Cheerleading Again

This past week Sophie cheered in the Parent/Teacher Basketball game that is played every year to raise money for the PTO.

She really enjoyed herself again and loved the dancing and the spot light.

There were 75 (kindergarten- 4th grade) girls signed up to be cheerleaders for this game and they practiced every Thursday after school for 3 weeks. What a good job they did.


Way to go Willow Brook Bears!

Consciousness Rising

This past week Sophie has shown a tremendous leap in emotional maturity. On Friday, she had a 'fight' with another girl on the bus. This other girl was a friend and so the particulars were not very serious, a scuffle over a seat and then Sophie's glasses were knocked off and the other girl raised her fist to Sophie. Well, my strong willed girl was having none of being threatened and she grabbed the girl by the front of her shirt, inadvertently scratching her in the process. The girl was hurt and bleeding a little, so the bus driver stopped at the bus stop and spoke with both of the girl's dads. Noting that they were both to blame the bus driver chose no punitive action and left it to the parents to handle.

While talking to Sophie about it later that night, she became very upset about he possibility of being grounded. When we told her that she may not be, (we were trying to find out the best course of action if it was only self defense) she began crying out right and said that she should be grounded after what she did. Needless to say this surprised us after just hearing her saying she did not want to be grounded. We continued talking and listening to her side of the story and it began to be clear that she felt some guilt over having scratched the girl, which she said she didn't mean to do. Finally after we could not console her, I asked her what she thought a god grounding would be for what she did and she replied that she should be grounded from her DS. Her pride and joy. We were astounded. She then went on to say, after I asked her if a day was long enough, that it should be longer than a day. Her dad looked at me when she went to get a tissue and said "She has a conscious!"

It is times like this that make the very difficult and trying work of parenting so rewarding. All those important life lessons that you have tried to teach over those first few oh so important years comes to fruition. You are confronted with a beautiful soul, full of integrity and you realize that you had a little something to do with it. The feelings that this evokes cannot be described, but if you are a parent yourself, you will know what I mean.

Math Homework

First grade math homework.....it takes a lot of thinking and concentration. :)

Countdown to School

Sophie has only three weeks left of summer vacation,(she attends on a year-round schedule) so naturally I am already thinking about her Laptop Lunches. While we had a blast using her lunch box system last year, I want to spice it up a little this year by getting her a couple of new items for it. The first being a few extra containers in bright colors. She loves rainbows so I think she'd like containers in different colors in her lunchbox. Then I'd eventually like to get her a Klean Kanteen, they are quite expensive though, so it will have to wait.

Last year I added a thermos container for hot foods, it went over very well and I am sure we will use it even more as her tastes mature and she tries more foods. I am getting excited about her first grade Laptop Lunches this year. Looking forward to continuing her on the road of good nutrition.

Sophie Cheering

Sophie recently decided to participate in a cheer leading event at the parent/teacher basketball game. I admit to being a bit biased against cheerleaders, this was her idea and decision to do it. We supported her in having this experience and she really worked hard to learn all the cheers and dance moves and thoroughly enjoyed herself while having a great experience. We were very proud of her and I am glad to have been able to put aside my bias and let her do this. This was a one time game, and I don't know how I will feel if and when she wants to cheer on a regular basis, but she does seem to be a natural at it. We will see.

Birthday Memories

Sophie's sixth birthday began with her dad and I waking her with a candlelit cupcake in bed. She was so surprised that she could eat it before breakfast.

She made a wish for 2oo Zhu-Zhu Pets!! Oh my!

The castle cake that her dad and I stayed up til 1AM working on. It turned out great we think, and Sophie was thrilled with it.

Here her dad said something silly......

Listening to everyone singing "Happy Birthday" to her....

little cousin Cody decided to get into the dog's kennel.....:)

Sophie and her cousin Becca and friend, Kaitlin

Cousins, Austin and Jimmy......

Opening one of her many gifts.....

Reading a handmade card from her cousin Becca

best friend, Andrew and her other friend Liam

Sophie is always thrilled to get a book, this one is "Reindeer Moon".

Excited over the little shoes that I crocheted for her doll Jane, along with a dress, skirt, sweater, and cloak.

Zhu-Zhu Pets were the hit of the party....three in all.

Happy Birthday Sophie!!!!

Happy Birthday Sophie Jane!!!

I really cannot believe that my poppet, Sophie is six years old! It just seems like such a short time ago that I was asking the Goddess for another daughter and promising to raise her in the goddess tradition if I was granted that blessing. Well, it has been six years since we were blessed by the Great Mother. Sophie is a beautiful, intelligent and independent little girl.

She is now in kindergarten and is reading and writing and doing math. She has so many friends in the neighborhood, kids of all ages, that our home is perpetually filled with the sounds of children playing.

When Sophie was born in a lovely water birth, on December 4, 2004, we could tell right away that she was an old soul. You could just see such wisdom in her eyes then, and even now sometimes, we will feel as if we are talking to a wise old grandmother when talking to her. When she was two years old, she began telling us about when she was a mother. Remembering a past life? We believe that she was, though she doesn't seem to now, but that is the way of the world. Humans seem only able to deal with one lifetime at a time.

It has been a wonderful, wild ride these pat six years with her in our lives. A most delightful joy she has brought to us. I am thankful to the Goddess everyday for giving me my little earth baby. She is truly Goddess given and Goddess blessed and has greatly blessed our lives.

Happy Birthday my poppet. I love you.

Birthday Works in Progress

Sophie's 6th birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks and I decided since she has been playing fervently with her doll Jane, that I would make the doll some new clothes.

I am currently working on a knitted hat for her, and have some fabric cut out to make a cloak similar to the one in the photo, and also a dress. And perhaps a sweater made from this old pink wool one.

Budding Author

This morning Sophie became inspired by a mechanical parrot to write a story and make a book.

"All About Polly" is the story of her like of the parrot.



She wrote it on index cards.......





illustrated it herself........

















and stapled it together. What a beautiful, creative process we were privileged to witness this morning.

Sweet Child of Mine

She's got a smile that it seems to me

Reminds me of childhood memories

Where everything

Was as fresh as the bright blue sky

Now and then when I see her face

She takes me away to that special place

And if I'd stare too long

I'd probably break down and cry

Sweet child o' mine

Sweet love of mine

She's got eyes of the bluest skies

As if they thought of rain

I hate to look into those eyes

And see an ounce of pain

Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place

Where as a child I'd hide

And pray for the thunder

And the rain

To quietly pass me by

Sweet child o' mine

Sweet love of mine

Where do we go

Where do we go now

Where do we go

Sweet child o' mine

(Guns & Roses)

Swinging Sunday

First School Bus Ride

(Not the best photos, but....)

It doesn't seem to matter how many children you put on that school bus for the first time *this is number five for me*, it is always a stressful thing. Even though I am confident of the bus service here in Oak Ridge, and my little poppet has ridden a bus on field trips in preschool. I was still pretty nervous and anxious about her first ride yesterday. It seems so silly to me, but I just was. She is such an independent little girl, that she skipped right onto the bus without looking back. I am glad that I said goodbye before the bus actually got there. :) Her best friend, Andrew rides the same bus, he lives next door, so they catch it together in the mornings. He is in 3rd grade and I feel better knowing that he is "watching out" for her. Even though she can take care of herself in most things. She is thrilled about riding the bus.






When she came home, she ran straight into my arms, which I must say was very rewarding. She said she missed me so much. However, today her dad and I are supposed to wait in the house, so she can come in and say, "mom, I'm home". What a girl!
I think she is going to do just fine and then some.

More First Day of School Photos

David took these pictures with his phone camera so some of them are less than great. But I want to share more of Sophie's first day of Kindergarten, at least the dropping off portion.

She looks a little nervous in this one, though she didn't seem nervous. It is a big school and there were a lot of kids there.









Here she is meeting up with a neighbor boy, on the left, who introduced her to another friend. My social butterfly.

What a looong hallway......Sophie's class is at the end of it. :)

Mom and Sophie walking down the long hall way.

Sophie is so excited to meet her teacher, Mrs. Williams.

Here she gets the tour from the teaching assistant.

Getting her 'locker/cubbie', its a blurry picture, but the look on her face is priceless....she is so excited and proud.

Tune in next week for the first bus ride......