More New Tricks

Big Sister

Amanda's second dance recital was Friday night. Here is our star before we left:


On the way to the show, Amanda noted, "Mom, I LOVE Episcopal High School." "Why is that?" I asked. "Because it has a real STAGE, and I'm going to be ON IT!" Watching her be so happy up there was the best part of the night.

The second best part was doing her hair and stage make-up in my bathroom in front of my mirror, just exactly the way my mom used to do to me.

(Because I am a rule follower by nature, I did not take my own video during the show. I'll post the 'professional' video as soon as it comes in the mail.)

Little Sister

Elizabeth has grown up so much recently. She talks more and more every day. It's not so much how much she talks, but what she talks about that is so extraordinary to me. I think I've mentioned before that Elizabeth is very in tune with emotions. For a long time now, she has been giving a running commentary on how she feels. At the park she'll get perturbed by something another toddler has done and yell, "MOMMY! Izabeth Ve-Wee ANG-EE!!"

Lately her emotional intuitiveness has extended to others as well. She always points out when anyone around her is crying. "Baby sad, mommy, baby cryin.'" She has also started asking me how I'm feeling. "Mom, you HAPPY!?" Or at other times, it'll be, "Mom, you Ang-EE?" While she's asking me this, she'll get really close to me, put her little chubby hands on the sides of my face, and give me this wide-eyed stare, making it impossible for me to still be angry even if I had been when she initially asked the question. "No, Elizabeth, I'm not angry." "Happy?" she responds hopefully. "Yes, dear, very happy."