Growing...

Madeline has been doing some serious growing both physically and emotionally. Last summer, Madeline joined the Veterans Memorial Swim Team - Dolphins and had a good time while finding her inner competitiveness! She won her first heat at her first meet so that was super exciting! She had a few more successes through the season with a heat win at the championships to top it all off. I'd say she did really well for her first time out!

This year has been an interesting one, while a lot of fun and a great learning experience. She began public school after being at Montessori for 3 years and it's been really wonderful. Her teacher, Mrs. Cooke, is absolutely fabulous! She has 27 kids in her class and all are really great kids, so well behaved for Mrs. Cooke; she's just a little thing, but has established the boundaries very well.

Anyway, Madeline really likes her school and classmates and her teacher. She's learned so much this year. I'm just really glad we made the switch. The open learning environment of the montessori was fine for the lower elementary years, but she still needed established boundaries and direction as she progressed to the upper elementary and she wasn't getting it. She adapted quickly and successfully at public as expected.

She's made a few friends, tried out some new attitudes, some new styles, and we have ended with a happy, pleasant, beautifully coiffed child! yeah! She is looking forward to the end of the school year and spending some time with swim friends and making some new softball friends!

Madeline is stepping outside of her shell a bit this year and joined the local softball team! She's been practicing with Dad on catching, hitting, pitching, etc. She is a natural, I think and will do very well. We've told her to keep an open mind, allow the mistakes, and just have fun. I hope she can take that advise. She's ready to go! Practice starts this week!

Swim team starts this week too! Info meeting tonight and practices begin tomorrow! Madeline's excited to see her old friends and win some more heats this year! She's been working really hard all winter and stroke technique, endurance, and flip turns through a Fast & Fun program with Bethany Williston, and we've seen big improvements in her time, technique and stamina. She's really an awesome swimmer! She's already blowing doors! She's ready!

Oh! Our omnivore girl (emphasis on carnivore) has gone Vegetarian! Her only crutch is cheese. That's all she isn't able to give up. She's given up the ribs, bacon, burgers, etc. She was a bit unsure about the bacon and ribs part in the beginning, but then quickly converted. She has solidarity with her dad who went Vegan in January for health reasons. They've both been an inspiration to me. I have been able to go 99% as well, but my crutch are my over-medium eggs in the morning.

Anyway, Madeline is an awesome kid with strong convictions. We are looking forward to summer and all of the growing it will bring!