September means Curie’s birthday and we had her party at Scramble. Elia got her little cake again and sat next to Curie to blow out the candles. For her birthday Curie wanted the Clock Tower from Hogwarts (more than the main hall) because it was a big set and Curie is very proud of being able to build entire sets on her own, though this time she did want us to help if just to keep her company. Note, we did not finish the clock tower until October. The party was great, and as with each party since starting school we also invited new friends from school that Curie just met. It made for a bit of disjointed playing as there were friends from Bright Horizons, friends from school, and new friends as well.
We went to the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in September and went for a walk. I was very quiet and Curie got scared at the sounds of nature, which was interesting since we didn’t see that at Huntley Meadows or other places. It was very quiet though so perhaps it was realizing that there were those sounds in nature that scared her. We saw a deer up close on our walk and walked along a creek.
More things scare Curie lately than in the past, and we have been talking about working through fears as a part of bravery. She is actually most uncomfortable with uncomfortable situations on TV or on shows. Albert also had this as a child and could not watch “I Love Lucy” episodes when Lucy would get herself into situations. For Curie, it is when people get into trouble with their parents, or do something she knows is wrong, or when people are awkwardly falling in love. She runs upstairs and then watches from the stairwell. We continue to work on whining and crying though talking to other parents, they are too, so it is a foot note at this age.
Curie continues to love school, but also continues to struggle with her writing. She hasn’t found the utility for it and the love for it, though she has gotten better for her reading. After the chapter book frustration that she voiced last month, we had an interesting breakthrough. Albert and Curie were going to read for the night and Albert asked Curie to read “Sprockets, a Little Robot,” and she could, except for a few complicated words, so they went to the bookshelf and got “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” and she could read it! We were so excited. She was so excited. So she has been reading that page by page and bringing it to school as well. Now we did not finish the book before she brought home other chapter books to read, but we will get back to it soon.
We got flu shots early this year after Curie’s bout with pneumonia last year, and went to Great Country Farms earlier as well. We had not been able to make it to Great Country Farms until much later because everyone was sick last year. It was the first year that we did not ride the cow trains, but we did pretty much everything else, the corn maze, the pig races, pumpkin shooting, watching the t-rex crush pumpkins, the ninja course, sifting for gem stones, and feeding the animals. In fact we had to buy more food because the girls liked feeding the animals so much.
Curie has been so proud to have Elia at school, they talk about how they saw each other at school, how they sit together on the EMA bus and she tells her friends all about Elia at EMA. At school, Curie loves her teacher and has been diligent with her homework often doing it ahead of the day when she gets it because they get a sheet with the whole week at once. The girls often dress alike to school, which causes some confusion with their friends, but they like it more often than not, One day they will not want to dress the same, but until they do, we buy them clothes so that they can dress alike, Curie will ask Elia if they want to dress up as twins. On the days they don’t dress alike, Curie has dressed in her lab coat at least twice to show her pride for being named after a scientist. Last year she always wore a white t-shirt for EMA, this year she has begun to change into a t-shirt and has worn other shirts under her dresses or even not worn a t-shirt under her dress, which is a change.
Curie continues to grow, she is still the smallest among her friends, but that will likely always be true, at least in school. She has been more willing to try new things as well. She did the ropes course at Chloe’s birthday, but did not do laser tag at Natalie Watts’ birthday. She is finding her own identity much like Elia, but has the advantage of experiencing most things first. She adores her sister and loves being with us, often snuggling or asking for attention. She is adorable when exploring new things, has understood that playing is sometimes more important the watching – especially after Albert told them that TV turns their brains into mush. In the mornings on weekends, more often than not, the girls will come running into the guest room where Albert sleeps (all the girls sleep in the master bed room because Albert can’t be trusted to let them sleep at night riling them up and having fun) and snuggle while Erin sleeps. And more often than not, it is Curie who is up first and finds her way to Albert to get some time, followed shortly by Elia soon after. And then when it is night the girls look to Erin to snuggle to fall asleep as Albert turns out the lights and goes to the guest room, and then, while Elia burrows in the pillows, Curie asks to be held to fall asleep. How awesome is that?