What I LOVE about you at six!

What I LOVE about you at 6!

• Love your free spirit that dances around our house... or the store... or actually anywhere to the point of running into people as you dance in the mall
• Your genuine love.  It's not cheap.  You love particularly and big!  You have your people and seem to discern those that truly like you.  
• You can work a room.  When you're in a good place (emotions run you a bit too much at times) you can charm the socks off anyone!
• Your hugs... and kisses (we still have to have conversations about not kissing EVERYONE... and short kissing when you do kiss)
• Your love of arts, crafts and mostly coloring!  You don't want to leave the house without some crayons and a book... or two
• You leave your creations EVERYWHERE!  They're often too small or identified as trash... even though you really do a nice job of coloring!
• I LOVE, LOVE when you get into something and are singing praise songs... or your version of songs.  You have no trouble making up your own lyrics
• You appreciate beauty.  You love to dress up!  You call make-up and jewelry "beauty"
• You LOVE your mama!  I'm still your go-to gal!  
• You were de-throned in a big way this year when Millie came and the subsequent loss of Dad for a few months and mom for a couple, but have stepped up nicely to the role of big sister.
• You may drive us a bit nutty at times with your crazy antics with Millie, but she thinks your hysterical and laughs at you more than anyone
• Your a starting to be a good helper now that Belle is getting older and away more
• You are very determined.  Once you set your mind to something, it's hard to sway you.  This is a good quality and one that often needs "molding".  You're growing in obedience regardless of how I feel about it :)
• You're very warm and welcoming to new people.  You make friends easily as long as they realize your in charge and go along with your direction :)
• You're not afraid to defend yourself.  A great quality once again, but at six you are learning more self control.
• I love that you are comfortable in a nursing home or with a disabled child.  You hug, kiss and talk like normal.  I guess you see a lot of crazy, so you're not afraid like most kids are.  
• I love your adoration for Belle.  I can't believe how much you will listen to her.  
• Your creativity is amazing!  You can lose yourself in a room... in piles and piles Everywhere
• You're always up for a cuddle, hugs and kisses!  
• I love how you "tell it like it is".  Your daddy shares this quality and it makes me laugh  all the time!  You are entertainment on two feet!  
  

First Grade

1st Grade

favorite thing to do in school:  arts and crafts
least favorite:  I have no idea
favorite things to do outside of school:  ride my bike, swimming but riding my bike is WAY better (she never rides her bike)
best friends:   Lydia & Ayden (church), Dylan (cousin), Micah, Baylie
favorite thing to do with daddy: Color or watch something
favorite thing to do with mommy:  color
what do you like to do with your sisters? Belle: watch something; Abby: IDK... talk to her; Millie: play
favorite foods:  Pizza... dinner thing; lunch: tuna; breakfast: cereal; dessert: fruit ice cream
What would you like to be when you grow up?  A queen
who do you think you should marry?  someone super cute with blonde hair... we should have maids when we marry
How many kids would you like to have?  2... then he can have one and I could have one... one light blonde and one dirty blonde (I guess I've called her hair that)
Where will you live?  In a kingdom
What state?  South Carolina
will you have pets? what kind? how many?  no... maybe a beautiful kitty that is very beautiful
favorite sport?  I'm never going to do sports
Favorite restaurant:  mexican
Favorite vacation place:  It's like Georgia but it's not... that place we went with the salty beach... with the Georgia family
Where would you like to go on a vacations?  nowhere... I don't want to go somewhere I've never been

princess ballerina camp

This has been a tough transition for my "de-throned" baby!  She was seemingly ripped from her pedestal.  It was intended, but it's pretty much how it went down to a five year old baby.  We had a new baby and she lost her mom and dad for pretty much over two months.  It's good and bad that she is so open and honest about her feelings.  She is open about her dislike of our move and has been very vocal and naughty for a couple/few months.  We have been very patient and/or pretty much too worn out to address it too much, but that time did come to an end and we've had to "lay the smack down".  I don't like a season of discipline over positive reinforcements, but sometimes we have to do what the child needs rather than what I want.  She needed to understand her boundaries, and after a few weeks (who's counting) she's come back around to the sweet little lady we all adore so much! 

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but this is really how this went down...
Abby couldn't go to "camp" and I was very upset (as you may have heard before :) when Belle brought me an ad from a local magazine with a picture of a ballerina.  It was a princess ballerina camp!  Brilliant!  Belle said, "If we can't send Abby to camp, maybe we can send MA."  We took her advice and did just that!  We sent MA to Princess Ballerina Camp and she had a ball (pun totally intended)! 

We went out and bought her a leotard, tights and shoes.  She got to wear her hair up in a bun which happens to be her favorite way to wear it, and I finally allowed it... every day for a week!  She had so much fun and hopefully realized there are great friends to be made here :)  We did make some connections and loved our time at Princess Ballerina camp... we may even give it a go during the school year!

1st Day of School: Kindergarten

Kindergarten

favorite thing to do in school:  "Color, watching movies (we haven't done this), & nap time" (she did this in preschool when mom was substitute teaching a couple years ago)
least favorite:  "I don't quite know"
favorite things to do outside of school:  "I like watching tv, shows, movies, coloring, picking flowers, gardening, putting seeds in the garden, puzzles, jumping on the red chair, building a fort in the living room and doing art... and do you want me to show you my art?"
best friends:  Ashlynn, Ellie, Jaana & Belle is kind of my friend sister, Grandpa & Grandma, Tirzah, Selah, Andrew and Auntie... you (mom) & Dad... I have lots of friends!"
favorite thing to do with daddy:  "Go out... watch a movie... eat pizza.  At home with a stay date when he makes popcorn. With Belle but better just me. Coloring & Painting. Helping with his work."
favorite thing to do with mommy:  "Coloring. Going out. staying home and start watching a movie... just you and me when dad and Belle are out.  Pick flowers."
what do you like to do with your sisters?  "I like to jump on the trampoline with Belle and Abby.  I like to hide from Belle when she doesn't know I'm playing hide-n-seek.  I like coloring and painting with Belle.  I especially like just me and Belle jumping on the trampoline.  Jumping on the red chair.  Especially I like when I get to go on the slide... at the playground... and Belle likes it too.  I like to write on the fridge together. I kind of like when we do a fighting game."
favorite foods:  "Pizza... pepperoni, brussell sprouts, red pepper, mango, white cake"
What would you like to be when you grow up?  "I want to be in the farm with Belle and Tirzah.  I want to be someone's neighbor... and have kids.  I won't be a farmer but I will help them.  I will just help them as a person and I'll have a baby."
who do you think you should marry?  "a sweet boy"
How many kids would you like to have?  "five"
Where will you live?  "in a house... my husband will build my house to be my favorite color... blue.  He will build the stuff I tell him to.  We will have a house perfect for us... even our kids.  He'll build a crib... a lot of cribs... five cribs."  What state?  "Alaska"
will you have pets? what kind? how many?  yes... I will have a dog... or a poodle... or whatever I want... I will have to think about it when I grow up"
favorite sport?  swimming
Favorite restaurant:  "Ha! Ha! you should know... pizza... Sammy's pizza or actually all restaurants"
Favorite vacation place:  "South Carolina"
Where would you like to go on a vacations?  "The house where Belle was born"

she slays me... with laughter and tears

"Mom, Annabelle just threw this frog (stuffed animal) out of the car... I picked it up so it wouldn't be 'glittering'!"  She is saving the world :)

This one is a common occurrence around here.  MA making up songs and singing them once because she can't remember any of them to repeat them.  She makes them up as she goes.  while riding in the care the other day she asked Daddy the other day if he wanted to hear her sing "Praise the Lord."  Belle and I were both vigorously shaking our heads (no), but Daddy thought he couldn't say no with a title like that and he shot me a "How could you" look.  I responded with, "Seriously, you've never heard this song? It goes on and on and we've heard it WAY too much."  For some unknown reason he had missed it and let her go... in less than thirty seconds Belle and I had our "I told you so" faces and he just grinned and told his baby it was beautiful!  Daddy is a sucker for his girls!  Before you think me terrible for my reaction, we do indulge her daily; but one can only take so much and we were in an enclosed space and I wasn't in the mood to hear it again.  As you will see when you watch it, it is hysterical but after days (weeks) of it... you get where I'm going.  This version was entitled "Praise the Lord... and monsters"  I don't get it either.  She told Danielle that it was a bit of a scary song and she would need to cover her ears for part of it so she wouldn't be scared!  Here it is...

Once you've picked your laughing butt off the floor, I'll continue...
This video is MA interacting with the Giraffe on the ipad.  If you can't hear it or if you've never seen this app the giraffe copies everything you say...

Switching gears to another story...
The crowning beauty of this little love we are blessed by with an unending excess of love and laughter...
Abby is pretty grabby in general.  She's gotten MUCH better most days, but some days she's just relentless.  One day in particular she grabbed MA's hair really hard and she started to cry.  It so breaks my heart for so many reasons.  For the little girl who just wants her big Abby to interact with her but only gets hurt most of the time.  For Abby who really wants attention and to interact but does it so inappropriately so often, especially with her sisters.  My fear that MA will soon become a detached sister who avoids Abby rather than the little love who constantly hugs and talks to her.  Back to the story... When the tears stopped and Abby was finished being disciplined (we've always scolded her in hope that she will one day "get it" and also for the other kids' sake.  I never want other kids to think it's okay with us that Abby hurts them.  Abby may not understand the scolding but the other kids need to see that it's not okay.  MaryAlice wiped her tears and said, "Even when Abby hurts me, I still love her." 

Hospital visits

We realized MaryAlice was so comfortable in a hospital and/or nursing home while we spent a lot of time in both while visiting my grandpa before he passed.  We have a friend who is young and recently diagnosed with crohns disease and has spent a lot of time in the hospital. Belle is super uncomfortable in this setting (although she's gotten much better), but MA is hysterical in how much she doesn't care.  She climbed right up on the bed next to Gretchen and looked at the tube coming out of her nose and said, "your nose looks funny."

She thought she would sing to make her feel better...

a visit with Ms Jenna

Ms Jenna worked with Abby (technically), but it's never stopped the other two girls from claiming her... or most of the other girls that come over!  They know the girls are here to work with Abby, but they seem to find ways to connect and make some lifelong connections with these wonderful girls!

Ms. Jenna worked with Abby for at least a couple years, so when she comes into town she'll stop by for a visit.  This visit was particularly entertaining as MA was in rare MA form.  The first video is a cute knuckle bump explosion, but the second one kills me!  MA was so disturbed by Jenna tickling that she became adamant that she stop!  Watch this...

singing to Abby

MA has discovered that if she sings the ABC's that Abby will not only let go of a pull or pinch hold, but she can avoid the hold altogether if she sings while she walks by her.  Pretty amazing how this little gal loves her big sister and has found ways to do it better than anyone else in Abby's life!  she's a special little gal.  Check out her singing to Abby.  Notice how thrilled Abby is with her singing!

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Singing to Abby at the counter...

playground with ma climbing

As much as MA is advanced verbally, she is a equally slow on the gross motor side; therefore, we've been going to the park.  She also loves it and it's good for her too!  She is stretched physically doing all the stuff there and she also gets many chances to interact with other kids which is a bonus!  We've also spent this past year "training in times of non conflict" which means practicing things that she's struggles with.  Parks give us the "opportunity" to practice leaving a fun place without a breakdown.  It's been an exercise in futility up until this summer, so I've just decided to not lose my mind and just keep at it.  We have occasional breakdowns, but it's not the standard these days (unless we're leaving Auntie's).

I did a video of her climbing finally this day.  She usually stops anything she can't do, but is somehow growing up a bit and pushing herself :)

A Day with the Tanners

A day with the Tanners = get what I want day!  MaryAlice loves to be the princess with our friends the Tanners.  They have two older boys, so MaryAlice is the only girl and the baby when she's with them.  She so loves them and has Mr Steve wrapped around her little finger :)  I have to recount another story about her love for Mr Steve...
The Tanners came to my grandpa's funeral during visitation which was so sweet of them to be so supportive of me, but MA assumed they came just for her and she wanted Mr Steve all to herself.  She was in his arms as they were trying to leave and pleading for Mr Steve to take her to the playground at the church.  He was re-telling her what I had been saying that we had a sitter coming who would take her, and Mr. Steven had to leave when she took his face in her two little hands and made him look at her (because he obviously he wasn't listening to what she was saying) and ever so sweetly pleaded her case, "But... Mr. Steve... I want YOU to take me to the playground!"  I thought she had him before then, but that sealed the deal!  And besides she lights up when she sees them coming!  So very cute!  I had to share that story before I forgot and the pics that went along with that day.  I had been in the hospital for several days and they were releaving Auntie Andrea for a day because she had been keeping the girls the whole time I was in other than daddy taking them home one night with him :)

I hate to leave Mrs Terri out because she loves her too, but it's more funny if you know Mr Steve and his natural inclination toward small children :)  You would assume everyone loves the sweet Mrs Terri, but Steve I think she saw as a challenge!!!!  Don't let him fool you, he's a big softy!!! Sorry Steve to give you up :)

Ian teaching her how to play video games

Always a ham!

Chasing bubble with Mrs Terri I presume :)

big cheese!

throwing rocks... one of her favorite things to do since
she did it on her first date with her daddy!

throwing rocks with her Grahammy isn't too bad either!
She used to call him "her boy"

4th of July... Hatfield style!

4th of July... Hatfield style :)  We had so much fun celebrating with our friends at their house.  The plan was a BBQ and then hopping on the boardwalk, which runs through their backyard, and walking downtown to the fireworks.  We knew the girls wouldn't last that late, but we left Belle to do to the fireworks with everyone as MA and Abby hit their limit after all the fun and swimming! 

We hadn't intended to leave Belle, but she really wanted to go and Mrs Alana came up with the idea to keep her overnight... much to Belle's excitement!  Nobody likes a sleepover like Belle!  She only had her flip flops with because we had no intention to stay, but they made the 3 mi walk a bit tricky.  Alana was pushing Jud in the big jogging stroller and she asked him if Belle could ride alone.  To everyone's surprise he let her ride nearly the whole way with him... what a sweetie!  Thanks to G-ray (sp?) the new exchange student from South Africa living with them, Alana didn't have to push both of them the entire way!!! I can't believe Mrs Alana didn't take a picture :)   I didn't mention that they left the house and hour later than they planned because it had been raining.  I guess picture taking isn't conducive when running!!!!

Fun... Food... and Good Friends makes for a perfect day!

MA: "Can I kiss Jud?"
Me: "Sure, if he'll let you."
Jud: laughing & staring at her trying to figure out why she was all up in his Kool-aid!

Mr Dan joined in the silly string fun... what a great idea Alan had!

Miss Nancy got sill stringed a bit too!

Mr Tim joined the girls too!

Jud likes to sit on the stool by the door when he wants to leave.  Mary Alice thought
was a perfect time to corner him into "visiting" with her!

MaryAlice and G-ray having a heart to heart!  I think Rainbow Dash 
and Jesus dominated the discussion... I don't get her stories either!

Mama and her big girl!

Jud thought she was funny.  He kept listening and laughing while
she chatted away. 

bubble blowing was part of the entertainment as well.  Alana was thinking of
the girls, but looks like more than the girls got into it!

Jud sat down next to MaryAlice as she "read" to him... thankfully Belle
helped a bit so he recognized some of the story she told!  I think we was
aiming for her lap. 

Fragile friends

(Auntie had belle & MA while I'm in the hospital & I had to share the hysterical post I got from her...

(1/3) Funny story. MA was carrying on about not being able to go to sleep w the "fragile friends" in the room. Thinking she w(2/3) to close her eyes. She said "i still see them looking @ me. I go upstairs in exasperation because of her hysterics of the "fragile friends" i just about about fussed at her for just making them until i saw them & just about (3/3) peed my pants when i saw the "fragile friends" i sent u a pic of them!

That silly girl kills me!

mud, paint and fizz

My girl likes to be messy.  She likes to grind things into her hands just to feel it.  She loves the mud and playing in the sink.  You can't tell in the pic, but there is mud all over her face even. Belle was so disturbed that I was letting her just play in it.  Belle is the one who wouldn't finger paint because the paint got all over her hands!  So funny!  The mom is laughing and taking pics and the eight year old is saying, "Do you see what she's doing?  She has mud all over her!  She's grinding it into her knees! Have you seen how much mud she has on her clothes?"  Love my different girls!

Since she so loved the mud, I had to take out the finger paints and see what she did.  I couldn't get her to do any kind of a picture.  She just mashed all the paints together and got all in it.  It was a huge smear of paint... mostly brown!  She is hysterical!  I had to post the video of her just singing while she was messing in it... total contentment!

The next project I envisioned as a nice bowl of baking soda with four small bowls of colored vinegar.  She was supposed to spend hours using a dropper to drop little bits of the vinegar unto the soda and watch it fizz.  She did that a few times and then was all in it with her hands.  Soon the small bowls where fizzing over as she put handfuls of the soda into the little bowls as well... a much bigger fizz!  Nicely done.  She's still over there.  Dropper is long gone and she's toting balls of vinegar and soda all over the table and floor!  She really slays me!  Every now and then she yells that something is wrong because she's put too much soda into the vinegar and it's bubbling over!!!!  Not the way I thought it would go, but WAY fun all at the same time!

What I like about you at 3...almost 4!

What I like about you at 3... almost 4:

mama's girl

like her Daddy, she eats lemons

my girl enjoys her food

• You like to sing all made up songs!  You make it up as you go.  Usually no known tune just a story about what you're doing.  I started laughing, but you do it so often and so loud now that sometimes you are asked to go sing upstairs or outside :)
• you play very well by yourself.  you have quite the imagination and can play for hours in your closet or in the sink
• You are such a huge little love.  You make everyone feel so special with your huge hugs and always something sweet from your chatty mouth!
• You can tell quite a story without skipping a beat.  You've been called bull headed from time to time as you're not easily distracted when you set your mind on something.  Most kids can be distracted, but you will persist even if it's the next morning
• You love your big sisters so much.  You even come back and play with Abby even when she is grabby.  The sun rises and sets with Belle.  You love to be with her and do anything she's doing.  You drive her a bit crazy because you get into her things a lot these days.
• You play very well with friends; although you won't hesitate to enforce your wishes if they're not followed even though you're a bit more tolerant that you use to be. 
• You're best buddy is your cousin Selah, but you have several friends at church too.  Ashlynn is your other buddy.  You are so cute with very affectionate love for your friends!
• You really love to dance!  You will dance alone, but prefer to shake with family dance parties!
• You're super funny on the trampoline because you love to jump, but only by yourself!  You can't stay upright with others dancing and get cranky when others try to interupt your turn :)
• You like your babies, but a large variety rather than one in particular.  It depends on the day which one you want with you.
• You cannot sleep without your blanket, which so happens to be your sister's blankets.  One of daddy's customers when he sold cookware made them before you were born, but neither of them took to a blanket so you've claimed them.  The funny part about your blankets is that one says "Abby" and the other says "Annabelle".  I suppose we could get you your own, but it's too late for that as you're already attached to them. 
• You suck your right pointer finger at night.  You had an owie on it one night and it hurt, so I was trying to get you to switch hands, but you kept telling me that the other hand didn't work!
• You love a crowd just like your daddy!  You come alive and work the crowd at church.  You definitely have your favorite people like our closest friends and Mr. Beau and Miss Jessica.  Beau often plays piano with you after church which may be where you learned to make up songs as the first one he taught you was, "Mommy and Daddy Are So Great!" You like to meat new people and have no trouble starting up a new conversation.  You remember people and are always excited to see relatives that you haven't seen in months. 
• You are the kids who gets into everything!  If you're quiet I have to worry which can be tricky with you because you do entertain yourself well, but all too often it's with something messy.  You've written on everything with anything you can find.  You get into soaps, shampoos and anything that sticks.  You decided one day you didn't like Peeps and proceeded to smash them into your hands.  You are a messy!
• You aren't a bit afraid of the water.  You jump right in and are even swimming!



reading with your friends Ashlynn and Emery



MA & Selah



your prayers about as creative as you

• You are mama's girl! 

What she's saying this month

I subbed a couple days at the girls school and she got to go to preschool!

At 3... 4 in a couple of months MaryAlice says the funniest things!  Here are a few gems...

she likes to help out.  when I ask she says, "SURE"

• For Easter Belle asked for a new dress instead of a candy basket, and being a mom who doesn't like to push candy I thought it was a good idea.  In the car today MaryAlice decided what she wanted... "A stepmother dress"  Whatever in the world that is, I have no idea; but since all the princesses have stepmothers, she wanted to be able to play that part as well when they dress up.  Her cousin Selah is a new princess every day, so it is fitting that my funny girl wants to be the stepmother!
• MA went with Grandma Mary to her great, great uncle Don's funeral last weekend.  She asked Grandma why Uncle Don was in a treasure box.  Later on she said, "Uncle Don sure is sleepy," and asked to see him again.  When she got close she told Grandma that she should sing to him, and proceeded to make up a song for him about Little Bo Peep because "That is in the Bible, you know."
• After letting Belle go home with her cousin today, MA was very distraught that her sister wasn't with us.  She said, "I need my whole family... Abby, Belle, Daddy, Mommy & Ms Danielle!" 
• We're trying to get MA to wipe herself.  She really wants no part of it.  She yelled for me to come wipe her, and I tried some tough love with you are big enough to do it yourself and didn't go.  After a few minutes she aggrevatedly replied, "I went poop and I cannot wipe myself.  I will get poop on my hands and I won't wash them!"
• We had our first beautiful spring day and we spent most of the day outside.  MA was hysterically crying because I wouldn't let her step in all the animal poop!!!!
• MA has imaginay friends that come and go, usually with made up names; therefore we hear their names once usually and never hear of them again.  The one friend that has reappeared from time to time, but has definitely stayed... "Poolish"  Just like all the name suggests, Pooplish, poops on everything all the time! 

playing music with Abby

I love Abby clapping for MaryAlice!

singing

It seems like she has her musical talent from her parents... we were hoping for someone to get auntie's talents, but...

MaryAlice-ism

I had to put this down so I wouldn't forget it!  I started "working" a month ago which means I go to parties as a norwex consultant about once a week.  On Monday when I was getting ready to leave MaryAlice was crying as she said, "I thought Daddy was going to do the working and you were going to stay home with me!"  Daddy walked by and sarcastically retorted, "She's just going to party!"  Good point but not the best for a three year old as she immediately stopped crying and said, "I want to party!"
So very funny!

3rd Birthday

Birthday brunch on Saturday with G & G, Uncle Ben &
the Tanners!

Thanking Daddy for breakfast

MaryAlice was oblivious to the overload of her birthday.  Not only do we share a birthday, which I was okay with before my grandpa died on "our" day.  The day was already overloaded being the girls last day of school and a carnival to celebrate.  I cleverly decided to call the carnival MaryAlice's birthday party, but it ended up being far more than I could handle on one day.  I told Andy a few days ago that I officially moved my day to July 2.  It's possible to share with my baby, but not with that and Grandpa's birthday.

Andy took MA and I out to breakfast and then dropped us off at the mall while he got a haircut.  MaryAlice was  a spectacle with her "birthday girl" shirt and skirt.  She did surprisingly well since I quickly hauled her into Younkers to pick up a black dress for the funeral and a card at Hallmark... w/o a stroller to lock her in place.  It was an act of God to find a dress on sale for $20. I needed to get a card for Grandma, so I had to take her to Hallmark... not a kids store as it's over half breakable!  I whisked her in, picked up a card and was trying to distract her while I paid by talking to her about her party.  She got super excited, so I had to calm her by telling her she needed to take "a little rest" (nap) before we could go to her party.  This is when she laid down in the middle of the store and commenced fake snoring as she said,  "I rest here so I go to my party!"  We gathered a crowd and brightened a tough day!

Lying down on the floor in the middle of Hallmark

I know I have pics from the party somewhere, but I can't seem to find them.  The whole day was such a emotional day that I barely remember any of it except for the card several of the ladies (moms/faculty) at school gave me with a gift certificate.  It was so unexpected and thoughtful that it moved me immensely.  What sweet ladies!  I needed to tangibly feel loved that day and they sure did that for me.  It got me through the carnival with a smile and home before I crashed in my bed...