The Race Not Run

Today we tried something new.  Ken was volunteering at Providence's 5k and Kid's Dash, so we decided to go too.  The girls, especially Amelia, were excited about running for fun.  Amelia LOVES to run.  The girls and I got there just as the kids were lining up.  I got the girls lined up, the starter shot their starting gun, and off they ran, with me holding onto Sophia's hand.  Amelia ran fast, and was almost out front, when suddenly she runs off to the side, into the trees, sits down and sobs.  I couldn't figure out what had happened, but after Amelia calmed down . . . . 10 min. later and when Dad showed up . . . Amelia told us that she didn't like it when the people on the side were cheering for her.  Maybe it's a good thing that Amelia doesn't like praise?  She's happy to do things just because she likes it, not because it makes anyone else happy.

And here she is doing something that is making her happy.  Climbing a tree.  She didn't go up very far, as you can see, but she was thrilled at her accomplishment.

They also had a small booth that did face painting, and Amelia wanted her face painted . . . but didn't want a stranger to paint her face.  By the time Amelia decided that she was okay with a stranger painting her face, it was time to go home.  But Daddy saved the day by painting the girl's faces when we got home.  The question of the day is: Will the non-face paint Ken used come off easily?  or will the girls have cute butterflies on their faces until the paint wears off?  I thought he did a great job though, and hope that the girls get his artistic ability rather than mine ;)