FOURTH GRADE WAS a time of new horizons.
To borrow a term from a recent highly enjoyable middle grade graphic novel, I was what you might call "between friends." Not that I didn't have anyone to talk to. I met Haley in second grade. At first, I was annoyed at her always wanting to sit by me at circle time, but I got over this rather stupid pet peeve.
We really had each other's back after a sleepover one weekend. Sara was hosting, and at some parts of the day, she was very bossy. We were only allowed to play on "our" parts of the swingset. For me it was the rock gym; for Haley, it was the swings. Finally, it was time for tag. "And we're going to play it MY way," Sara said, as the rest of the group trailed her. Not wanting to partake, we sat on the driveway and talked together.
Soon, we had a good time for the next two years with making each other laugh, Haley by coloring her nails with markers in art class, and by playing UNO at indoor recess. We quickly had become UNO experts. There were so many rules you could change. If you didn't have a card, did you draw one or keep drawing until you had one that worked? If you placed down a card identical to the one facing up, did you have to yell "Copycat?" before the previous player? What was the penalty for forgetting to say UNO?
These games became a recess staple, as did jump roping. Haley became friends with another girl named Willa, and we'd often hang out together. This led us to jump roping. I wasn't very good, but eventually I found my rhythm as long as the rope was turning a little slower. But no matter what, you were promised a good time with Haley.
But she also left our school after third grade, leaving me to my own devices. At home, I got to know some students I didn't always talk to in class. May and I loved playing with Micro-Pets, tiny electronic animals that could respond to your voice or clapping patterns. So did the entire class. Kids would bring in their Micro-Pets and play with them as a group---some even got married.
These instances inspired the Micro-Pet games between Kelly and I at home. We would marry off our own Micro-Pets, but just as exciting were the divorce ceremonies we staged. Pets would "act up" all the time, particularly a blue pony named Rio, and we'd have to take care of those broken relationships. We also made a stage from shoeboxes and had them perform.
The problem was, I still felt awkward about including myself in those situations at school. After realized I had a Micro-Pet Dalmatian at home, in my basement, I ran to dig it out. At school the next day, I ran to my locker at snack time to dig him out, as everyone else grabbed theirs. But I couldn't bring myself to join in. They already had their own established Micro-Pet universe, and asking to join in was...weird. Soon after, though, I think Micro-Pets were made to stay in lockers.
Over the next two years, I had other friends. Mari and I had playdates as well, playing board games with her little sister like Pretty Pretty Princess and Great States. We had a great time together, even when our third-grade class spent the end of the day telling jokes and she kept borrowing my joke about a woman trading her sister for a dog. (I didn't mind. I liked that she felt it was worth telling!)
Kelsey and I accidentally invented a game called Monster Under the Bed when she was convinced she heard a noise coming from the closet. I rolled my eyes. We were big second graders who knew better. Then, we both heard it: a sharp, raspy voice I couldn't quite make out.
Something was definitely in the closet!
She jumped on the bed, and I followed. We had a real mystery on our hands! Looking through various forms of slime and variations of Play-Doh in her room, we determined the kinds of alien substances he might have left behind. We also eventually discovered that the culprit was a stuffed E.T. that she didn't know could talk.
Some of these people never really hung with me during school as much, save for group projects that we seemed to enjoy doing together and times when I asked if I could hunt for grasshoppers with them, which was the popular recess activity at the time. I'm guessing that some of these play dates were my parents' idea, carefully constructed behind my back, but this is just a theory.
They were nice people, but we didn't write stories together or share inside jokes. It wasn't having a best friend.
Not that I didn't try joining activities. For a few months, I joined Girl Scouts with May, who had also been to my house once. We met in the upper school Spanish room and did crafts, getting our ideas from an official manual. It didn't last long, because the craft projects were all we did. No cookies; no field trips; no camping trips, no...badges? Cookies? One might question whether it was even an official troop.
Then there was the reading. See, school stories weren't... boring, necessarily. They could just get... repetitive. I remember lots of tales about kids who went to go visit relatives in rural 1930s America, Middle Eastern-type fantasies with Chosen Ones, and lots of books set in the American West. And orphans. Lots of orphans! I fell in love with read-aloud tales like The Phantom Tollbooth, The Tale of Despereaux, and The City of Ember. For silent reading I loved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism. I admired the main character in Stargirl so much that I think I was questioning my sexuality for a week. At home, I enjoyed the Ramona Quimby, Abby Hayes, and Fudge series, enjoying being part of a different life for a day.
But the classroom silent reading choices got to be dull. I preferred writing my own modern worlds, or journaling. That was stuff I could relate to better.
So I was super stoked when we started a short story unit in fourth grade. This is what I love to do! I thought, even though I really hadn't written anything on my own for a while. I found that it was exciting to create my own stories, especially about things I liked. I loved pink poodles, and they were a part of the large stuffed dog menagerie I'd collected over the years. Whenever I'd pretend to teach a class of them in my bedroom, pink poodles were always in the mix---and so was a favorite school library book, Guide to Owning a Poodle. Library day was the same as soft pretzel day, and I'd spend the bus ride home reading the poodle book while munching on the rest of my pretzel. I loved the glossy pages of poodle photos and advice for owning one. So I knew what my new story had to be about!
The protagonist was a pink poodle named Pinkie. She wants nothing more than to go to the beauty parlor, because fancy dogs liked getting beautified, obviously. While at dog training school, she meets a dog named Angel. Together, they find ways to try and convince Pinkie's owner to take her to the beauty parlor. It's one of my most iconic childhood stories.
But there were my own tales to tell as well. Turns out that my writer's notebook held many nonfiction insights I may have forgotten otherwise. I'll let it speak for itself. Ladies and gentlemen, presenting myself and my life circa 2003-04.
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I remember the time I started going to dance class this year. I wondered what it would be like because I never took jazz lessons before.
* * *
It was the weekend. Me and Kelly were in the basement. Kelly was going to a birthday party. I wished I could go to one. But then my mom came in the basement and told me I was going to a sleepover. I was surprised.
* * *
This weekend I played with my sister Kelly. We played on MicroPets.com. We did lots of games. Sky's Fantasy Castle was the hardest. In this game, you try to get ice cream candy and cookies before monsters get you. You also earn points. On Saturday, it was Kelly's birthday. I gave her a MicroPet named Coco. She thought she couldn't get it because it is so old. We also pretended we were famous singing girls. Then we played a game in which it was my birthday. Kelly and I made up some kids to come to the party. We also used a horse "decoration" for the cake. I had a lot of fun with Kelly.
* * *
This year for the new year, I got to stay up until midnight. It was really fun. We threw paper confetti all over the room. When it was finally the big moment, I didn't think I would stay up because I never stayed up until midnight before. It was really fun.
* * *
This Christmas, I got a lot of cool gifts. I got 2 MicroPets. They were Sky and Swirl. They are the best gifts I got. I think they are the best gifts because I really love MicroPets. I really love them.
* * *
I was born in the Year of the Dog. Dog people are loyal and can keep a secret. I am like the dog because I can keep a secret. My sister tells [UNFINISHED].
* * *
Today is Groundhog Day, but there is bad news. Everyone wants it to be spring, but the groundhog saw his shadow and now there will be six weeks of winter. But even if the groundhog didn't see his shadow, there could still be some snow because it can snow a little in spring. I really enjoy it. I wonder what he'll do next year.
Next Friday it is Valentines Day. We will have a big party. My favorite part of the party is giving and receiving Valentines. I love reading what is on the inside. I just CAN'T WAIT for the party!
* * *
Last week, we had 3 snow days. On Wednesday I got to play in it. Kelly and I dug for ice and made a snow fort. It was really tall, and there were some snowballs already made. When we were done, we went inside for hot chocolate.
* * *
I don't really have any tricks, but there is a really easy way for my parents to pay attention to me. When I dress up for a big event, they pay attention to me, saying how pretty I am.
* * *
The best moment of Spring Break was when I had my birthday party. It was an animal party. We made toys for the animals at the shelter. And we played lots of cool games. My birthday cake had a picture of a dog on it. It had a party hat on. It was the best moment because it was the most exciting. I really enjoyed my birthday party.
* * *
It was the most humiliating moment of my life. It was when my sister Kelly told my secret to a friend. And it all started when I told a secret. (But I can't tell you the secret.) When I told her, she was laughing her head off. A few days later, Kelly had a friend over. Before she came, I reminded Kelly not to tell my secret. But do you know what? She did. Now I don't think I will tell secrets to Kelly again.
* * *
This weekend, I am planning to finish my reading goal, get some water ice, and play with my sister. I want to get a cherry water ice or a chocolate Misto. When I play with my sister, we will probably play on the computer or outside. One thing I wish we could do this weekend is go to the beach.
* * *
This weekend I got to swim in my pool. Kelly and I made up different games such as Pool Soccer. We also played a game where you try to get the ball in the pool without the other person catching it. We also created a water slide by putting a slide in the pool, and we also went in the sprinkler. Then, we have a great idea. We put the sprinkler near the pool, so we had a fountain. Now I am excited to go to the beach next weekend.
* * *
On Monday I was in a Memorial Day parade. We had to throw people to the candy in the crowd. The best part of the parade was that I saw my friend Haley there! I threw lots of candy to her and her sister, Grace. The worst part of the parade was when it started to rain. We did not get to finish, but we were close. Last year, we had worse luck. We were completely rained out. I really enjoyed it.
* * *
On Sunday I have my dance recital. I am dancing to the song You Make Me Feel Like a Star. The color of my costume is purple. I will also have on purple nail polish. After the recital, we will go out to eat. I am really excited.
* * *
Yesterday we had Field Day. The score was 1,023 to 1,015. Our team lost, but we still had lots of fun! My favorite event was Noah's Ark. I scored 8 points for my team! For lunch that day, we had pizza, chips and cookies. It was a really fun day.
* * *
It feels wonderful to be finishing 4th grade. I am excited to be a 5th grader next year. In 4th grade, I met some goals I set, such as my reading goals. I am really proud of my self.