No More Baby Steps, but Big Girl Steps

Abby has a really great teacher, better than this one in many respects, helping her learn to read. Last night, Rhyetta was reading to the kiddos and Abby wanted to read a Dick and Jane book. She was told to read it to me, and read she did. I am so proud of her reading. Leaps and bounds is what is taking place, with Ella not far behind.

Where we live, there is a pool and since we moved to Missouri we have taken the almost daily pilgrimage to the pool to cool off. Abby and Ella grab their respective "floatie" and they swim their way around the pool, and after me or Rhyetta. They love the freedom the "floatie" gives them so they don't have to stay in the kiddie pool.

Today, after a wonderful morning of blackberry picking, we came home with the kids almost chomping at the bit to go swimming because it was sooo hot. We decided to take advantage of the last day of our free guest pass at the local YMCA (since obtaining a 14-day guest pass, we have gone to the Y for swimming since there is a splash pad and a water slide). As the ritual goes, Abby and Ella grabbed their "floatie" and off we (Kian, Abby, Ella, and myself) went to the pool to cool off. We spent several hours swimming in the pool, dipping in the hot tub, and getting back into the cool pool. About 20 minutes before we left, Abby decided to take off her "floatie" and get back in to the pool. Abby wanting to get my attention in only a way Abby can, she showed me that she was swimming. She got out of the pool to show me the "floatie" was gone, and she jumped in the pool and was swimming to me. OH, how happy I was and how happy I made her feel. Her confidence soared and was cottified by her jumping in the pool off the edge into deeper water and swimming to me or the steps. What a BIG GIRL Abby became today.

Even better yet, just as we were getting ready to get out of the pool, Abby swims over to me and the following conversation ensued:
Abby: Daddy, do you see that blonde haired boy over there?
Me: Yes. Why?
Abby: I was sitting at the hot tub with him talking. (At this point Abby is getting giggly in her Abby way)
Me: What were you talking about?
Abby: The hot tub and we were doing stuff.
Me: What stuff were you doing?
Abby: We did nothing.

I noticed Abby talking to this boy, who was probably around 10 or 11, and over heard her asking him about noises coming from the hot tub. I think it cute to see my 5 year-old girl getting giggly and giddy from talking to a boy. This is a BIG GIRL step that needs to get back to a baby step until she's 45.