Julia has grown so much in the past year. Socially, she has blossomed. We have a regular group of friends that we see at our Friday Co-op and during our homeschool group meet-ups and Julia has really clicked with a few of them. It is so nice to show up somewhere (like her ski lesson or a meeting I'm attending) and have her just run up to some other kids and start playing. Even attending pre-K three days a week she never developed friendships like she has now.
Julia has also gained more confidence and while she's still quiet and waits until she is sure to speak (a trait I fully understand because I share it) she does give her opinion and voices her ideas while in classes or group situations. She is a very thoughtful kid, always noticing and picking up on everything going on around her.
Julia is also very creative. That has been a big change this year - she has gone from just thinking creatively to actually putting her thoughts and plans into action! Most days you will find our house strewn with tape, glue, cardboard, paper, scissors, boxes, elastics, and whatever other materials she can find and Julia will be creating a rocketship, a boat, an airplane, a birthday card, a blastboard, ice skates, or something else she has dreamed up.
When Julia develops an interest in something she tends to stick with it for awhile. This year has been the year of SPACE! And, unsurprisingly, she would like to be an astronomer when she grows up. I think she's a little torn over being an astronomer or an astronaut - she goes back and forth although when we've asked for details she usually says that she doesn't want to actually go into space she just wants to study it and be the person on the ground directing things!
She also loves cars and monster trucks as well as sports. This past year she played T-Ball and soccer, continued her swim lessons, participated in gymnastics, and took ski lessons! Julia is a wonderful big sister and is very tolerant of Benjamin being her shadow. On occasion she even consents to listen to his ideas about things or what they should be doing!
I have spent a good part of this year developing a new relationship with Julia, or expanding it really, as we began to do more formal homeschooling. She really enjoys our school and is doing great with it. She is reading at a second grade level, doing first grade math, and obviously knows everything a LOT about space. Right now we're in the middle of a unit study on Space and we're learning more about the planets, stars, asteroids, meteors, black holes, telescopes, constellations, rocket ships, astronauts and astronomers. We've also studied world cultures and stories and Spanish among other things. There are definitely challenges to homeschooling (the biggest this year is learning how to be both Mom and her teacher) but we are both enjoying it tremendously and many days "school" is the best part of our day.
So that's my take on Julia right now and here is her own update:
- What is your favorite color? pink
- What is your favorite toy? No-no
- What is your favorite fruit? apples
- What is your favorite tv show? Handy Manny
- What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? hotdog
- What is your favorite outfit? Elsa dress
- What is your favorite game? Mancala
- What is your favorite snack? Grandpa crackers (Cheesits)
- What is your favorite animal? flamingo
- What is your favorite song? Take Me Out to the Ball Game
- What is your favorite book? The Ballpark Mystery books
- Who is your best friend? Alex
- What is your favorite cereal? Cheerios
- What is your favorite thing to do outside? Ride bikes
- What is your favorite drink? milk
- What is your favorite holiday? Easter and Christmas
- What do you like to take to bed with you at night? No-no and pom-poms
- What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Grapefruit
- What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Lamb chops
- What do you want to be when you grow up? A space scientist
- What makes you happy? No-No and pom-poms
- What is your favorite animal? bunny
- What is your favorite thing to eat? Grapefruit, chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and sugar sprinkles
- What is your least favorite thing to eat? Mac and cheese
- What is your favorite thing to do? Ride my bike
- What are you really good at? Soccer and baseball and swimming
- What is your favorite movie? Frozen
- What do you and your Mom do together? Read books
- What do you and your Dad do together? Go and get Christmas trees
- What is your favorite sport? Football
- What is your favorite place to go? Florida
- What is your favorite book? Berenstein Bears Play T-Ball and a Neil Armstrong biography
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