VIOLIN! ...or fiddle

JRD officially began violin lessons today! She is only three and a half but we figured if it is between learning an instrument or going to preschool, she could learn to stand in line next year. She liked her lesson, though there wasn't much to it. We have to get her an even smaller violin than we already have, a 1/32 (which is as TINY as it sounds!). On a somber note, this does mark the beginning of our long love/hate relationship with the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Even though she has had only one lesson, I still fear that they will pigeon hole her into playing Vivaldi all the time. So to counter that, we are going to the Arkansas State Fiddle Championships in September - a little Orange Blossom Special should balance things out.

ACD's Monster

We play "monster" around the house pretty often (which basically means I chase the girls as they run squealing around the house). But lately JRD has been really fearful of all kinds of stuff, particularly monsters. This means we get to see her little sister's version of a monster, and what we have found is quite funny.

She will ask me to be a monster and when I get into character she will grab my hand and lead me around the house showing me, the monster, all kinds of stuff - her favorite baby dolls, her bed, etc. Far from being scared, she is rather polite. She says "thank you" and "please" and even makes sure the monster is not hurt or crying. She seems to think the monster is some kind of pet!

One thing we love most about ACD is her sunny little disposition (which she gets from her mom, of course) and it may be most evident in the kindness she shows to the scariest of creatures.