The Primary Issue

Yesterday, Gwen graduated from nursery and started Primary! This feels like a major milestone, parent wise. I mean, my child is starting a class where she is required to sit and answer questions and learn. She's with other children who will be with her throughout her primary years and will become her best friends. I know it's silly, but I actually bought her a bunch of new outfits for church that aren't babyish anymore and have a bit of style, so the other three-year-olds will like her. Haha, I know, it's silly! They're three-year-olds! But Gwen needs a bit of something going for her. That came out all wrong. What I mean is, Gwen is VERY social, but she doesn't follow the normal rules of social engagements. Like... yesterday while all the kids were trying to find their new seats, Gwen got up into a six year old boy's face (she was as tall as he was almost) and said said, "Hi! What's your name? I'll help you find your seat!" It was extremely cute to me, but whenever she goes up to kids, no matter what their ages, they never fail to give her an apprehensive look and back away. I guess people don't expect a three-year-old to not be shy? Or maybe it's because she looks like she's almost six but still sounds like she just turned three? Whatever, but I just want her to be accepted and not judged for something as stupid as appearance. (She's three!) Anywho -

We were a  little nervous for her to start primary full time. She had a difficult time with the rules when she was just visiting for twenty minutes for a few weeks last month. (She ran laps around the primary room.) We were especially nervous this week because I was called as the CTR 5 teacher, so I couldn't really help out. Logan wound up sitting with her for the entire two hours of primary, and Gwen did super well! She still wanted to run around and get into the popsicle sticks with the children's names on them, but Logan had a good hold on her. What we loved about her sunbeam class was that her senior nursery teacher - whom she just loves - moved up with the three-year-olds and is now her sunbeam teacher. Gwen calls her Prince, for some reason. (I'm sure she can't pronounce her name. I barely can.) Logan said Gwen did great in her class, and "Prince" was a great teacher for her. She had the kids do multiple games and was very patient. So for her first full two hour primary, Gwen did fabulously! All the primary children were given a cd with all the songs they are to learn this year, and when we got home she stayed in her room for a half an hour singing all the songs. When I called her down for lunch, she said, "Okay, I'll come in a minute! The song needs to finish!" We are very excited for Gwen, even if it is just primary. She's already learning so much about the gospel, and it touches me. Inspires me even to be better at home. I love my little girl.

Phoebe is still in junior nursery. She'll be a month away from turning four when she starts primary. She has a long way to go. She'll just be exceptionally reverent and bright for a sunbeam. This little girl amazes me everyday. She still looks like a baby, but she acts like she's Gwen's age. Her vocabulary blows me away. She already speaks in sentences, even if Logan and me are the only ones she talks to. She's stopped calling me mommy. She calls me Mom now. "Milk, please, mom!" "Hi, Mom!" "What am I going to do now, Mom?!" She's hysterical, and she knows it. She already tells her own jokes. "The horsie flies! Hahaha!!!" And she must know she has gorgeous eyes, because sometimes she'll just look at you, sigh, and bat those long, black eyelashes at you... for no reason. Most people don't know the Phoebe Logan and I know, because she is also very shy. She doesn't speak at all to strangers, and she speaks only sometimes to other family members. She takes after her mama, I guess. She turns two next month! I can't believe it!

I love how the girls interact. They can fight like cats and dogs already, but most of the time they are so protective of each other. Because Phoebe is very sensitive (read: diva), when I scold her for, say, throwing hard toys at my face, she'll pout, hang her head, and start to cry. Gwen is by her side in an instant, saying "It's okay! Don't cry!" and she'll kiss her. Phoebe's the same way to her big sister. If Gwen hurts herself, Phoebe is there to kiss it all better. Sometimes though, Gwen's just grumpy because she isn't getting her way, so when Phoebe asks, "Are you okay?" and Gwen says, "no" Phoebe will keep asking the question and Gwen will keep answering "No" and growing progressively angrier and angrier. I find this hilarious, because Gwen used to annoy Logan and me the same way. The girls are best friends. I wonder how they are going to take to a boy.

No new pictures again, because I still can't find my camera cord. But here are some of Gwen's baby pictures, just because I can't believe she's turning four later this year. Preschool is just around the corner, and oh my gosh... can she really be starting KINDERGARTEN NEXT YEAR! I need to find a paper bag to breathe into now.