Good Grief!

I know all the childhood stages have their beauty and magic. Each little year has its own precious traits that last just for a little while before they poof, vanish.

But let me tell you, wow, I am so very much loving this stage Ginger is in now. Age 3 years 4 months is just as sweet as it can be. She just breaks my heart every day with how sweet and positively amazing she is...all that defiance of age two is a distant memory.  Hallelujah! 

She's confident, herself, and oh so lovely.

 

This dress is without a doubt my favorite dress-up costume the girls have ever had.

Paprika got it as a birthday present from my Grandma and Grandpa when she turned three, and it's still as lovely as the day she first wore it. It's a favorite around here. It's often worn with a crown, but on this day, Ginger wanted to be a princess bunny rabbit.

If the headband fits, wear it! ;-)



We've been doing a lot of art projects around the house. The girls painted this bird house earlier this week. I have to get a picture of the finished product. It is spectacular! ;-)

It's a big mix of purple and green and blue. What can I say, it kept them occupied for half an hour and they were so proud of the finished product!



Paprika has been busy learning piano. She got it into her head that she wants to put on a Christmas concert in our house and invite all our neighbors to come hear her play. Now, she JUST started learning piano in what...September?!  I mean, she started lessons technically in July but her teacher was so awful she didn't really learn anything until we switched teachers.



She has made it her goal to learn TEN holiday songs by Christmas (this is in addition to all her regular pieces). So far she has down: Jolly Old St. Nicholas and Up On The Housetop. Eight more to go!

She often practices standing up because otherwise Violet will toddle over to the chair and try to climb up on Paprika's lap and play herself! I have started giving Ginger and Violet a bath together in the evening, so Paprika can at least have twenty minutes or so uninterrupted to practice. Otherwise, the sisters (Violet especially) will not leave the keys alone long enough for Paprika to practice her pieces.

As Paprika would say: Good Grief! :-)