HIDE AND SEEK

I found myself busy this morning [nothing new there] working on some homework with Ava. Her assignment? Oh, only to go online, research the planets, choose your favorite one, answer 6 questions about that planet and then put those six questions into a report format and include a drawing of said planet. Then, as if that was not enough for a 7 year old, she will need to present her report to her class on April 2nd.

Don't get me wrong, I think it is great that she is learning all of this at such a young age. But I guess I am just baffled by all of it as if I rememeber correctly, in 1st grade I was coloring, painting, learning to read, practicing my numbers and playing at recess. I could not imagine writing a report, then presenting it to my class. My oh my, how things have changed.

Anyway, like I was saying, I was busy helping Ava research Jupiter, looking up fun facts online, helping her to answer questions, draw her picture and all that jazz. The boys were keeping busy as usual. Anthony had shut himself in the playroom battling it out with Anakin and Luke Skywalker in their starship (the boy has quite the imagination). Lucas had snuck into the pantry and snatched out our Sam's Club vat full of pretzel sticks and was snuggled up on the couch watching Sponge Bob. And Olivia was, well.... Olivia was nowhere in sight, most likely getting into something she should not be getting into; 'cause that's just how she rolls.

I decided to leave Ava to finish up coloring the drawing of her planet and go find Miss Olivia. This was probably a good idea, as I found myself really getting into this report of hers. Wanting to draw the planet, color it, and just plain old help out a bit too much. My job was to simply assist her in completing the report. Not to do it for her.

So Ava went about the task of coloring her planet, and I went about the task of finding Olivia.

I looked in her favorite places. The bathroom on the main floor, the laundry room, the playroom, the bathroom upstairs, her bedroom. She was nowhere to be found. Then I heard her chattering away to herself. But where was she?

My search was finally over when I found her here:

In the closet, on top of her changing table (climbed up all by herself), one shoe on, pulling all her wipes out of the box, and eating a god knows how old candy necklace that she must have found hiding somewhere in this house. To top it off she has this "what's the problem Mom" look on her face.

Turns out I can't take my eyes of that girl for a second; not even to help Ava with her all important Jupiter report. What a little stinker.