Some say growing up is hard to do. I think they are mistaken. It is much more difficult to watch someone you love grow from a bald headed baby to a brave young lady. Reagan has been 7 years old for a month now. I promised myself I would not let an entire 30 days pass before collecting my thoughts, but its has been a busy 31 days. 31 days of milestones to add to a year full of them.
Reagan had her first sleepover, with what Jason and I hoped to be a small handful of girls plus Avery and Carter. A spa sleepover, complete with mud masks, cucumbers for the lines around the tired eyes of the group, a foot bath, manicures, "party food" as she requested and a movie to wind them down. Christy volunteered to paint fingers, Jason agreed to help with the food and I had ran all over town getting the perfect gifts to make spa goody bags. And then the RSVP's came in. All of them. So 10 plus our three had a picnic inside, played a game of Twister, had their spa treatments and ate and then ate again. They never tired and never stopped asking for food, never sat still and barely slept. So our first sleep over may very well be our last. I believe Reagan had a great time. She smiled and laughed until early Saturday morning. I was glad she had had a fun time with her friends and passed a stepping stone with flying colors.
The next day she was invited to sleepover of a good friend and long story short, she did not enjoy herself. I knew she was going to be tired. That worried me. I knew that the house was going to be full of girls she did not know from another school. That worried me. I knew the family had several pets, most all inside. That worried me. I knew that she would be somewhat on her own and that she knew she could call if she needed to. That gave me knots in my stomach. Reagan asks for a phone every now and again, that was the 3rd time I wish I would have given her one. I picked her up and before we got home, she was in tears and of course so was I. She was disappointed in a friend for the first time. But she passed a stepping stone and so did I maybe not with flying colors, but we passed.
She also started a new Math program at school. Rocket Math. 40 questions in two minutes, one error allowed but no left unanswered. At certain levels the students are recognized in front of the entire school. She set a goal, had me set the timer on the oven and time her night after night. We bought flash cards and she worked hard calling her Uncle Stuart every time she passed a level. Until the day she received a button at school stating she was a mini math master. She is now tested over books that she reads on a computer and has met her goal. She is becoming a good speller and is enjoying her enrichment classes. I think she now understands the process of setting and reaching a goal. Another stepping stone passed.
She has started giving me and Jason parenting advice. Even when not asked for. As well as giving Avery advice on reading, kindergarten, fashion, hair care and the lunch menu at school. As the oldest, I am sure this is not really a stepping stone but more of a bag of mixed stones in which she will use at her own leisure.
She has also started somewhat performing or doing something to get a laugh from those around her. Or at least that is what I am hoping she is doing. If not, she needs to be enrolled in a karate or dance class asap.
I noticed last weekend while she was standing/sitting at the table eating cereal with her great grandparents that she has grown again. Her legs from the knee to her hip a longer and she looks like the older kids at her school and not so much like Avery.
She also started a fire in the house but from what I can tell did not panic but instead took care of it in the way she knew how. Another stepping stone....maybe. We are working on can be cooked in the mocrowave and what to do in the case of an emergency a little more now than before just so that we can keep the stones she has crossed so far.
Her name is too long and to full of vowels to choose a characteristic from each, but I do know that she is still a little shy in new places and still a lot crazy. Very smart. Way too talkative, especially in the car or on the phone. Likes to think and talk outside the box. Resourceful to the point of being a pack rat. Artistic. Imaginative. Slower than molasses. She loves to run to town to shop or just to look. Helpful.
I know that this is not a complete list but this year she tried to save an wild animal, graduated kindergarten, lost two teeth, went to Atlanta, to Myrtle, spent her first summer break with 20 plus days away from home, played TBall, became a fish in the water, had her first sunburn, went to day camp, went to see Mt Rushmore, attended her first rodeo, panned for gold, went to Yellowstone, started full day school, got to go on a field trip by herself, rode a school bus alone, witnessed more snow than she had everseen before and went skiing in her very own spyder jacket.
Happy Birthday Reagan Elise Baskin.
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