Abby's Journal

An exciting time for Abby: you have gone from identifying upper and lower case letters to knowing 90% of your letter sounds in just a few weeks! You started to want to “practice reading” like Isaac, so each day after our pre-nap stories you tell me the letter sounds for the letters on the front cover of your book. It takes five minutes or less but such progress already – it helps that you remember after I've told you once. Now the only remaining hurdle is that your short vowel sounds are a bit indistinct. You also love playing math games and you can do plus and minus one pretty adeptly.

I found you an $8 Princess bike at the thrift store, so now you've officially graduated from the tricycle to training wheels. You do well on it – just s l o w. We need to work on leg strength but it's hard to know how to balance that with Isaac's need for speed! You've been playing in the back yard non-stop for a couple of spring weeks now. Even the next door neighbor girl Veronica (4) is getting in on the fun as you go back and forth between yards.

Isaac started playing soccer this spring and you tell me that you will “play ballet” when you are four. You love having various dance outfits to change into throughout the day! In March you got your first chance to be on stage when you were a “little sister” at the Miss Rapid City pageant. You did a little dance with the reigning Miss Rapid City, handed her a flower, and did a curtsy. Everyone thought you were adorable in your little brown and pink dress – you were the littlest little sister up there! I bought you a rose when you were done and you cried when it was wilted a week later.

Sometimes I realize I've nearly forgotten about you since Isaac is the one yelling and running through the house and Matthew is the one whining at my feet. You can be quite content with one little toy or book or even just observing the fray . . . but then when I get you one on one you don't stop talking! When it's just you and me you often comment, “It's so peaceful when the boys are gone. I like it to be peaceful.”

You've really been enjoying your little gal friends at church: you, Emma Jacobs and the Fagrey girls follow each other around playing teacher or house or store. It's always sad when it's time to go. We've started going to a weekly Bible study also – but almost all of the kids in your class are boys! Poor Abby – so many boys in your life! At least you'll know how to hold your own among them, which is something I never really learned!