String Music

OK... so flashback to March of this year. Ali was determined to tie her own shoes. Since I am left-handed...I was doing more harm than good. Tim had been working with her - but every time I tried to help... she took three steps back.

Since then - Rachel has been equally determined to tie her own shoes. The only distraction for Rachel is that once the weather got warm... all she would put on her feet were sandals. Once cooler weather began to roll back in... I knew it would start again. This time I decided to stay out of it. I was going to let Tim handle it. Tim had worked with her two or three times... and she kept bringing it up - and asking me to show her. I told her to watch...and to watch Ali...to ask Daddy for help... and even to ask Ms. Cynthia to help when she was over playing. I guess we weren't helping enough. She came walking out of her bedroom on Tuesday with her moccasins tied. I just assumed that Ali had done it. She told me later that day, very casually, that she knew how to tie her shoes now. I said... No you can't. Rachel said - Sure I can. My reply...oh really??? She tried to show me... but the laces on the moccasins were just so short. We got busy, and she never brought it up again. The next morning, however, she decided to wear her tennis shoes. (Longer laces) She again told me that she could tie them by herself. She tried and tried...but the laces on those Nike shoes are round, kind of short...all in all she was getting pretty frustrated. It was close... but she finally gave up and asked me to finish them.

On Thursday...again with the shoe tying...and those frustrating Nike tennis shoes. So we swiped Ali's spare pair of K-Swiss shoes... with the nice long, FLAT laces... and she sat right down, tied her shoes and looked up at me, grinned and said, "CAN!"

She was so proud... and I was proud of her. She learned before she turned 5 years old... which was her goal. The funny thing is... when I talked to Tim about how well he had done working with her... he said he hadn't. He said that he explained it, showed her once (by sitting behind her) and that mostly she just watched him. That's the funny thing about Rachel. She sits back, kind of takes it all in, and then she masters a task with uncanny ease. It's amazing... and it sure does make me a proud Momma. At the same time... it's a terrifying thing. Always be on my toes... that's my new motto.

A big SHOUT OUT to TABITHA!!!!! Recognize the shoes or the shirt? Thank you for always keeping my girls looking so cute!!!! We love you!