Ellie

Ellie starts Kindergarten this Fall and I'm really going to miss having her home. She has overcome so many obstacles this year. At the beginning of the year, she looked like Linus from the show Peanuts. More and more she wouldn't take her thumb out of her mouth and would carry her blankie everywhere. It was really affecting her socially because she would prefer to sit out with her thumb rather than interact. She seemed very fragile. I was going to wait til this Summer to start talking about the thumb, but Matt just asked her if she wanted to stop and Ellie said yes. So she agreed to letting us put that bad-tasting nail polish on everyday to help her stop. Motivated also by the bribe of getting a barbie if she stopped, she really worked hard until she was able to give it up. Ever since then, she has been a different person. She seems infinitely confident, her allergies disappeared, and has endless energy.

She is really determined and is working hard in so many areas--reading, rollerblading and she even passed the last level of the typing tutor this week. I need to learn something from her ability to stick to her goals. Of course, maybe if I was offered face painting and tatoos as rewards, I would get something done too.