It is difficult writing when behind as it is too easy to write about the now rather than the then. The biggest thing in August was that Curie began first grade! Not only did it feel like it came so fast, it was in fact faster because Fairfax county began school a week earlier than it had in the past starting the week before Labor Day. So it was that we only went to the pool once during the summer and that our vacation at the end of the time came close to ending right before the start of school.
Curie is a very different person than she was a year ago, she is more confident and assured about school, knowing what to expect and going along with the differences. We do catch her in the in between moments looking unsure or being thoughtful, but it is as much a part of growing up and becoming her own person as it is a desire of parents to intervene. There are new kids in her class, and old friends from her kindergarten class. Etta and Apollo are in different classes, but Isabella and Howa are in her first grade. Her teacher Ms. GIlbert seems to be good and Curie seems to like her. In the first week, she came home with a new song and dance to Oliver Twist that she showed to us which Elia wanted to learn.
Curie is going to martial arts again. Over the summer she had been in the front row with the new kids for the summer and returning after Congressional Camp she immediately restarted her time at martial arts, proud of where she is and eager to get her yellow belt. Etta remarked that she wanted to be the same belt as Curie. You need five tips to test for your belt and Curie has already gotten all five showing her commitment to her martial arts.
She is making very sophisticated connections car games vs. card games, understanding that Poison Ivy was both the plant and the super hero (in DC Superhero Girls, she is a hero). Curie has her persona of Queen Rosa, queen or the roses and an alicorn, and plays all the time with Elia. When we are at parks or play areas, she defends her sister against any and all comers. A point of note on that was when we were at Legoland (which she liked better than Disney, and Elia liked both), and Elia was shooting a water canon while Curie and Albert rode the boat that got shot, a kid took the canon away from Elia making her very sad, Curie stepped in and got the canon back from the larger boy and gave it back to Elia.
This is not to say that they don’t fight or are not arguing about who gets what or who is who, but it is to say that as sisters it is touching to see how close they are and how much they mean to each other. Elia is Curie’s little sister, and Curie is Elia’s big sister.
San Diego was a good break for all of us, Legoland was amazing for the kids as were the various beaches. Curie did say that she wanted to go to the beach with her cousins and interestingly enough we did just that, we stayed a night at Bernard and Agnes’s and the kids did all go to the beach together. Besides Legoland, we went to LaJolla Cove, Seal Beach, Coronado, and because our plane was delayed, we also went to the San Diego Zoo, which was amazing.
Summer was s’mores and fun as summers should be. Camp was a joy for her and she already has plans for next year there, specifically getting to pony camp. The time all day made her tired a lot and we all need to work on more sleep, keeping up with reading and math, eating breakfast and all of that. But there is this, she is wide-eyed and learning, growing, finding pride in who she is and what she does. She explores and pretends and stretches as a child should, Curie remains sensitive and understanding, and witty and funny, she captures the essence of childhood and takes her duty of role model very seriously. She has loved seeing Isabella’s sister Olivia born without discounting Elia. She is strong and brave and smart and considerate and with her sister a joy for us all.