know-ow the words to this song. Dad can you si-in it fo-or me please" And all this in tune! When Isaac announces that this annoying, you continued to improv sing, adding "I'm noo-ot annoying!" to your tune.
*We had a family home evening about choices and consequences. We had a choice "stick" to talk about when you make a choice and pick up a stick, you also get whatever is on the other end--or the consequence. For the next week everything we asked you about making a good choice you insisted on finding the stick and announcing your choice as you picked up the stick. And apparently one choice stuck in your head. For weeks when you were misbehaving and we'd ask, "Emma, what is a good choice right now?" your answer was always, "Clean my room!"
*When feeling frustrated at being the youngest and smallest, you yelled: "Listen to my words!"
*While attempting to help you, you let me know, "Mom, I can do things!"
*Lucy has acquired the skill of making a a funny face based on a horse character in a book. It cracks us all up. One day, in a wistful tone, you announced "Lucy, I wish I could be just like you. I wish I could do a horse-face."
*Once when we were sitting down for lunch, you had already started eating when I put some more veggies on your plate. You turned around and saw them, and shouted, "Vegetables! How did they get there?!?"
*You and Daddy were talking about a "secret" around Christmas time. You asked, "Dad, is this top secret or bottom secret?"
*Sitting down to a yummy dinner of roasted vegetables you made it clear: "I don't want the Indians!" (aka "onions)
*You are always learning from your big brother. Example: You fell off your stool in the kitchen and proclaimed: "Epic Fail!!" So glad Isaac is passing those on. Another example: From the bathroom I hear you talking to your reflection, "Your face is gross. Burn!"
So, though I don't have nearly enough pictures to capture your beauty, grace, and charm (and trust me, you are beautiful!) I hope these words ca
