Livia

Sometimes I can't believe how grown up my little girl is getting. Joy school started up again, and we snagged a quick picture of her before she headed off across the street for her first day of her second year.

We also signed her up for a ballet/tap/jazz class at a real studio (instead of at the community center). She LOVES it. 

 Only a few weeks after starting the class, she was able to be in a little performance at a local art festival. It's called "the penguin dance," hence the black and white outfits. I took a video of it...and accidentally deleted it from my camera when I went to show it to Chase! Seriously so bummed about that. At least I got a few photos to document the experience.

I wondered if Liv would get nervous up there, but she did great! She did the dance just like she was supposed to, grinning hugely the entire time. It was a proud mommy moment. 

 Another fun thing that Livia has been doing lately is learning to read!!!! (This deserves lots of exclamation points, because I am so, so excited about it!)

We started just over two months ago reading one story a day from "Dick and Jane." She's made great progress in the book, and her confidence in reading has increased dramatically, but I wouldn't say she's officially reading yet, since she can't--or won't--just pick up any book and try to read it. But I will say that she's well on her way. Here's a video I got of her reading from Dick and Jane one day.

Other notes:

• Livia pretty much always chooses her own outfits and gets herself dressed in the morning. 
• She will occasionally get up early and make her own breakfast before I wake up--this usually means she eats a piece of bread covered in butter and sugar. Breakfast of champions.
• Still loves to make projects. My walls are currently plastered with ghosts and pumpkins she cut out and colored.
• She wishes she was little like Jane, and is always asking to be carried or swung around like Jane is. I feel bad when I can't because she's just so heavy.
• Is very obedient about some things, like washing her hands whenever we've been outside, or putting on her shoes when it's time to go, but is incredibly rebellious about other rules, and likes to take our things (keys, phones, scriptures) and hide them around the house. Luckily we're aware of most of her "secret hiding spots" but so far no amount of punishing has convinced her this is a bad idea.