All About Audrey

My mom always used to joke that I was 6 going on 16 or 8 going on 16.  As a kid, I used to get annoyed by that.  Now, however, I completely understand where that was coming from.  As the mother of an extremely independent, strong-willed and sometimes moody 6 year old, I have started saying the same thing about my daughter.  It is just so amazing how quickly they grow up.  That said, I wanted to take a moment to capture this current Audrey and describe how I see her at 6 and a half years old.

·         Audrey loves her brother very much, but sometimes his annoying tendencies cause her to forget that.  He most frequently gets on her nerves when he refused to do whatever it is she wants him to (play her way, give her something she wants, or just leave her alone).  It often makes me chuckle, because it reminds me so much of me and my brother.  When Audrey doesn’t let herself get frustrated, she usually does a pretty good job of getting her brother to come around to where she wants him to be.  She’s still working on harnessing her frustration when he doesn’t though.

·         Audrey loves the monkey bars and climbing on the jungle gym.  They built a new one at the park across from our house, and I am pretty sure she has scaled every wall in one way or another (and usually not the way the designers intended). 

 

·         Audrey is still doing dance, and is getting much better.  She is in a more advanced ballet class this year, which I think has been really good for her.  She is one of the youngest in her class, but she is being challenged to keep up with the older girls, and she is managing pretty well.  For their next performance, they are doing Fantasia, and she is a bird.  I’ve gotten to see them rehearse a couple of times, and I must say that Audrey has the stage presence down.  She is still working on the dance steps, but she is a performer.  Even when she’s messing up, she is so confident that it almost makes you wonder if everyone else is doing it wrong. 

·         Audrey is reading!  Every weeknight, she has to do 20 minutes of reading.  We rotate between having her read to us, having her read to herself, and us reading to her.  Admittedly, this has been tough to keep up with.  Since she has dance twice a week, she frequently ends up reading out loud to us in the car while we drive to and from dance.  It is amazing how much progress she has made even in the past month.  Having that constant practice is really helping her.  I am sure that by the end of the year, she’ll be reading chapter books on her own. 

·         Audrey has always enjoyed coloring and drawing, but she has really started to take a keen interest in all sorts of crafting.  She has several jewelry making kits that she plays with frequently; she especially loves the Rainbow Loom.  If Audrey disappears for a few minutes, she is usually in the office with paper, tape, markers, and scissors making some sort of craft creation.    Yesterday, she was making a purse for herself using the aforementioned tools.  She also loves going to Michaels almost more than a toy store.  I try to encourage her creativity, but I am not particularly crafty myself, so it is hard.  I try going outside of my comfort zone though, especially when it comes to making gifts for friends and family.  So, beware of what might be coming your way this Christmas ;)

 

·         Audrey loves the dogs.  She finally has the self-control to sit with them for long periods of time just petting them.  I think all three of them really enjoy it, although Stella always wants more attention for herself J