Basia

Basia, Basia, Basia.  She continues to be so full of fun, adventure, personality, and joy.  She recently found a little fossil in our back yard and proceeded to protect it, put it in an envelope, and now wants me to find an archaeologist or museum for her to mail it off to.  She decided on election night that she just may be president one day.  She spots soldiers from miles away and is as fascinated by them as she was when she was 3, even though we now live in a military town and see soldiers every day.  She has days where she wants to look just so and days when she will throw on any old thing she finds on the floor.  She loves to design dresses and outfits in her design books.  Her favorite person in the world is her big brother, and she likes nothing better than to play swords out back with him.

She is a taekwondo superstar at our school.  She is on the demonstration team, and she's the cute, little, awesome one, so she gets to be front and center.  

She is our social butterfly (well, one of them).  This year has been great for her because she has some really great friends that fit the different parts of her personality.  I worry how much she must talk during taekwondo class because she always comes home ready to report tons of news about each kid's life.  Most of the teens and young adults at church know her well, and she's always rushing off to chat with them when we get to church.  

Basia got her hair done last week by an actual hair professional, and she's set to go back in three weeks' time.  Moving to a house with a swimming pool at the same time I became mom to four little ones was a little tough on Basia's hairstyles.  I'm pretty sure that she will have it professionally done most of the time, from this point on.  She has so much long, thick, beautiful hair that even the professional was amazed.  She is super-sensitive, and hair time has always brought lots of tears.  It's no exception when a stranger is involved, unfortunately.  Luckily the hair stylist let us in her home and was very patient and understanding.  I have high hopes that it will get easier on Basia with time, otherwise we may have to choose between locks and a relaxer.  I think Basia's personality and on-the-go-ness would work well with locks.

Basia is enjoying homeschool more this year because it gives her and I an excuse to have our private (well, in the same room as everyone, but others are not supposed to bother us).  She is reading at grade level and usually reads extra chapters of her books  Math is her biggest struggle, although she doesn't realize it, luckily.  It is just tough to find a way to help her retain the things we do.  She adores history and begs for extra hsitory readings every single day.  She would adore science if she had a mom/teacher who would do more of it with her...

She's a great kid in all ways and has taken to this new family size like a pro.  I always knew she was supposed to be a big sister!