my princess

In the light of this freezing cold weather, we're starting to deal with stomach flu.  Kason had it Friday but he got over it the same day and then Anika started throwing up early this morning.  Poor girl seems so sensitive to bugs like that and every time she gets something like that it takes a good hold of her.  So we spent today together.  We did some reading and some math but she was almost too weak to hold a pencil, poor girl.  Just around bed time she woke up from a little nap and it was so good to see her doing a little better.  She ate a few crackers and went back to sleep and so far she hasn't thrown it up. :)

Anika had a big day on Friday.  Her and Emily have been going to a classical dance together and this last Friday they had their big recital.  Anika was so excited about it and could hardly wait.  It was a busy week of pictures one night, rehearsal another night and finally the program another night.  I have to admit it is not my cup of tea.  Not that I don't enjoy some dancing or learning some moves, but all that ballerina and princess stuff, the outfits and flowers is a bit too girly for me.  When I was a little girl mom made me wear skirts and dresses and I hated every minute of it. :)  I was a tom boy and sweat pants or jeans and T shirts was all I wanted to wear.  And Ehren could tell you just how many years it took me to come out of the "sweatpants" stage. :) 

So anyway, I just realized now that just because I loved boy stuff and tough sports when I was young that is not who Anika is.  She is girly and gentle and sweet and I need to embrace it about her.  And for the most part I do appreciate what she's like but when it comes to these dance classes it takes me a bit longer.  After the recital Ani was pretty down and I knew why.  She told me she didn't want it to be done, that she loves dance the most.  In my mind I was a bit relieved it was done and was actually thinking we wouldn't sign up for dance again next year but seeing how much she loves it, it is really hard to push her into something else.  And so, I want to be more open to the girly girl I have at least for now when she's little but she better not be too eager to be grow up. :)  The interesting thing is that she is so excited to be on the stage and has a big smile on her face yet so far at every singing performance at school she gets so shy and emotional she cries and hates being on the stage.  So it must be something about the dancing or moving or who knows what because for some reason she doesn't get stage freight.  Talking to Jessica (Emily's mom) was pretty funny because she was telling me how Emily hated putting on the dress for the recital and was saying how she hates dance and never wants to do it again. :) Probably what I would have said at her age.  Somehow I think she mostly wanted to be in dance because Anika did, they're so close.  But as they're getting older and interested in different things I think it's ok to do separate activities.  Ani is my little princess and she loves to dance.  Even if she's not natural at it and has a hard time with some coordination it doesn't mean she should stop.  Her big smile says it all to me and I love her to pieces.