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Thu, Jul 31, 2008 1:00 PM
Today we registered Katie for her first dancing lessons. In September, she'll start in a class called "Ballet-Jazz-Song & Dance I." For her age and experience level, there's another class that excludes singing but includes acrobatics. But since Katie will still be taking a weekly Little Gym class--and given her love of music--we figured "Song & Dance" would be the way to go.

We had been exploring the options for awhile, and after conferring with another mom, decided to go with a studio in Warminster. The location is convenient, and the studio itself looks great. Steve and I will enjoy the viewing windows, and Katie is sure to relish the massive mirror! Also, I like the fact that most of the students at this studio are from the Centennial and Hatboro-Horsham school districts. At dance, Katie will be meeting and interacting with a different group of girls than those she knows from school, camp, and our neighborhood (where the kids are mostly from the Central Bucks School District).

Anyway, Katie might prove me wrong, but my hunch is that she's going to LOVE this studio and the whole dancing-class experience. We'll be shopping for new leotards, tights, and ballet slippers soon. After we do, I'll post pics of her modeling her new dancing togs.

Comments:
Stacey: I bet she'll love it too!

Cousin Emily in KY: I am so excited that Katie will be taking dance classes! My six years of ballet are definitely still fondly remembered. I can't wait for the photos!

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Tue, Jul 29, 2008 9:30 AM
For Katie, Elbow Lane Day Camp continues to be a huge hit. Whenever possible, I still try to pick her up a few minutes early. But more and more, I arrive and she doesn't want to come home! The other day she was engaged in a heated game of Duck-Duck-Goose and had to be practically pried away.

A few other recent camp snippets:

* Katie approached Brett's mom at pick-up and informed her that Brett is her boyfriend. Why? "He makes toots on my arm!"

* One of the counselors is continually remarking on Katie's appetite. "Katie can out-eat anyone I know," Courtney said to me yesterday. Of course, Katie also out-moves everyone, so she burns up every calorie right after she consumes it.

* The Rugrats have been learning the choreography for their end-of-season music video. Apparently Katie has introduced all of her peers to the hiney-slap dance, and now they're all doing it... all the time. (Steve and I are expecting thank-you notes from the other parents. NOT.)

* Katie is still coming home with all kinds of new skills and knowledge. The other day, we realized she was doing the Chicken Dance. She also loves to "instruct" Steve and me on new games and activities, just as the counselors and specialists teach her. The other night at bedtime, she was ordering me around even more than usual. "Why are you so bossy?" I said. "Do you want to be a boss like Daddy when you grow up?" Her reply: "No, I want dat now."

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Tue, Jul 22, 2008 9:30 AM
Katie has a long-running gag with Steve where she tells him she doesn't like him. The more he asks for affection, the more she busts his chops. It's a big joke at home, but sometimes it can be a tad uncomfortable when she does it in public. One time when Steve came with me to pick her up at camp, she gave me this full-body hug but gave him the cold shoulder. The scene played out in front of one of the directors, and I think she thought Katie really meant it!

That director should have been at our house last week, when Steve was away on business. He and I both talked with Katie about the trip in advance. When he left for the airport, she and I looked at the globe and talked about where he was going and how long he'd be gone. Even so, every day brought the same questions. I'd get them in the morning and again in the evening:

"Why Daddy not home?"

"Why Daddy not coming home brom work?"

"Why Daddy hab to go to England?"

"When Daddy coming home?"

The day he returned, she insisted on sitting outside (in the 90-degree heat) to watch for him. And as he unpacked, she spontaneously interrupted him for the sweetest hug and kiss. He got a couple of good days, but now it's back to normal--with her finding every way she can to rib him.

She got back in the "groove" this morning. He still leaves his coffee mug on the table for her to find every day when she first comes downstairs. Lately, he's been adding little Post-it notes, too. This morning, she found a chain of three Post-it notes, each with a similar-looking smiley face on it. Each face had a little "W" for its hairdo.

She inferred that one face must be Daddy, one Mommy, and the other Katie. At first she smiled at that idea, but then she shook her head with dismay: "OK, here's da problem," she said to me, pointing to the "Katie" face. "I hab long CURLY hair--not djort hair. And djew hab longer hair, too. Dee, look?"

We wasted no time getting Daddy on the phone so we could let him know he screwed up, yet again! ;-)

* * *

This morning--before we even made it downstairs--Katie initiated a rather lengthy discussion about school and transportation. She wanted to know how long she'd be at Titus, and where she'd go after that. And I'm not kidding: She wanted to talk about how she'd get to the various schools she'll be attending. She also asked about what she would do after high school. When I explained college to her, she remembered how Dee used to live at college. Then she became very distraught that I wouldn't be dropping her off at her college classes.

Katie also wanted to know how old Mommy and Daddy would be when she was in high school. I told her, "I'll be old, and Daddy will be REALLY old." Then she said, out of nowhere, "Leah, and Paw-Paw will be old, too. But not Gran!"

Comments:
Aunt Lynda: I'm glad I share Gran's genes!!! Aunt Lynda

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Sun, Jul 13, 2008 10:00 PM
Yesterday we celebrated Katie's birthday with six other girls from her school/camp. Since Gran had been working on this party for two or three years, the plans were quite elaborate. (She made it easy for me; she said, "You handle the food, and I'll do the rest.")

One of the other moms who came is a terrific photographer, and she already shared her images with me. I've posted them in an album. When I get around to organizing mine, I may add more. (But I think her shots are better, anyway!)

Comments:
Sarah: Wow! Will your Gran come run all of my little girl's parties?

Katie H.: OMG, after looking at the pictures, Gran needs to get into the party planning business. How fun was that?!!! I was tired just from looking at the photos! I bet everyone slept well that night!

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Thu, Jul 10, 2008 10:00 PM
The other day, Katie did something that had me absolutely bursting with pride.

In the mail, she received a birthday card from Grandma Renee. When she opened it up, she found four one-dollar bills and a check. She tucked the singles where Steve keeps his cash (she must think he's still having "money troubles" after that loan he took without asking). She carefully handed me the check, which I put in a safe place. Then I headed into the bathroom.

Now, I wasn't in there long at all (I swear!), but by the time I came out she was handing me an envelope.

"Dis is bor Grandma because djee dent me domething," Katie said.

I asked what she had written in it, and Katie replied, "Nubbing." I was starting to feel a bit let down about the "note"--but then I opened it and saw that she had created a rather elaborate sticker display instead.

I encouraged her to sign her name (she did). Then I addressed and stamped the envelope, and she happily walked it out to our mailbox.

I can only hope she is this enthusiastic next week--when she has lots and lots of thank-you notes to write!

Comments:
Sarah: Impressive! Sounds like you've done good.

Katie H.: That's one of my favorite things I learned to do in childhood. It's a simple gesture that means a lot to the recipient. I hope to have as much of an impression on Casey as you have on Katie.

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Mon, Jul 7, 2008 8:30 AM
We're still discovering little things Katie is learning at camp. The other night after her bath, she started doing these elaborate gesticulations with her hands and arms. I thought she was imitating a conductor from her music class. But then I watched a video clip on the camp's website and realized: She was doing sign language! I think she got only one or two words "right," but she had the idea.

Then, last night at dinner, she spontaneously put my hand on my chest and Steve's on his and started pledging the flag! At orientation, they had told us there's a daily line-up where they say the Pledge of Allegiance and go over announcements, etc. But I had forgotten, so we were quite impressed--even though she says only the first line with botched prepositions ("I pledge uh-lee-gen to da blag...to da 'nited dates to 'merica...").

I was so excited about this discovery that Katie and I called Gran and Paw-Paw and told them to put her on speaker phone. First she told them, "Djew hab to put lure RIGHT hand on lure CHEST!" Next, she did her attempt at the pledge, and they of course reacted with great fanfare. Then Katie quickly shifted into comedy mode, saying, "OK, I hab anudder dong por djew. Put lure LEP (left) hand on lure BELLY and day, 'I pledge uh-lee-gen to da POOPY...'" She howled with laughter at her own joke.

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Wed, Jul 2, 2008 9:00 AM
The first week of camp, I printed out each day's schedule, highlighted Katie's group, and posted the five pages on the fridge. Throughout the day, I'll glimpse and think about what she's doing at that moment. And before I pick her up, I'll make mental notes on the various activities she did that day so I can inquire about them.

The other day, her group did Ga Ga and Kickball, among other things. When I asked Katie, "How was Ga Ga today?" she answered, "Mmm...I didn't do Ga Ga t'day." Then she paused and added, "I didn't play Kickball, eidder."

Despite her reluctance to chat about her day--and even though it's only the second week of full-scale camp--Steve and I can already see real glimpses of what she's learning.

On Saturday night, we attended a neighbor's birthday party. It's a house with three sons (ages 1 to 7), and so not surprisingly, there was baseball gear around. One of the boys asked Steve to pitch to him, and he did. Soon after, Katie wanted a turn at bat. She definitely needs to work on her grip, but she had the right idea and even made a few hits.

Also, Steve and I have noticed that her gymnastics skills have improved. Although she isn't taking classes at The Little Gym this summer, she is getting twice-weekly sessions in the gymnastics area at Elbow Lane. She is SO close to doing a handstand and a cartwheel.

* * *

After Katie brushed her teeth this morning, she walked up to me and said, “Hey, Mommy, mell my bep!” It took me a second to realize I was supposed to get a whiff near her mouth. As I did, she informed me that MY “bep” was “bicy” (spicy), which wasn't surprising since I hadn't brushed yet!

* * *

Inspired by the movie Primal Fear, Steve long ago assigned a name to Katie's dark, evil alter ego: Debbie.

Whenever that switch gets flipped and Katie becomes truly irrational and uncooperative, he and I look at each other and mutter, "Debbie." Now that Katie is so aware of EVERYTHING (and so incredibly NOSY), she has caught on to our little inside joke.

When we first explained it to her, she was in the heat of a tantrum, and she became further enraged. "DON'T CALL ME DAT WORD!" she shrieked. But she quickly retaliated, saying, "OK, den Daddy, when LURE mean, I gonna call djew 'Hoo Hoo.' And Mommy, when LURE mean, I gonna call djew 'Koo Koo'!"

Ultimately, however, Steve's joke has served a real purpose. Now that Katie knows the "code," he or I can simply say "Debbie" during an episode, and it seems to make Katie stop and think about how she's behaving. Often, it will also make her crack up--which completely breaks the bad mood and brings the "real" Katie back.

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