Where were we?

 

How time flies when you are having fun. A couple of weeks ago, Maddie turned four. For the record, here is her report card....

Looks
Maddie used to be all back and very short legs but she seems to be a bit more in proportion and less shrimp-like these days. She is quite sure she is pretty and (as she can't see that the back of her hair looks like a particularly poorly constructed bird's nest most days because she won't let me brush it) why wouldn't she? She is rather more interested in her appearance than her loving parents would like, though. For instance, she is prone to trying on several outfits of a morning and scattering the discarded items all over her bedroom floor, just like any normal teenager, sorry four year old. She also freaked us out for a bit recently refusing to wear any tops that she felt made her look fat (!!) but fortunately a visit from girly chum Sadie has sorted her out and style (or copying Sadie) has won out over vanity/insanity.

Personality
Madeleine is a tempest of attitude and thespian-like posturing. One moment she is utterly charming, the next she is stamping her foot, just like Rumpelstilskin. Fortunately the sunnier Maddie is most often present. She likes to be helpful and affectionate and she wants to be liked - but she also likes her own way. Well who doesn't.

Skills and experience
Maddie is a tip-top performer at pre-school, the apple of the lovely Miss Sandra's eye and is really doing very well. She has excellent fine motor skills and can write her own name amazingly well. She walks about pointing things out and working out initial letter sounds so we see Ch, Ch, Ch, Chipmunks and b,b,b, bicycles every day. She has moderate ice-skating skills, is very good on her bike (although still with stabilisers) and loves colouring, jigsaws and pretend play. When not at pre-school, Maddie likes to pretend to run her own pre-school in the house which is great until she starts trying to draft in other adults (me) to sit in her room and look after the babies while she goes on her break.

Likes
Sweeties, orange juice, shoes, Ellie, Miss Sandra, Tommy (Why does Tommy love me so much Mummy), her brothers, getting her own way, singing and dancing, Hi-5, Playhouse Disney (aarg), sucking her thumb and picking her nose at the same time.

Dislikes
Eating meals like normal people do, not getting her own way, not being able to do everything the boys do.

What we love about Maddie
Cuddly cuteness, girliness, her smile, her singing, sense of humour.

What still drives us potty
Trying not to lose Ellie, temper tantrums/hissy fits, thumb sucking/nose picking thing, high level untidyness (but she is only 4!)