Some things about Jillian at this age....
-She is a fabulous reader. Devours chapter books, and has started keeping track of what she's read in a little notebook just like I do. Other reading interests include space, Antarctica, and Ancient Egypt. She really wants to hit the next reading level at school before the end of the year, and I won't be surprised if she does.
-She craves time alone with me, and often tells me how much she enjoys it when she gets me alone. I naturally have lots of time alone with Adrienne, but we have to work to make this happen for Jillian and I. At bedtime I have started to linger in her room longer, and she calls this "alone time". She shuts her door, we sit on her bed, and she proceeds to grill me about everything she wonders about. The list is so varied, and I honestly never know what I'm going to get hit with. Lately it's been lots of questions about childbirth (pain, age you are too old to have babies, etc), why so many toys are made in China and if that's bad (I'm serious), inquiries about upcoming weekends/schedules/events, the list goes on. I should record some of these conversations because they are often hilarious. As I sit on her bed and look at her, I'm sometimes just struck by how grown up she is as she tucks her hair behind her ears, gushes to me about things at school, and dramatically poses her intense questions with hand motions.
-Emotions are intense with this one. They always have been, so I don't know why they take me by surprise, but she seems extra ramped up right now. This kid can turn on a dime--generally in times of transition, but it's often hard to predict. We are working hard to be quiet if we can't be kind, learning to walk away when we are angry (instead of getting physically aggressive with one's little sister), and problem solving ways to healthily express emotions. I'm not gonna lie, it ain't easy. I try to keep my sense of humor about all of this...especially when she is shouting such things at me as, "Is no the only word you know?!?" or "You are the WORST MOM EVER!" or "What is this kind and quiet business?!?" or "Stop bossing me around!!". I feel push back from her in most interactions. It may not be a coincidence that I just recently discovered the first very prominent wide streak of gray in my hair...
-Independence is so important to her. This is where I am consciously working to relinquish control where I am able, which is a huge struggle for this control freak. Jillian is now getting her own breakfast and doing her own hair (most often in a low ponytail). I approach many struggles with her by asking her to help me problem solve the issue. She desperately wants to really cook in the kitchen ("Hey mom, now that I know fractions I think I could really actually read and follow a recipe!"), and so I have plans to work on this in the summer with her.
-Jillian can now ride a two-wheeler! She resisted this for sooooo long, never wanting to work on it because she is the type who wants to just automatically be good at something (apples don't fall far...). Just recently she started commenting that she's the "only" one in her class who can't ride a bike, so she begged Matt to remove the training wheels. He did, and...she could ride a bike! I guess she knew when she was ready. She is so proud.
-Jillian has a heart of gold. Details are important to her, as are holidays and making people feel special. She toiled over what to buy me at the Mother's Day store at school, surprised Matt with a book for him on Ancient Egypt with her book fair money (he told her he loved to read about Egypt), and is quick to give Adrienne a couple dollars at Target if she doesn't have enough cash to buy whatever she is trying to purchase.
A few recent pics...all smiles after doing her hair independently for the first time
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