All About Ally...

This post is dedicated to Ally. That little "6 and 3/4" year old who makes me crazy and makes life interesting every single day....

Ally never ceases to amaze me. I will admit, usually, my amazement is frustration. She is not an easy child. No. Way. Every day is a new challenge with this girl... and most days I'm just proud of myself for not smacking her. She is six (six and THREE QUARTERS she tells everyone) going on 16 for sure. She has more attitude than most teenagers I know. The other day, a guy I work with told me he had a VERY difficult daughter when she was a kid... and then, it was like she got it all out by the time she was a teenager and was just as easy going as can be. I am really hoping for this option... as I really do worry about what life will be like when Ally is driving... dating... and going through her teenage angst.

Our little girl is in the first grad here in Concord and absolutely loves school. She has regularly informed us that school is more fun than home. Hmmmm....???? How to take that exactly?? I am going to say it's a good thing. The other day when I had to take her out of school early in order for she and Luke to get the H1N1 vaccine, she threw a bit of a fit for having to leave in the middle of an exercise the class was starting.

I think I was like this in school. I remember loving the social aspect of school. The commotion. The excitement of the day. Early on, I recall really liking my teachers. Worshipping them almost and thinking they were the greatest. Then... you get to high school and teachers suck. ;-)

I am truly glad she likes school.... but I do worry about the fact that she never really likes to be at home. When I pick her up from her grandparents' at the end of the day, it can be a battle. The first thing she says on a weekend morning is "are we going anywhere today?" She constantly needs to be on the move.

I guess, at this point, all we can try to do is balance her need to be on the go and try to teach her how to slow down from time to time.

Right now, she is a pretty involved/active little girl. On top of school each and every day, she has art class one night a week and ballet class one night a week. One day a week, after school, she has a friend come home with her to spend a few hours together. So, three days a week, after school, she is pretty occupied.

We try to do things with the kids over the weekend... but lately, we are also trying to balance that with doing things for ourselves. As adults. Scott and I really need to do those things together too... so every other week or so at least, we try to get a sitter and have an adult night out. Much needed!!!!!

Luckily, we have some great babysitter options... and the kids really like the girls that spend time with them. Hooray!!!!

Ally's biggest loves right now are reading, writing and art. She's a very "left brained" kind of girl I think. Left is the creative side right? HA! I love encouraging that part of her too. I'm so glad we disovered the Jackson School of the Arts and so happy to be involved there. What an amazing little gem here in town!

Ally still loves her "Duncan." A stuffed Scottie dog that she actually received from Santa on her first Christmas. Duncan was our Scottish Terrier at the time... he passed away when she was three or so. So... she still has a stuffed one in his honor... and he is her special toy. When she was little, like Luke, she had a blankie. Now, all that love has been transferred to Duncan.

Last night we couldn't find him at bedtime... which makes for a fun time.... ugh! She is also becoming a bit manipulative and deviant in her "old" age.... so sometimes it's hard to know what is really happening and what she's "created." For example - she will hide a school book that needs to go back to school by a certain time.... to purposefully add chaos to the morning routine. She has this little snicker and I just know she's messing with my head!!!!!!

When she pulled that crap this morning... Scott told her she was going to be tardy. And that it wasn't our fault..... she of course cannot stand to have anything go wrong at school, so this hit home. Still, she drags her feet and it makes you want to scream!!! Easy go lucky, this child is not!

She is going to be Hannah Montana for halloween... and she is just as giddy as can be. We put the "costume" together ourselves... just ordering an official wig and microphone. The rest is just clothes from Gymboree!!!! Amazing how real clothes for kids can be made into a costume because sometimes they are just so outrageous!!!!

We have a lot of events surrounding the big day this weekend. Two parties on Friday and a carnival at school and trunk or treat on Halloween itself. Should be fun trying to do all these events with sugar high children. :-))))

Scott has a major conflict with work and will now have to work late on Friday and possibly Saturday, so I can add to the chaos, the fact that I will be single parenting it. Good times. I will be traveling with a flask...... :-))))))