All About Liza

From the time Liza was a teeny baby, we knew the heavens had sent us a rare and beautiful shining star.  Now that she is about to enter second grade (waaa), I am compelled to jot down a few notes about her blossoming personality, interests and skills.

Liza's contagious laugh has long been her happy trademark - everywhere we go, even strangers comment that her laugh lifts them! Things that make Liza laugh: funny stories, tickle wars and funny shows.  

Just within the past few months, she seems to be truly enjoying and appreciating her brothers. Dane and Jonah are big enough now to be actual playmates for her, and she delights in sharing her Littlest PetShop, Barbies, American Girls, or whatever the flavor of the day is with them. They hang on every word she says as she models how to play with the various toys. She is generally happy to share, as long as the "sharee" asks her permission first. 

This summer she has developed a new confidence....I think it may have stemmed from her Groove dance performances at Raging Waters and the Bountiful parade. She just unleashed and danced with such attitude - so great - perhaps we have uncovered one of her fortes. Along with her voice lessons, swimming lessons, art lessons and scrapbooking classes, this summer has been a full one for her. Liza is great at most everything she tries - her voice coach has already asked her to perform in church (Liza isn't sure about that one), her swimming teacher said she was a true natural, relaxed and athletic swimmer, and her scrapbooking teacher said that in her 3-day class, she completed more pages than any of the other girls there (all of whom were older than Liza)! She would just focus intensely for the entire class and burn through stacks of paper.....she created a darling Sizzlin Summer scrapbook that she is proud of.  She excels in so many areas.

This week, Kevin has been working with her on 2nd and 3rd grade math. She is whizzing through her multiplication tables and division is next. Go Liza! Of course, she is motivated by the money Kev pays her to get through her studies......she is saving up to by the American Girl Bitty Twins, but hey, whatever works, right?

American Girl could be its own topic....for now let's just say she is obsessed!

Liza has an amazing combination of strength in spirit, heart and mind. Her spirit is sensitive and sweet - she is acutely aware of every emotion in a room, just the same way she is aware of every piece of furniture in a room. (She is the first and sometimes only person in our family to notice when I move a chair from one corner of a room to another). She loves to hear stories about honesty, and has a firm grasp of right and wrong. She is getting ready to be baptized in a few months and is learning all about that decision.
Her heart is compassionate; she is free with hugs and kisses for those she loves that are hurting or in need. She looks out for kids who are playing alone at recess and is quick to include everyone around her.

Her mind astounds us daily - she already thinks and speaks with lawyer logic, using large vocabulary words and reading far beyond her grade level.

We love her through and through, inside and out!

It is so fun to have all of those internal charachteristics so solid in a little person, and to still have the girly girl on the outside who loves doing hair, makeup and nails, and shopping for cute clothes. We have so much fun together! Thank heavens for our one little girl!