Recent highlights:
I went to Alma's school to observe her in her classroom environment and it was fascinating. While I watched (through a one-way mirror so as to not disturb the class), she was coloring in a map of Japan using colored pencils. She was sitting at a desk by herself while the classroom busily and independently buzzed around her. In the hour that I watched, she worked intently for about 45 minutes with little breaks to turn around in her seat and watch the activity in the room. It was interesting to me that she didn't seem bothered by (or even to notice) the noises in the classroom while she was working. At one point, the teachers seemed to tell the class that they should wrap up their work. Alma seemed to ask if she could keep working and was told that she could (again, I was behind a one way mirror so I'm just guessing what happened). She worked for a few more minutes, then got up, skipped across the room to put her finished work in her folder, and then put away her materials on the shelf where they belong. This little glimpse into her day was fascinating because our little talkative gal was all on her own, seemed to feel super comfortable in that space and also was able to advocate for herself.
Outside of the classroom, I'm finding that Alma needs more "work" on her days off. It is no longer sufficient to just have quiet time when we read together. She seems to require some challenge or activity that takes a good bit of concentration. So we have doing more complicated art projects, borrowing puzzles from the library and seeking out other challenges. Alma can complete a 24-piece puzzle rather easily. It is fun to watch the process. She runs her finger down the straight edge of the pieces to find the edges, just like they must demonstrate in school.
I've also noticed that, while she doesn't seem to spend much (any?) time at school working on handwriting -- i.e. she isn't sitting at a desk writing her name over and over -- her handwriting is incredible. She can write so clearly and often asks me to sound out words with her. I think it is the speed at which her handwriting improved that really is the most astonishing. I didn't think it would develop so quickly. All that pouring, spooning and metal inset work has really paid off with an impressive pincer grip!
In non-school news, Christmas is still alive and kicking in our house. We are still listening the Nutcracker on a daily basis and dancing around the living room like Clara. Before-bed songs of "Are you sleeping" (a Christmas song she learned in pre-school) and "Jingle Bells", which have only recently transitioned to "Up on the Rooftop" which feels somehow a little less Christmas-y. Granted, Joshua and I haven't been the best examples: We FINALLY got rid of our Christmas trees and wreaths from the last TWO YEARS. I know, embarrassing. Especially since we live less than a mile from the composting center. We are blaming it on the two car seats in our larger vehicle .... and an utter lack of trying. Ha!
Alma is also really into wrestling and we spend the time between the kid's evening bath and bedtime wrestling on the futon mattress, which is still on James's bedroom floor. She is a pretty unskilled wrester and her giggles make it one of the best parts of my day. James usually joins in, but he is also usually holding a book, in a desperate last-ditched attempt to have yet another book read to him before the day is done. After wrestling is done, Alma jumps off a bench a few times before pretending to be an airplane (which Joshua is in charge of flying around) that gives kisses and turns out the lights. Then Alma returns to the bedroom to sing "The Barney Song" (I love you, you love me...) to James and me. She sings it twice -- once to James while petting his head and once while walking out and closing the door. It is very sweet that she enacted this same double-Barney singing tradition for James that Joshua and I have done with her for bed times and nap times since she was a wee little babe.
A funny story: When we go to Mass, I try to tell Alma what the homily is about in a way that she can understand. The other day, a missionary was explaining that he sees the face of Jesus in the people he helps and asked us if we wanted to see the face of God. Starting to get lazy with my "translations" I asked Alma, "Do you want to see Jesus?" She sat up and looked around the church wildly while exclaiming "Where?!" It was difficult to explain that he wasn't there (exactly). Not surprisingly, the next week we went to Mass, as soon as she walked into the church she asked if Santa was coming to church that day.
Alma is still the sweetest, most sensitive and funniest kids I've ever met. She does an incredible job taking care of James (always sharing her food, even when it is special snacks in limited supply), including him in her playing (luckily he loves to dance and go on walks as much as she does), and loving him as much as Joshua and I do. Actually, this is what she does with all of us -- checking in on us, feeding us and making sure we are all feeling loved and appreciated. I love when I catch her just staring at one of our family members with a warm smile of love. We are so blessed to have her energy and creativity in our lives.
