Since Natalie has started school my schedule has freed up tremendously. If my job had more hours for me I would work more but there just aren't any available hours for me at the salon.
Before Natalie started kindergarten I started applying to various part time retail positions but never heard back from anywhere. My flexibility is pretty limited on when I can work which is probably why I didn't get any responses (because who wouldn't want to hire someone with this sparkling personality?!). I have to be home in time to get her from school at 2:30 and if there are days she's sick or if there is something I can be a part of like a field trip or volunteering in the classroom then I want to be there.
I am not complaining about my abundance of free time, but it does occasionally get lonely and boring. I do keep busy with home projects like cleaning, painting, organizing and such, or by you know, plaguing myself with panic and worry, but those things often get mundane. I could definitely find some more things to do if I really felt like switching things up but that is kind of why I started blogging again- to fill the boredom.
I looked back on past blog entries about Natalie and all the little milestones and updates and I am so glad I documented that stuff. Each post read like a stranger's because I barely remember those challenges or little personality quirks she had. I want to make it a point to keep up to date with how she is growing and ever changing, so here is her 7 1/4 update.
-She is a creative little girl who makes up games all the time. This weekend we went to my twin nieces 3rd birthday party and Natalie cracked open the pinata on her first try. At home she has been putting candy in paper bags and then we take turns whacking the bag open as we pretend we're at a birthday party. She also invented a coin toss game for our birthday party make believe and we won "prizes" which were some jewels that the leprechauns hid on St. Patty's Day.
-She likes making up and writing her own short stories. Last night she created her own book series about a boy named Pink. Around December she made a book called "The Gingerbread Boy" that ended up being about a banana, which I thought was hilarious.
-She's been an only child for a long time and sometimes that shows when she's playing with her friends or cousin. She likes to be in charge and is used to things going her way so she can tend to get pouty and difficult if everyone doesn't agree with her. We're working on that.
-Bedtime is still a challenge after all these years. We used to tuck her in at 8pm and she would roll around in bed for two hours along with finding every excuse under the moon to get up, like needing more water, needing a band-aid for a scrape that happened the day before, having a headache, her tooth being loose, you name it. She struggled so much and though it frustrated me I genuinely felt bad for her because I know how hard it can be to fall asleep. Granted, she wasn't trying very hard but still. I asked her doctor about this and she suggested a later bedtime, some people just need less sleep and she isn't dragging through the day. So now at 8pm she is all settled for bed, teeth brushed, book read but we let her stay up an hour to play quietly. It was working out really well up until the freaking time changed threw her body clock off. We're still in the same routine, but she isn't nearly as tired as she was come lights out anymore so she has started trying to delay bedtime a bit some nights.
-Her demeanor has stayed pretty much the same since she was small: sweet, silly, affectionate and compliant. She is overall such a well behaved, well mannered child. I so enjoy spending time with her. Her and I have a close bond and I laugh when I read how she used to favor Matt when she was a baby. I think I am a pretty balanced mom. She knows I can be fun and we get to do special things together but when I say it's time to listen, it's time to listen. If she does misbehave in a way that requires reprimanding I stick to whatever punishment I give her, like early bedtime, no dessert, etc, even when she starts behaving and I feel guilty sticking to it.
-She is an active, athletic girl who likes trying new games/sports. P.E. is her favorite special in school and she always enjoys whatever activity they do. She has taken a liking to basketball lately and still enjoys gymnastics. I signed her up for try outs for a gymnastics pre-team and she did excellent. It was supposed to begin in summer but they said if she started now, by summer she would be a level 3 and doing competitions. We went to one practice to see how she felt and she decided against joining. The practice was from 4:30-7:30 on a Wednesday night and it wore her out. I was kinda relieved she decided against doing it, gymnastics is such a physically exerting sport and it requires a ton of commitment, from her and our family (twice a week practice and traveling for meets, not to mention it's expensive), plus with a baby on the way now isn't the best time to try and juggle all that. I am glad she gave it a go though and I would support her 100% if her heart were in it, I signed her up just to see where it lead to.
-She is proud of her heterochromia (different colored eyes) and the positive reaction she gets when people notice them. Last year in kindergarten there was an older girl in one of her after school programs that noticed them and said mean things to her about them. She told her they were creepy and not to look at her because they freaked the girl out. Natalie didn't seem too bothered or upset about it and she hasn't mentioned that anyone else has had anything negative to say, but I know more picking on is in her future because of this trait. I just hope I do a good job giving her the confidence she needs to tell those jerks to get lost.
Favorites
Color: Blue
Number: 10 because it's the first double digit number.
Song: Seven Years Old Lucas Graham
Food: Crab
What she wants to be: Teacher

