Natalie loves to put on her various costumes at home and put on a show for us on the fireplace hearth. She sometimes uses her ballet shoes and other days she uses her princess dress up heels as “taps.” Sometimes Ben joins her up there and loves to emulate whatever she is doing…until the big boys catch him and tell him Cronauer men play football! Hey guys, don’t you know even the best football players have been known to take ballet? It improves there skills on the field!
I hope she always has a sport she enjoys be it ballet and tap or field hockey (um, no pressure…just yet). Either way I will say that the one thing I have always noticed about girls who take any dance is that they seem to carry themselves very well. For whatever reason they always seem to have dynamic posture and I so admire that. I will also say right now the drive on Monday nights is a bit of a stinker especially with all three boys in tow but so it goes! Each night she leaves dance Miss Valerie gives them a lollipop. She sweetly hands it over to Ben (who is not always sweet in the asking) and says, “Here Benny thanks for waiting for me. I know it’s hard.” Each time she does that I well up with love for her as she is so kind to him in those moments. Meanwhile Andrew is hollering from the back of the van, “Hey, I waited for you too!” I haven’t had the heart to tell her that during ballet the boys get Dunkin Donuts….because Ben looks for that little Dum dum lollipop! =)
Natalie, I love how you live out loud! (To quote Auntie Lauren). May you always stay a free bird at heart!
4 comments:
Meagan had a very similar suit that she loved. Joy I love how you are nuture Natalie's hapiness. I'm reading a book on happiness, on how to increase it. There was a passage where a woman who was pacticing being happy would look into the mirror and say in a funny voice, "Hellooo gorgeous!" until she burst into laughter. I think of how Natalie will have such a strong foundation of self worth, largely because of the love that you show her. I love you Joy. You ARE doing a good job. Carol
Thanks Carol that means a lot! What is the name of the book? Sounds interesting. Maybe I should try that...my boys would have a field day if they ever heard me! ;)
Thanks for kind words. I love you too!
Natalie and you can relay stories someday about growing up with a house with all brothers!
The book is called "The how of happiness: A new approach to getting the life you want" by Sonja Lyubomirsky, bought it at Barnes and Nobles. (Mine and Meagan's favorite store.) It's whole premise is that you can control up to 40% of your happiness, the other 50% is predetermined by genes and 10% by circumstances. The book gives actual exercises. I'm getting alot out of it, it's not just a fluff book.
That does sound like a really good book!!!!
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