We are on Christmas break! Oh thank goodness one semester is down. For me, this has been the hardest semester of my school SLP career. For Evie, I actually think she's enjoying this year more than any other, so I'm not sure she's in as much need of a break as I am. Evie has two amazing teachers this year and I think they keep their class very controlled. Evie's difficulty in second grade (her last in-person year) was how loud and unruly her classroom could get. Now, the kids are more mature and the teachers they have are more strict, so I think the classroom environment is much better for her. She's also finding the work more interesting. She absolutely loves geometry, which she just started this week. She is also enjoying English/Language Arts this unit because they've gotten to demonstrate their learning by choosing something to produce. Evie chose a board game, and she made it pretty elaborate. I was expecting it to play like Candy Land, but she incorporated a really interesting mechanism for moving involving coins and numbers on spaces. It's more complicated than I think I can explain, and I was super impressed with her creativity and going above and beyond the requirements of the project. She was very proud of it and wanted to play it with Granna and Granndaddy at our weekly dinner.
I really enjoy Evie's faces in this video clip:
At 0:12 seconds, she gives Grannadaddy a look that just tickles me.
At 0:33 seconds, she realizes that she shouldn't keep offering Grannadaddy help.
I also really appreciate how much Granna and Granndaddy put into understanding this game.
Evie's last day of school was Friday and that night we went to see a professional production of The Nutcracker. Evie has never seen the whole ballet before, though she knows the story. This was her first time to see a professional company and she turned to me after every dance with so much light in her eyes. She was soaking it all in, and of course, yesterday, she was dancing around and trying to recreate some of the beautiful moves she saw in the ballet, so I'd say it was a success.
At the ballet
Yesterday after gymnastics and some hanging at home, Evie spent the night with Granna and Granndaddy. Granna brought her to church this morning, where we had Lessons and Carols for Advent. Evie has been reading along with the scripture on my phone, but since there were so many lessons today, I handed her a physical Bible. I love that after the reading is done, she wants to keep on reading. She usually reads through the offertory and anthems, and part of the sermon (sorry, Grannadaddy!), because she gets wrapped up in it.
After church, I drove Evie out to the Presbyterian retreat about 1 hour from our house to attend Christmas Camp. It's one night away from home, just from 2pm today til 5pm tomorrow. It's Evie's first time away from home that's not at another family member's house, and I was nervous that she was going to be uncomfortable, but she was very excited about it. One of the counselors in her cabin goes to our church, so it makes me feel good that she knows someone there for her first time. My understanding of their itinerary is they are making smores and hot chocolate, singing Christmas songs, having a devotional tonight, and then tomorrow doing some hiking, crafts, and free time to explore. If she likes it, they have camps she can attend this summer, and if she doesn't then at least it's only for one night.
She was the first camper of her cabin to arrive so she got her choice of beds. She picked one away from the doors and closest to the bathroom (she told me this was her strategy, in case any bears came!). I got her bed made while she settled in to the cabin. As I was finishing up, another camper came in, so I made sure Evie felt good and then I left (I think she was ready for me to go so she could introduce herself to the other girl). I hope she has a wonderful time. It was hard for me to leave her there, not that I don't think she's in good hands, but because this is a huge step in growing up. I am so proud of the young lady she is becoming, and I am thrilled for her independence, but it's also starting to feel like my little girl is more and more a big girl.
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