Melissa

Since I didn't include anything in the Christmas card post about the individual kids, I thought that I would take some time to let you know about each of my kids. So, to be fair I will go in order... So, first is Melissa. The first ultrasound we had when I was pregnant with her, they said she was a boy. But about the only boy in her is her Dad's stubborness. Other than that, we have all girl.I've mentioned her dance abilities before, and so you all know that dance is her first passion. And that she's pretty good at it. She's done some solos in competition before, and the first time, she got first place in the beginner category. Then last year, she had to move up to the intermediate category and she got second place even being the youngest in the 10 - 12 age category.What you may not know about Melissa is her love of making stuff. Any stuff. She really likes to make cookies, brownies, cake and then give them away. Sometimes I have to bribe her to let us keep some. This picture was taken in 2005. Melissa made and decorated a bunch of valentine cookies and then put one in a baggie and then took them around to her friends. She also likes to make all sorts of crafts. I've done a post before about her 'Lilly's Fashions', but on top of that I used to get a little card left under my pillow or on top of the pillow if it was a big one with lot's of stuff on top that she didn't want getting smashed.Melissa's also got quite an imagination. Here she is looking like Abraham Lincoln. She was in Kindergarten here and she learned about the president in school and she came right home from school and told me that she had a good idea she thought of in class and wanted to try it out. So she made a stovepipe hat and then gave herself a beard and mustache with tape. She's also made some pretty amazing tents in her day in the family room.

I had a picture in here of her at an awards assembly at school, but upon further inspection the picture gives out way too much info. And so, I will just have to tell you about it. She is a good student (I know, shock and surprise). She has always liked school. She hates missing school, in fact she has always had to miss at least one day each year, but this year, she tells me that she is going to get perfect attendance - so cross your fingers she makes it because she says this every year and hasn't done it so far. She likes to read. It isn't unusual for her to have like four different books going at a time and know what is going on in each of her books. Her teachers all call her a teacher's dream. And yet, there are times she will say that she worries about failing. She really wants to get into BYU and I hope that she will because she would be devistated to not get in and with it being so competitive, even I worry.

To top all that off, she is good. You know, she tries so hard to always do what's right. She gets so upset when her temper (yeah, she has one - mostly when she is tired) gets the best of her because she will cry about it after for quite a while when she feels like she's done something wrong. She is also quick to say sorry and she's very honest about everything. If she realizes that she hurt your feelings and she is apologizing, she will say something like, "Spencer I'm sorry that I yelled at you, I was just jealous that were doing that better than me."

Which leads to her next quality that is a curse and a blessing. She is competitive. Which is why she excells at so much. However, sometimes it gets the best of her when she isn't quite the best at what she's doing.

All in all I would say though that she is a great kid I am a lucky mom to have her.