Spring break

Our 7 year old

I used to think that 7 was old. I mean, I remember being 7. No way our little Violet would ever be that old. But... she is. And not only that, she's really incredibly good at being 7. I think this is going to be a fantastic year for us.

On her actual birthday, we did several rounds of cupcakes in all the usual places, but what was nice was her family party at home. Friday is pizza night, so we just spent it like a regular Friday, but while I was making the pizza we gave her a present. We Ski for the Wii. Yes, it is fun for the whole family. And no, I didn't clean the house for the family party.

Stella documented much of the evening for us. Or at least, we think she did. She likes to push the record button to make it beep, though, so it might end up being more like a stop motion film.

Saturday we had a small party at Grandy and Bubby's house. What did Violet want for her birthday? What every seven year old needs: a wool carder. She then proceeded to make us all wool bracelets. I have plans to make her a drop spindle so we can get to some yarn making and knitting. Once she gets good, I'm going to put the pressure on Jason to get a sheep.

Sunday morning was spent preparing for the birthday bash. We invited a few more kids than I had originally intended, but it was just fine, if a little crowded. And the interesting thing is - Violet invited some neighbors, her best friend Evan, a friend we met through Evan, a girl from karate, the girl she sits with on the bus, a couple siblings, and one girl from her class at school. I'm really pleased that her friends are so diverse. She is not at all dependent on the classroom for her social circle. And we had kids ages 3,4,5,6,7 and 10.

This was what Jason prepared for the party:

This is what I prepared:

You think you know what was going on?

 

All the kids made marshmallow shooters. We gave them each some pieces of PVC - straights and elbows and Ts (all nicely cleaned first in the dishwasher) and several rolls of colorful electrical tape to decorate with. Then we gave them each a bag of marshmallows and some safety glasses (take note that mine are the kids who wore their goggles on their heads) and sent them all outside to let off some steam before we sugared them up.

When everyone was bored (which didn't take as long as you might think, or as long as I had hoped) they all shuffled back inside for hot cocoa (with marshmallows!) and mulled cider. And cake. CAKE! Let me show it to you again because I am so proud of it. Not only is it adorable, it is solid. Solid... chocolate.

Can't cut that chocolate with a knife, can you? I guess we'll have to use a HAMMER!

Ready?

Smash!

Okay, so it was a little anticlimactic for me, too, but the kids were ecstatic. Can you see the candy in there? It was a pinata cake. That's Stella with the quick hands, there below. But very quickly followed by the throbbing mass of greedy children.

I don't have pictures of present opening, but I have to say - Violet was the most amazing recipient. Not only did she stop to look at every card before opening the gift, she would hold it up and comment "Oh, look at this! Look at this cute giraffe!" "Oh, Annabelle, your horse has balloons! They're tied to his mane!" and the same with the gifts "This is just what I wanted! A PINK ZHU ZHU!!" "Oh, Gracie you brought me paints!" Now those aren't direct quotes, because her party was almost a month ago (bad mommy blogger), but they are definitely in the style of her comments. It was so proud of her. Not only that but two of the parents told me how gracious she was. That's my autistic kid, yessiree. She has worked hard, hard I tell ya.

And now I'm going to go and ruin the moment. But that's life with Violet.

Ballet

Stella has been asking to take ballet lessons for the past 6 months or so. Thankfully her gymnastics school just started offering classes, and we didn't have to commit to the entire year and a recital or two.

Her teacher is great, and so young and it makes me feel old just saying that. There is so far only one other girl in the class Maddie is also three years old.

They are, to put it bluntly, freaking adorable.

At the end, they were allowed to dance 'any way they wanted'. Stella went round and round and round and round, never even changing directions until... Kerplonk.

Her head hit the wall, and what did her mom do? Took a picture.

First Day of School

Violet started school on Monday. She loves her teacher, she loves school, and Jason and I feel very confident in our decision to send her back this year. Her teacher is, in short, spectacular.

I know I don't have to say it. Look how much she has grown!  Look how old she is! I don't think I was nearly this gorgeous in first grade.

Here she patiently puts up with the antics of her sister.

Waiting for the bus with her little first grade friends.

And how sweet is this. Violet and Grandy, who came to see her get on the bus.

Horse Show!

Violet has been riding at Equest for three years. She started out in Hippotherapy, and just this summer started therapeutic riding. I know next to nothing about horses, so it has been hard for me to understand what therapeutic riding is all about. It's not like hippotherapy, where Violet rode all but upside down on her horse. That was OT, which I completely understand. Now Violet is learning to ride, and ride well. She is taking care of her horse, and learning actual skills. It became obvious to me this weekend where this is headed. The Student Horse Show was on Saturday, and it is the first time we have made it all the way through the show. As I told Violet "Sometimes to do the fun stuff, you have to have a lot of patience." She did amazingly well through the 3+ hours we were there.

She was in 2 classes. First was one she did last time as well - costume class. I can't help but throw in a picture from the last show she was in. This was 2008, so she was 4 years old. (these pictures were taken by Violet's awesome speech therapist, by the way. Did I really not have my camera with me? Shocking.) Isn't she cute! I can barely remember her at this age. She had just finished her first year of preschool, and was just starting to really talk to us with more than a couple words at a time. I think that is Zack she is riding in the second picture. I remember she loved that he had handles on him.

Fast forward to this year. That is Onyx she is riding, and if it looks like she is small up there, it's because Onyx is big.

I never cease to be amazed at how wonderful Equest is. Every single person we encounter is happy to be there, is kind to my children, and makes us all feel like we are the most important people in the world. Not only that, but they make all of their students and families feel that way. I can't imagine that is easy to do when they are all there in the same place, but amazingly they manage to pull it off.

Violet was also in the Walk/Trot Equitation on Lead Line class. And here's what I mean about not knowing a thing about horses. I had to ask what equitation meant. Then I saw what Equitation meant when I saw the older kids ride. I wish I had taken some pictures of them as well. Here she is walking in the first picture, trotting in the second.

We also got to see a few friends while we were there. Sadly I didn't get a picture of Violet with her Grandy and Bubby, but here she is with her best friend, Evan, and his family.

Wait a minute. Violet is missing from that picture. Here you go.

We saw Bailey, the girl she currently rides with.

We saw Laura, one of  Violet's sidewalkers from last autumn.

And we saw Hunter, the boy she rode with over the spring session. They were on the same team for the show, and do you notice something? Something big and blue and red and yellow?

Violet was on the winning team this year. It's a minor distinction, since everyone who participates gets these fabulous ribbons. She has her 'reserve champion' ribbon from last time hanging in her room along side this year's 'champion' ribbon. And let me tell you - the girl is proud of her ribbons.

Here is are the teams waiting for the final tally. The other team waiting in an orderly, attentive fashion:

And Violet's team. What a motley crew.

Can you see what Violet is doing?

I'm sure Violet had no idea who this girl was, and it matters not a whit to me that she is not waiting with anticipation to see who won. My girl got out there, and within moments she had taken up playing rock-paper-scissors with another girl. When I think of all the time and energy that has gone into enabling her to do that - the speech therapy, the social skills, the cooperation training. Well, folks, we have a winner. No doubt about it.