The Girls

Look at how tall Millie is compared to her classmates!

Her class goes to Crystal Bridges every month!  This month it is all about the presidents and patriotism.  Currently working on her first big paper about President Zachary Taylor.  Stay tuned...

We've been so lucky this winter to avoid the flu and any bad illnesses.  The girls will have a day here and there of fever and feeling bad, but they fight it off so quickly.  Last week, Millie was home for one such day with a cold and I found her chicken noodle soup like this.  Cracks me up.  She's big into leaving us notes lately.

This girl...JKK and I have looked at each other a hundred times this past year and discussed how sweet she is.  She is truly thoughtful of others and their feelings.  She enjoys doing things to help others, and I think she will choose a nurturing role for a career some day.  We are so proud of her kind heart.  Of course she talks back now and then, but we really haven't had many issues with her and we know it.  She's easy to love.

Important things to Millie: friends, coziness, food.  She's laid back but would much rather do something active than read or do arts and crafts.  

She's getting more independent and was making her own microwave mac-n-cheese when Lily tripped her and she spilled boiling water on her wrist.  It was a painful second degree burn, poor thing! Millie loves mac-n-cheese...other favorites: ice cream, pickles, green beans, pasta with butter and parm, and treats of any kind.  She would probably trade the cat for a treat.

Millie has been working SO HARD to move up levels in her gumball math.  She is on multiplication 5's right now, and she is so hard on herself when she doesn't pass a level.  She doesn't fully understand that you have to put in the work before you can know something.  She's impatient to her core.  We are so happy with her progress this year though!  And she's still the coolest kid on the block...

Now Syd is a whole different animal.  I would not call her laid back.  In fact, she's a bit of a pitiful worrywart these days.  Look at this poor baby, it breaks my heart.

Syd's anxiety has really peaked and we are in the process of getting her an appointment with a therapist.  Hopefully, the younger she is that we start getting a handle on the anxiety, the better.  For example, she wanted me to braid her hair after bath one night so she could wear it to school curly.  She loved it for a bit, but then she started doubting herself and by the time we got to school she was a wreck of emotions.  I hate that for her.  I wish she had Millie's self-confidence.

Her meltdowns at school have become more frequent, and I know one of the reasons is this learning program called Lexia.  Syd wasn't able to move up a level the entire school year and she was so frustrated.  When she feels like a failure, she shuts down.  So it got to the point where when it was time to do Lexia, Syd would just refuse.  She's started tutoring with another teacher after school, so I hope having someone else explain things will help.  And luckily, she finally did pass Lexia level 6 just this week!  Phew!  We celebrated that win.

When the anxiety isn't present, she's back to her old, fun self.  She's really enjoying playing with baby dolls and American Girl dolls right now.  She's still SO GOOD at entertaining herself and usually has a stuffed animal with her.  Unlike Millie, she would rather sit and play pretend or do arts and crafts rather than run around and be active.  Millie needs the physical outlet and Syd needs the mental one (alone time in her own little world).  She's a good helper when she wants to be.  She has a real love for animals and gives Lily lots of attention every day.  She's stubborn and tends to say things she will regret some day.  I think sassy and fiery are good words to describe her.  And gosh, she's so funny!   I really love how different the girls are...

Still a momma's girl.  This picture sums up our relationship perfectly. ;) I just want to hug her.

If you ask her what her favorite food is, she will answer CHEESE!  She also loves strawberries, salami/pepperoni, crackers, pistachios and almonds, pickles...basically charcuterie boards are her favorite things.  She's pretty easy to feed, but getting vegetables in her is still a chore.

Now this girl...she loves her morning treats, laying where she's touching me in bed, finding sun spots, and playing fetch with her special toys.  She's sweet as pie and soooo soft.  We love our little Lilla.