Evelyn cracks us up all the time. Man, she's a dynamo - have to work hard to keep up with her. Sharp as a tack. I've been complaining about needing more exercise to boost my energy, so the other day we were out playing - making chalk hop scotch and decorating our names on the pavement (evelyn: "I'll go get more Scotch!!") - riding her bike up and down the sidewalk -- scootching around on plastic strap-on roller skates - etc - and Evelyn says, "Let's do jump rope mamma! You could use the exercise." Out of the mouth of babes... So she runs and gets two jump ropes (i had no idea she had two...i was thinking i'd get away with just watching her jump) and she says "Let's jump to 100!" She's proud, as she should be, of the fact that she can count to 100. Got some great cardio that day!
She has tremendous ability to focus on a task that interests her. She loves anything artsy, and is even learning to knit at school (much to Oma's delight). I love watching her apply herself to a project - she's so intent and engaged. She wants me to sign her up for art camp this summer - she went to a camp at the botanic garden over spring break that she totally LOVED. Now she's not interested in dance camp - just art. Oh, and soccer. She amazed Tag and I by running (full tilt run) and kicking along a soccer ball -- for like 20 minutes straight. I think we need to get her on a team. Burn off some of that incredible energy (!)
Em is really in a hurry to communicate. already he has a verbal vocabulary: hi, bah-bye, yumm, hot, cheechoo (thank you), poppa (puppy), poppa (poppa), yeah-yeah-yeah!, uh oh, up, ow, and mamma. He's been pretty good at some sign language, but now that's getting pushed aside as he strives to use words - Evelyn has been instrumental in this. He will do anything she does - and even wants to drink out of big-boy cups thanks to her role modeling. We're still struggling a bit with 'nah nah' -- that seems to have all sorts of meanings, from water to Elina to Evelyn to all-done to just-figure-it-the-heck-out-already. It's amazing how much he understands (everything).
He's coming out of hiding a bit also - not so afraid of new people or places. In fact, he was so comfortable at a Botanic Garden kids event the other week that he wandered out across the rehearsal floor into the middle of a circle of dancers, just checking things out.
He knows how to whistle. That was a shocker. We were out strolling in the backyard and pointed out some birds - I whistled just to mimic them and reinforce the concept of birds, and the kid whistled right back. Sort of an in-and-out whistle, with the sound forming on the inhale. Pretty awesome!
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| Snow Day ! with Elina |
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| Just mopping the floor for ya mamma |
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| Yes - feeding himself already. In such a hurry to grow up! |
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| Art Show at school - this work is titled "Tornado" (yes, how very apropos) |
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with her friend Adrianna
wearing a self-made necklace of heart stickers and twine |
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| middle of the dance rehearsal circle. no worries. |
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| with the prima ballerina, as the Black Swan - Ballet Memphis |
