Master of the Bike

I learned a valuable lesson from Grace last Sunday. I have been trying to teach Grace to ride her bike over the last month after finally getting fed up with training wheels. I never used training wheels and after my experience with Grace, I don't think I will use them with Hattie.

While Grace is still young, I was starting to think that she would never master her bike. Being the cyclist that I am, I was getting a little frustrated with Grace's slow progress and I'm sure that caused some of the problems as Grace and I were not happy with each other after some of our practice sessions.

Anyway, about a month ago I was finally fed up with training wheels. Much to Grace's chagrin (and plenty of tears) I took off the training wheels after a particularly difficult practice session. After we both calmed down, we spoke about things and Grace made the goal of wanting to be able to ride her bike by Memorial Day. We started going to large and empty parking lots to practice and I would run behind her with one hand on each of her shoulders. I found this to be the most effective technique as I could put pressure on her when she started to lean and she learned to correct her balance and relieve the pressure.

We made some good progress, but Grace was still lacking confidence. Last Sunday I got home late from church and I was in no mood to go out in our driveway and practice with Grace. However, Grace realized that it was her last day to master her bike to reach her goal. I tried to tell her that it was OK, we could practice the next day and it wasn't a big deal if she didn't master her bike by Memorial Day. This did not sit well with Grace. She told me that she had set a goal, and it was important to keep it. She was right. She reminded me that it is important to stay true to your goals and so I went outside with her. Within 10 minutes she was riding by herself. Now, after almost a week she is becoming quite the little cyclist. It won't be long before we start doing some rail trails and other fun rides together.

Good job Grace, and thanks for reminding me of important things.

You know you watch too much football when...

1. Your 5 year old daughter has a favorite team from a place you never have lived (Philadelphia Eagles, at least it isn't the Patriots)
2. She knows enough about their road/home jerseys to correct her dad about where they are playing (green jerseys for home, white jerseys for the road)
3. She wants to eat lunch in front of the tv to watch the game
4. She vehemently screams no way when the Giants block a FG and return for a touchdown ("Dad, that isn't legal is it?")
5. She gives high fives after good plays
6. Even after falling asleep in the second half, as soon as she wakes up she immediately asks for the final score

Big smile after the Eagles scored.

Grace's Big Night

Grace is in her second year of dance and while I don't know if she is getting better, I do know that she is having fun. She was very excited for Thursday's Christmas recital and that her cousin Sean and Aunt Lis, and Mo Deb could come and watch her. She danced to Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer and then in a Finale with everyone that dances at the studio.


She did a great job despite her antlers that kept falling off her head and covering her eyes. She had a great time dancing and watching all the other dancers. I wish that I could say the same.

So if you couldn't be there, here is Grace dancing.

Hattie loves her Dada

When we still lived in SLC, I would often ride my bike to school and back. When Grace was in the age range of 18-24 months she would love to greet me at the door and help me take my cycling shoes off. Now that she is 4 1/2 she doesn't care so much when daddy comes home.

Hattie is now the same age as Grace was then and she loves it when daddy finally comes home. The second I walk in the house I can hear her squeal in delight saying "da da!" and she comes booking towards the mud room. Nothing beats that. It sure makes it worth while coming home from work to hear the squeal of delight.

Grace no longer comes to the door to greet me, and Michelle just posted about Grace's boyfriend. I thought that I had a few years yet before having to worry about boys and my daughters. Am I already going to have to use the shotgun and a shovel line? I sure hope not. But I may.

Kindergarten is coming!

Today in the mail we got our first official notice for kindergarten. Grace is loving preschool and is going to love being able to ride the bus to school each day when she finally starts kindergarten. It is hard to believe that she will soon be five, but my little girl is growing up and will soon be in school full time and before I know it (and before I'll be ready) she will be a teenager and driving and dating. For now, I can take comfort in the fact that she is still daddy's little girl. Just daddy's little girl that will soon be in school every day.

Grace at preschool.

Grace's Day

Grace excited for the Primary program at church.

Wards around the world during the months of October and November are having their Primary programs. Today our ward had the 2007 production starring for the first time, Grace. She had been really nervous about saying her part. The past two Sundays the Primary has been practicing in the chapel and each Sunday Grace had been too nervous to say her part. This was a surprise to everyone, because Grace (unlike her Mom and Dad) is always raising her hand and saying things in class and in Primary.

So, with diligent practice and a few bribes at home, Grace prepared herself for her big day. The Primary program started and Grace was looking good. She was involved and singing during the first song, but as any 4 year old, she slowly got distracted as the program progressed. First it was the piece of tape with her name on it telling her where to stand, then it was her friends around her, but finally it was time for the Sunbeams to go to the pulpit. Grace's class is large (10 Sunbeams) and the first 5 went and said their parts. As it got to be Grace's turn it wasn't looking good. A noticeable pause as she came up to the pulpit. She shyly peeked around the pulpit looking for the loving smiles of Mom and Dad. Slowly she stood up to the pulpit and started saying her lines with the help of her teacher. Then when it looked like she was done with her line and about to leave the pulpit Grace realized she was not done. She turned back to the microphone and said, "Wait, I have one more thing. I help wash the car."

An extra picture for all you enjoying this blog at home.

Victorious in conquering her fear, she returned back to her spot. Satisfied that she had presented how she is helpful at home and knowing that she was going to get to help make snickerdoodles when she got home.

As for Mom and Dad, we were laughing at our curious little 4 year old. She had just completed her part in the first of many Primary programs. I'm sure that she will get more and more comfortable with speaking in the chapel and next time I probably won't have to bribe her with anything more than a box of brownies.

Grace smiling so hard that she can't keep her eyes open. But, the real reason for this picture is to show off the new fabric that we recently used to recover our dining room chairs.

A Star is Born

Grace had her big stage debut Friday night. She and her friends from dance class performed a tap dance number to the song "Frosty the Snowman" at the local junior high school auditorium. She is in a class that does both ballet and tap, but since they have only been dancing for 4 months, they chose one medium for the first recital. She will do a ballet and a tap number at the big spring recital.

I have to say I am not a good stage mom. I get way too frazzled about things and there is so much to do and worry about and remember to bring. We wish that Aunt Em would have been able to come and be our make up artist! I haven't applied (or owned) blue eyeshadow since 1988, nor black eyeliner for that matter, but we did get it put on and even had the best rosy cheeks because I found this really cool lipstick wand thingy at the drugstore.

After much preparation, practice, and primping, Grace proudly went onstage first to do a dress rehearsal and then to do the real thing. Her dance partner got scared and decided to sit down on the stage for the first half of the song. They were supposed to clap hands together, but Grace was a trooper and just pretended that her partner was participating. She was a great actress and just went with the flow. She was also very serious in trying to remember her steps. Her dance teacher (also the studio owner) was in front of the stage helping them along and Grace was sternly focused on her to make sure she was doing the right things. No fake smile for her... she was too busy concentrating, but the smile after she was done was completely genuine and she was so proud of herself. We are so proud of her too. I really couldn't believe that she was so fearless about the stage and so intense about her dance steps. Also, for a kid who won't have her hair done to save her life, she was surprisingly excited about having her hair and makeup done (and her make up refreshed many times) for the performance.

As tradition stands, it is proper to give a dancer some flowers after they perform. Many kids were getting them at the recital, but we had left ours in the car so that we could give them to her later. She was SOOO excited to receive 3 little pink roses as a tribute to her performance. She wants to keep them forever, so they are now drying in her bedroom.
I am just so excited to have a little girl who I can do these kinds of things with and who is so beautiful and smart and talented and kind. (Sorry folks - I have to brag here...) She is so amazing and teaches me so many things about how you should be and how you should look at life. Gracie - you are my star.