Riley loves being 5. Inspired by this article, I started giving her more responsibility in the kitchen and she is totally game because, "I'm 5 so I can do this now!" It's a great motivator! Yes I'm a little stunned that she will start school in just a couple months (now that makes my heart jump right into my throat. A couple of months!?) but she will take it by storm, that girl. She is so sweet and enthusiastic and friendly. She loves making friends - lots of little kids all over the complex know her name, just from the park or pool, because she wants to play with all of them! Lol, an older boy, maybe eight or nine years old, was doing flips around a bar on the playground and Riley went over and joined him. He was painfully shy but she just chatted companionably and admired his speed of flip. :)
Well, it is way past my bedtime. But here's one more thing, and it's a treat :) (I think so, anyway - you grandparents out there definitely will). It's Riley's first dance recital! Grandma's ballerina outfit made her feel so legit that she made some tickets, ordered flowers (thanks, Ant Ander!), with specific instructions to the audience to "throw them at her" when she finished, and made me play her a dozen "ballet songs" before she found the perfect fit. We all thoroughly enjoyed it - it was just a lovely evening. Uncle Jon and his clan caught the second showing when they came a couple days later.
Without further adieu:
I wish I could get in her head and see what she sees. A darkened stage, probably, spellbound crowd, armfuls of roses and who knows what else. You definitely get a sense of grandeur just in her demeanor... like she is a the star of all the shows. I let her watch some youtube videos of ballerinas and one of them was in Russia, about what it takes for young girls to get into ballet school, and so I had to read the subtitles to her and Joe, as the people were speaking Russian. One of the mother's said, "Every mother wants her daughter to be a prima ballerina." As soon as I read that, Riley perked up and said, "is that true? Do you want me to be a ballerina?" I think she really really wants to please me. Of course, I told her I want her to find joy in life, and if she liked dancing, she should, but there are many things she could do, not just ballerina...blah, blah, blah. I was on the spot. But I hope she knows I will always love her and be proud of her just for who she is and her good heart. That is something like what I tried to tell her after, but I think she is more excited about the challenge to be a ballerina. :)
Happy birthday, you awesome kid!
Wonderful post and beautiful photos! :)
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