My Trophy Child

My baby #3 is seven years old today! She has accomplished a lot in the past year. Last year in Kindergarten, she struggled learning to sound words out. She made some progress over the summer, and then suddenly reading clicked in her brain and she skipped from a first-grade level to a fourth-grade level. She loves to stay up late reading novels to herself or out loud to her sister and brother. She is also strong in math and continues to be a great artist. When the first-grade art projects are hung up at school, I can always pick hers out because she is so careful about color and detail. At home she is constantly playing piano. I have taught her lessons consistently for only five months, but she is already able to pick out melodies on the keys by ear. When she's not at the piano, she is jumping rope. Even though I outlawed jump ropes in the house, she skips an imaginary rope from room to room! She has grown more responsible over her seventh year, and I am sure she will be ready for baptism in another year. But all those great things do not explain the trophy she is holding.

A few weeks ago, my mom gave us a trophy she had won for employee of the year. She thought it would be fun to use with the Cub Scouts. (Though I no longer serve in that calling, I don't think it would be proper to give the best Relief Society lesson instructor a trophy.) Well, #3 instantly adopted the trophy. She would take "her" flying around the house. At night, I had to tuck "her" into bed with #3. Trophy girl went to school so "she" could meet #3's class, and of course she went wrapped up in a blanket to keep "her" warm. The two of them were inseparable. Fortunately, it only lasted a few days. Now #3 simply checks on the trophy each day without feeling like she needs to devote all her time to "her". You know what I learned from this? Trophies are not built to last. It didn't take long before the bolts were loosening and a pillar fell off. They just don't make trophies like they used to. It's as if trophies were meant to be kept in a case and looked at, not touched. ;o)

Happy birthday sweetie!