Where did you get those eyes? Seriously, neither your mother or I know which section of the gene pool those blue eyes come from. Even Johnny Clegg, the South African musician who wrote the song you were named after commented on them when the two of you met.
You don’t see it now, but those eyes are a great asset. They are striking.
You are about to enter second grade. It feels like just yesterday you were born, and just a moment ago you were a toddler chasing after your big brother August. You are growing up so fast, as it is with girls, apparently. The maturity you display can scary, and having a weapon such as those eyes just makes me afraid for what trouble you may eventually get yourself into.
And trouble, oh, this coming year is sure to be rife with it. You struggle with reading, and I don’t know why. It’s almost as if you are resisting learning to read as a form or protest because August was able to do so with apparent ease. You are smart, which is why this is puzzling. You have a determination about you that is a source of pride for me, and I wish you would steer that determination towards reading.
So many other obstacles in your life wind up crumbling because of that determination. Stubborn? absolutely. You get that from your mother. That’s not to say I don’t have some of that, but the particular strain of (perhaps at times to your detriment) determination is hers.
And some of this comes out in your eating habits. You are such a picky eater. When did this happen? If you could live off of cereal you probably would.
Interestingly, you continue to be the messiest person in the house. Granted, Xavier is 2 years old, so his cleanliness, or lack thereof, is due to age, but even he uses a napkin now and again. You? I just don’t understand it.
I’m glad you are continuing in the Girl Scouts. I like that organization. They are helping you with your social skills as well as providing you with a sense of accomplishment that you aren’t able to get on your own here. Every time you get together with your troop you seem much more confident, and that is one thing I wish for you if nothing else – to be a confident person and love who you are.