Maestro!

This holiday season we had 4 Christmas performances in the Handsaker house.  Layla's all school concert, both kids had a piano recital, their performance at church, and Cooper's class concert.  I'm always amazed how wonderful these all are in spite of the fact that our school and church are so small.  This says a lot about the adults who create, organize, and pull it off.

I learn so much about my kids when they are put under pressure.  Layla wants to do all of these things, but always has a little panic attack right before she performs.  She does not like everyone staring at her, but she finds total exhilaration in having faced her fears and completed the task at hand.  I always give her the option not to perform, but she has never taken me up on it.

Cooper is all about performing (gasp, shock).  He is completely in control, knows every little thing that needs to be done, the order in which to do it, and is surprisingly focused.  The biggest difference between his performances last year and this year is that he stayed focus throughout all of them.  No wandering mind, no pretends dragons to slay, no adjusting of the pants, tucking in the shirt, untucking the shirt, jumping on the stage to see how loud it sounds in the auditorium, no checking out the girl next to him...you get the idea.

Cooper Lately

Cooper tolerates school.  Usually, by the third morning of the week, he's over it.  He loves his teacher and his friends, but I think it just cuts into his imaginary world too much.  Cooper has discovered a new love...wrestling.  He goes once a week with Dave and works with a group of kids and dads.  The first time he went he sat and watched with tears in his eyes.  He wanted so badly to wrestle, but was scared of being "embarrassed".  The second time, he knew he wasn't going to miss out again.  Now, he asks me daily if he gets to go to wrestling. He is in love with the sport, the comradery, the hard work, and vast amounts of sweat he produces.

Cooper wears his cowboy boots everyday and when he's not in a school uniform, it's jeans with a short sleeve Iowa State t-shirt.  E.V.E.R.Y.D.A.Y.  He still loves being outside, super heroes, and Lego anything. And, he continues to think his sissy is the best creation on the face of this earth.

Layla Lately

We are on day 2 of no school due to snow and day 3 of Dave being in bed with the flu.  I have everything caught up but this blog and housework.  Anything to avoid housework....

Since my last blog, Layla has started first grade and Cooper goes to 4 year old preschool 3 mornings a week.  Layla pushes herself academically.  It's very rare if she ever brings work home that is not perfect.  Cooper goes to school and works really hard at not running everywhere and learning his letters.

My firstborn still doesn't adjust very easily to leaving us and getting back into the groove of school.  This year, to add to the complexity, she is starting to deal with E.M.O.T.I.O.N.S.  I'm told by all of my friends who have gone before me that this is normal little girl stuff...which I remember!  So, our focus in first grade has been accepting the things in life we cannot change and changing the things we can.

One of Layla's favorite ways to decompress is to write stories and scripture verses in her journal.  She's always thinking, feeling, and processing deeply.  On our way home from school one day, while looking out her window, she said, "Mom, do you ever stop and think how amazing it is that God made me and I'm here, on this earth, without even knowing I would be?  I mean he knew that he would make me from the time the world began, but didn't make me to live here until now?"

Her favorite thing to write about is horses.  Her favorite thing to do is ride.  Her favorite thing to talk about...horses.  I learn so much about her by her stories.