My right hand woman is eight. Still the sunshine of my day (and everyone else’s), she is getting so grown up, and I just want to hang on to this sweet relationship we have right now. Yes, there are tears and tween moments, but I am so blessed to have her in my life.
Last night, as I was tucking the girls in bed, Elizabeth turned to me, book in hand, and said, “Mommy, I think I’m kindof becoming a book worm!” Yes, indeed, I think she already is. I’ve enjoyed sharing many of my favorite girlhood books with her, and she loves listening to audiobooks and reading the books at the same time. It’s good for vocabulary development, right? She also loves mothering anyone smaller than her who comes across her path. Susanna only occasionally allows the mothering, but Janie usually revels in it. Elizabeth also mothers the toddlers on our street and in our small group. She is performing in her first ballet show this month, but her no-nonsense teacher has greatly dimmed her love of ballet class this year. We’ll be taking a break for the summer and and might try a new studio when we get back next year. She does love holding ballet class for her little sisters at home and dancing on her own around the house and really anywhere with enough space to move around. She often comments on how much she misses having a yard to practice cartwheels in! Her grace and awareness of her body have really helped in piano lessons (she’s the only kid whose posture their teacher didn’t have to correct) and in swimming (while Tommy is still a bit faster, Elizabeth’s stroke is beautiful to watch).
Elizabeth is my get-it-done girl. When I need a room tidied or things put away while I’m doing something else, she often is the only one who obeys me and does it. This often leads to frustrations, as when the little girls sit around and play when she’s slaving away. I feel for her and try really hard not to be unfair with chore assignments or punishments for messy rooms. Elizabeth is gaining confidence in major housework and in cooking. She’s gotten much more comfortable with reading recipes this year, so I’m close to letting her take off and try to bake on her own this summer. She’s my most literal child. Sarcasm and innuendo are lost on her, but she finds her siblings hilarious and laughs at their shenanigans.
In school, we are plodding away at the last few weeks of all of her subjects. Math facts are going to need extra drill this summer, but her cursive handwriting is beautiful when she wants it to be, and she excels at memorizing Bible verses, poetry, and Shakespeare. Can I just say how happy it makes me to have my kids throwing Shakespeare quotes into random daily conversation? Every homeschooling mom’s dream!
For her birthday (and to celebrate finally kicking her finger-sucking habit), we are planning to take her doll (and her sisters and their dolls) to American Girl place for lunch in a couple weeks. She is on a real American Girl historical doll kick, checking out stacks of the books every time we go to the library and rereading several per day. But today, it was pretty low-key: pumpkin pancakes in bed, mac and cheese for lunch, and Derek’s fresh homemade spaghetti for dinner!
Lizzie is getting to be such a “big” girl…. She will be a good example for Q and Janie as time goes by.
Happy Birthday Liz!