It's gone!! Stolen by the illustrious Tooth Fairy. Replaced with a shiny Toonie that's been banked towards the next Webkinz.
Hard to believe that my baby has lost a tooth. She's also grown almost two inches since March. And she's reading, writing and arithmetic-ing too!!
Tomorrow she'll be a teenager. Oh boy!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Hermione Granger
There's something to be said for a little girl who knows who she is. And what she wants. And how to ask for it without forcing her will and wants onto others.
Abby watched the first Harry Potter movie last week with her older cousins. She sat curled in Issy's arm, fully warned for the scary parts, with her giraffes and a cushion for protection. She made it through no problem, and I must admit that her LOVING it made my nerdy heart quite happy.
A few days later the neighbourhood kids were all sporting capes and pretending to be super heroes. It was a fantastic sight - pretty creative and fun. Abby happily played with her friends, but after a few laps around the backyard, she ran over to me and discretely asked if she could pretend to be Hermione Granger instead. She decided not to tell the boys so they wouldn't be disappointed, and thought that was extra okay because being a wizard is supposed to be secret from other kids.
That's my girl!!
Abby watched the first Harry Potter movie last week with her older cousins. She sat curled in Issy's arm, fully warned for the scary parts, with her giraffes and a cushion for protection. She made it through no problem, and I must admit that her LOVING it made my nerdy heart quite happy.
A few days later the neighbourhood kids were all sporting capes and pretending to be super heroes. It was a fantastic sight - pretty creative and fun. Abby happily played with her friends, but after a few laps around the backyard, she ran over to me and discretely asked if she could pretend to be Hermione Granger instead. She decided not to tell the boys so they wouldn't be disappointed, and thought that was extra okay because being a wizard is supposed to be secret from other kids.
That's my girl!!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
blue
Two days ago at Magicuts, Abby asked her hairdresser if she could make her hair blue.
At 4 years old, Abby told us that she doesn't like people talking about her hair all the time.
Everywhere we go, people stop us / her to tell her how lovely it is. How beautiful her hair is. What a spectacular colour it is. Each time (as suggested by her manner-crazy mother) Abby says thank you. Sometimes she forces a smile. Often she successfully hides the eye-roll.
I did not expect to bump up against self-image so early in her life. She is concerned about being different. About being singled out again and again and again. (Oddly I think that she thinks having blue hair would not single her out!) People say she looks like orphan Annie. People say she looks like Anne of Green Gables with curls.
I say she looks like Abby. Each freckle, each curl are hers alone. We speak of our outsides not being as important as our insides. She knows that how she thinks and feels is more important than how she looks.
She will have to make peace with her beautiful hair... and with the attention that comes with it.
At 4 years old, Abby told us that she doesn't like people talking about her hair all the time.
Everywhere we go, people stop us / her to tell her how lovely it is. How beautiful her hair is. What a spectacular colour it is. Each time (as suggested by her manner-crazy mother) Abby says thank you. Sometimes she forces a smile. Often she successfully hides the eye-roll.
I did not expect to bump up against self-image so early in her life. She is concerned about being different. About being singled out again and again and again. (Oddly I think that she thinks having blue hair would not single her out!) People say she looks like orphan Annie. People say she looks like Anne of Green Gables with curls.
I say she looks like Abby. Each freckle, each curl are hers alone. We speak of our outsides not being as important as our insides. She knows that how she thinks and feels is more important than how she looks.
She will have to make peace with her beautiful hair... and with the attention that comes with it.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
portrait of a 5 year old
Abby just celebrated her 5th birthday with great pomp and circumstance. I forget sometimes that she is just 5... she often seems to be the older of my two children, a result I think, of women being inately more mature than men!
Forget that she still writes her Bs and Ds backwards. Forget that she counts up to forty-eleven. She is wise beyond her years from a social perspective, and the maturity that she demonstrates, the good will towards others is nothing short of lovely.
She comes in this package... the curly red hair designed to distract you.... the blue eyes and freckles meant to charm and persuade you... the million dollar smile that, well, seals the deal. And then she speaks, and her words are often as lovely as the rest of her. Her intentions are kind and generous. Her actions (ok, this one has to have a mostly in it...) are mostly gentle and loving.
At 5, she reads. She colours inside the lines, and with great detail. She tells stories with details you can't begin to imagine. At 5, she's made friends, lost friends, and made more friends. She's had a broken heart (she continues to pine for her best friend Olivia), and she's been engaged more times than I can count (I think Dylan is the current fiance... not sure if he's in agreement or not!) She can almost ride a two-wheeler without training wheels, and she can almost swim without a life jacket.
She was given money for her birthday, which like most little people was burning a hole in her pocket this morning. She used it to buy a Webkinz for her brother.
I like her a great deal. Which is a gift.
I love her even more.
Forget that she still writes her Bs and Ds backwards. Forget that she counts up to forty-eleven. She is wise beyond her years from a social perspective, and the maturity that she demonstrates, the good will towards others is nothing short of lovely.
She comes in this package... the curly red hair designed to distract you.... the blue eyes and freckles meant to charm and persuade you... the million dollar smile that, well, seals the deal. And then she speaks, and her words are often as lovely as the rest of her. Her intentions are kind and generous. Her actions (ok, this one has to have a mostly in it...) are mostly gentle and loving.
At 5, she reads. She colours inside the lines, and with great detail. She tells stories with details you can't begin to imagine. At 5, she's made friends, lost friends, and made more friends. She's had a broken heart (she continues to pine for her best friend Olivia), and she's been engaged more times than I can count (I think Dylan is the current fiance... not sure if he's in agreement or not!) She can almost ride a two-wheeler without training wheels, and she can almost swim without a life jacket.
She was given money for her birthday, which like most little people was burning a hole in her pocket this morning. She used it to buy a Webkinz for her brother.
I like her a great deal. Which is a gift.
I love her even more.
Monday, December 29, 2008
me too
"What about my picture / outfit / eating / shoes?" Common phrases from my sweet daughter these days. Seems that if either Dan or I say anything nice or complimentary about any other child, she seems to feel that it takes away from her.
It's interesting, because she is so good at everything. Well, everything except video games (which is just fine with me!). And we praise her for all her accomplishments.
I wonder sometimes if her need for equal praise is a result of living with Max (and us!). There certainly used to be an imbalance of praise and reinforcement in our house. And if I'm being honest, an imbalance in attention, too. It wasn't that way for a long time, but obviously long enough to make an impression.
Making up for the past is a challenge. We can't take back (nor would we) the attention and support that we gave Max, but perhaps we could have shared it more. Please don't read this as regret - as I've said, I wouldn't change it - afterall, look where we are now!
But I hope to show my girl how spectacular she is, and I plan to waste no time doing it.
It's interesting, because she is so good at everything. Well, everything except video games (which is just fine with me!). And we praise her for all her accomplishments.
I wonder sometimes if her need for equal praise is a result of living with Max (and us!). There certainly used to be an imbalance of praise and reinforcement in our house. And if I'm being honest, an imbalance in attention, too. It wasn't that way for a long time, but obviously long enough to make an impression.
Making up for the past is a challenge. We can't take back (nor would we) the attention and support that we gave Max, but perhaps we could have shared it more. Please don't read this as regret - as I've said, I wouldn't change it - afterall, look where we are now!
But I hope to show my girl how spectacular she is, and I plan to waste no time doing it.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
like glue
Abby's in this place these days where she really can't bear to be away from me. Or when Daddy's home, from him. Not even to go to G&Gs, which is unheard of. I often wake up with her cuddled up next to (a secret testament to just how tired I still am since I'm never certain how or when she arrived!)
She's just 4. Well, truthfully almost 5. She's all things that almost 5 should be. The whole package, and then some.
She may very well be the picture in the dictionary next to the word dramatic. She may very well be the picture in the dictionary next to the word precocious. She may very well be the picture in the dictionary next to the word sensitive. She runs the gamut, and crashes hard at the end of the day as the result of her adventures.
What a combination of Mummy and Daddy she is. When she finds the balance, that tricky, elusive spot where all the characteristics just fit, she'll be a force to reckon with. I can't wait!
She's just 4. Well, truthfully almost 5. She's all things that almost 5 should be. The whole package, and then some.
She may very well be the picture in the dictionary next to the word dramatic. She may very well be the picture in the dictionary next to the word precocious. She may very well be the picture in the dictionary next to the word sensitive. She runs the gamut, and crashes hard at the end of the day as the result of her adventures.
What a combination of Mummy and Daddy she is. When she finds the balance, that tricky, elusive spot where all the characteristics just fit, she'll be a force to reckon with. I can't wait!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Manners and etiquette and such
Abby's been on more than a few sleepovers in her time, and with the exception of the boys next door telling her about the monsters in the room, we've never had a problem. She loves them - the preparation, the planning, the packing. The unpacking and re-packing until everything is just right. She's virtually a pro...
Last night she hosted her first sleepover. She was so excited - picking out a craft, making sure that we'd have things that our guest would want to play, would want to eat. She was practically bubbling over by the time the other little girl arrived, and immediately they ran upstairs to play together, leaving us parents in the dust with smiles on our faces.
We Greenwoods spend a fair amount of time talking about manners and good behaviour. It is my sincere hope that the message of the importance of courtesy, kindness, gratitude, patience, and politeness is one that she carries with her everywhere. Let's face it, they're all the tools that you need to succeed - at the very least, the stepping stones to accessing bigger and greater things.
My heart is warm as I proudly report that Ab was so careful to let her friend choose which bunk, go first at all their games, use the red paint even though she herself badly wanted it. Our "guest" chose what shows to watch, which songs to sing, and what to have for bedtime snack. It was something to behold, my little one applying all the rules that we seem to talk about ad nauseum. I'm proud of her, today and always!
Last night she hosted her first sleepover. She was so excited - picking out a craft, making sure that we'd have things that our guest would want to play, would want to eat. She was practically bubbling over by the time the other little girl arrived, and immediately they ran upstairs to play together, leaving us parents in the dust with smiles on our faces.
We Greenwoods spend a fair amount of time talking about manners and good behaviour. It is my sincere hope that the message of the importance of courtesy, kindness, gratitude, patience, and politeness is one that she carries with her everywhere. Let's face it, they're all the tools that you need to succeed - at the very least, the stepping stones to accessing bigger and greater things.
My heart is warm as I proudly report that Ab was so careful to let her friend choose which bunk, go first at all their games, use the red paint even though she herself badly wanted it. Our "guest" chose what shows to watch, which songs to sing, and what to have for bedtime snack. It was something to behold, my little one applying all the rules that we seem to talk about ad nauseum. I'm proud of her, today and always!
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