Our Little Athlete

Madeline is growing in leaps and bounds!!!  There has been so much baby talk on my blog lately.  I certainly do not want that to overshadow the amazing things that Madeline has been up to.  I have to say that I absolutely LOVE the age of 5.  Madeline is growing so quickly and I love watching her mind develop.  Her questions are much more complex than the simple "whys" that previous years held.  I love seeing a real thought process develop in her.  Madeline is very interested in the phonics of letters.  As I work in the kitchen, Madeline is often nearby playing with her magnetic alphabet letters on the fridge.  This is a renewed interest in the letters as we work on sounding out and spelling various words and the names of school friends.  Madeline also spends hours drawing pictures on her easel.  I love hearing the detailed stories that she creates about her drawings.  Madeline is currently taking ice skating lessons once a week.  The video above is Madeline zipping along on her ice skates.  Madeline is the one wearing the pink pants and brown jacket.  Although she pulled the wool over her cousins' eyes while they were in Buffalo by purposely falling for extra attention, Madeline really *can* skate.  They are already working on teaching her how to skate backwards.  It is amazing that at her first lesson this season Madeline had to use one of those skating walkers but now she is zipping along and keeping up with the big kids. (When you hear me say in the video, "She is about to pass Hannah", Hannah was the next door neighbor kid at our old house and is a year older that Madeline.)

Madeline is also doing a great at swim class.  From our first day together, we knew Madeline loved the water.  She never had a fear of putting her face in the water as a baby.  Madeline was a little fishy during her first tubbie time and has enjoyed every opportunity to be in the water ever since.  Madeline is currently in intermediate swim lessons.  She can often freestyle swim the length of the pool (although this video isn't the best representation of her ability).  She is learning how to do the back stroke and she is also beginning to learn about diving.  Madeline's class is a half-hour session.  On the occasion that we have to miss a class, Madeline is able to do back to back sessions that last an hour total.  Madeline especially likes those days and has even begged me to stay through a third session (although that has never happened).  I am looking forward to enjoying our pool with her this summer....that is, if it ever warms up here!