My beautiful Finley, is almost 5 1/2 and is getting ready to start kindergarten in the fall. She has wonderful moments of independence, followed by many moments where she wants to be a baby forever. She is scared of so much, but surprises us with great bravery many times. She is, as she always has been, a real nature-girl and a hard-worker. If she has the chance to help Mommy clean, organize, plant, water, shop, etc., she will, and she will do a good job! She has taken great strides at swimming lessons in the last couple of months. Today, she swam half the length of the pool by herself! She went down the waterslide for the first time last week and, now, she can't get enough. She went to her first "real" concert last month at Dan Patch days and she watched "The Dweebs" perform. She was completely enthralled and continually reminds us of the performances when she hears songs on the radio that they sang. A couple of weeks ago, I asked her what what she wants to be when she grows up, and she told me she wanted to be on a stage - not dancing, but with a microphone! If one of her favorite songs is playing in the car when we get to a destination, she makes us stay in the car until it's over and, while she has her mother's horrible understanding (or lack therof) of lyrics, she has a genius ability to recognize and remember melodies and artists (Cam has taught her to recognize Simon and Garfunkel, several 50s songs, and many random punk melodies). Finley also got her first library card this summer and has been voraciously going through books about fire trucks, helicopters, and ambulances, as well as many Junie B. Jones books. She still isn't sleeping in her bed by herself regularly, but every once in awhile, Mommy and Daddy get a break and she stays under her new loft until at least 5 am. She is an exhausting child, but so special and, despite the many frustrating moments, we adore her with all our hearts.
