Choreography

RR has shown little interest in any kind of dance, since a brief stint in a ballet/tap/jazz class for 3/4 year olds some time ago. So we were quite surprised to see her performing vaguely ballet-like dance moves in the living room today. Even more so, when (after bumping into the table) she announced that she needed to plan out her dance and write it down, before performing it. Which she proceeded to do:

It may be more fun to imagine on your own what these hieroglyphs mean, but for the record she read this as "First you turn around a lot, then you walk on your tiptoes, do a leap, balance on one foot* and then for the grand finale, the cloud leap."  This last move needed a horizontal bar (daddy's arm would do) that she could flop over.    *(apparently an arabesque, with rear leg horizontal)

After practicing this choreography a few times, she declared that she needed to do another dance. This one involved some aerials with her sister's dolly which was later thrown toward a distant target, and something termed a "rainbow leap" at the end.  Sister K attempted to do the dance as well, although I think was distracted by the need to rescue dolly.

This and that

I was very pleased to be able to teach RR how to play tic-tac-toe, and she was briefly interested in the game. However that has since faded in favor of coloring in endless sheets of My Little Pony figures.  She also wants daddy to hold up a blanket as the stage curtain for a performance her stuffed animals put on. "And now, let the show begin!" she intones dramatically into her plastic microphone. Toddler K bops along after her big sister whenever she can. She looks over a shoulder and says "What 'choo doing?"

Bits of conversation recently overheard:

T: ...now have a good time sweetie, and do you know that I love you?
RR: Yes. [frown, concerned face]  Mom, do you know you've told me that many times already?
 ---

D.G. Remember when you helped me water the plants at my place? I had two plants, and then two more plants. How many plants were there all together?
RR: Four plants!
D.G. That's right, four plants.  I'm going to give you four dollars, so you can start saving up for that My Little Pony set you wanted.
RR: Thanks!  [pause] ...um, can you get some more plants? I think there's room for some more.
 ---

Notable Quotes

We were a little slow getting ourselves organized this morning. A bit too slow for RR, who took charge of proceedings with some definite ideas about who would do what:

 "Ok, daddy, you drive me and K to the bookstore. Mommy, you stay home, and do the dishes. And clean the house. Because... well, look at this place!"

She is also fond of suggesting rather inadvisable scenarios, and in the shocked parental silence that follows her enthusiastic proposal, she quickly follows up with "...OK? Sounds like we have a deal!"

RR on memory: "When I want to think of something, I scrunch up my eyes and squeeze my brain and then it comes to me!"

On video selection: "I want to watch Rudolph!  I don't want to watch Frosty or the Little Plumber Boy..."

When watching a "scary movie" (Beauty and the Beast): "K is too young, so I intend to have the headphones on."

New Shoes

RR has started going to a tap/ballet/gym class on Saturdays, and seems to really like it, so we went out and got ballet slippers and tap shoes for her. Her first dance shoes! Although I danced regularly for about 15 years, I never tried either tap or ballet, so it will be interesting to see how this goes.

She is quite outgoing, often asking "What's your name?" to random passers-by. Her conversation can be a bit unexpected- she mentioned that a girl in the dance class asked how old she was, and she held up four and a quarter fingers because she is 4 1/4 years old. (well, she's actually more like 4 1/3).  She is also getting better at playing with her sister, who at least sometimes appreciates the attention.

Said sister, approaching-2-years Toddler K continues to be a girl of relatively few words. She has not yet to my knowledge ever spoken her real name, but she refers to herself as "baby" or "me".  After watching a video of herself recently, she waved at the screen and said "bye-bye me".  She does make distinguishable one syllable sounds to indicate favorite foods like grapes, berries, juice, and milk. She's never said "yes" but she has a very natural and casual-sounding "yeah".  And she's pretty good on a rocking horse.