Likes: Staley still loves all things singing, dancing, and acting. NTA activities and drama club are her favorite after school activities. At home, she enjoys putting on original plays or making original movies with her siblings, cousins, and friends. Costuming, hair, and make-up are always included in these original productions.
Performing is what Staley loves to do!
Staley's other favorite activity is reading. She devours books in her free time. For school they have to do a reading contract each quarter, choosing a specific number of books to read every 9 weeks. The minimum is 5. Staley has read at least 25 books each quarter. Her favorite genre is fantasy. Harry Potter and Land of Stories are still two of her favorite series, but she reads a large number of other books in other genres as well.
Staley also enjoys listening to music on her iPod. Musical soundtracks are her favorites. Zach made a clean version of Hamilton using some editing software, so she loves listening to songs from Hamilton, Wicked, Encanto, Into the Woods, and other movies and musicals.
All her thoughts have been replaced by Hamilton lyrics.
Staley also enjoys artistic and creative pursuits. Writing books or stories, making perler bead designs, drawing, and doing calligraphy are current interests. She rarely plays with toys anymore, although will sometimes still take Barbies or figurines into the bath if she takes a play bath. She does enjoy board games with Clue, Dragon Realm, Just One, and Apples to Apples being family favorites.
Staley and her calligraphy
Staley enjoys watching movies. She has gotten more interested in "bigger kid" movies like the Harry Potter movies and Lord of the Rings. But she is still happy to watch family movies and shows on Disney + like Encanto or Bluey.
Movie time is always a special treat.
Staley continues to enjoy playing various sports, going for walks and runs, and roller blading. She still loves to swim. Staley has recently gotten more interested in putting together outfits, shopping for clothes, accessorizing, and doing her hair. She enjoys looking through hairstyle books and trying out new hairstyles.
Trying out a new hairstyle
Staley is a good eater and has gotten much more adventurous with the things she will eat. She prefers to order off the adult menu at restaurants, often splitting a meal with me. It's hard to list favorites because there are few things she doesn't eat anymore, but cheeseburgers and tacos are always a hit. Staley has a variety of friends at school, church, and NTA without a specific core group of friends that she hangs out with on a regular basis. She has made many new friends this year from Goodfield and Congerville, and has also made new friends through NTA now that Eureka often combines with other casts. Her cousins remain some of her closest friends.
Staley loves all her NTA friends.
Dislikes: Staley is very agreeable about most things these days. She still dislikes vegetables, especially peas. She sometimes gets annoyed with her younger siblings and doesn't always love household chores, although is good about doing them without too much complaining. She still occasionally feels carsick on long car rides and gets light headed with blood. She doesn't like the pulling when I'm doing her hair into french braids. She also really dislikes the anticipation of anything painful like shots or pulling teeth.
Skills: Staley has a variety of skills. She has a natural ability with acting and continues to improve with her singing and dancing skills. Her stage presence is always top notch. She memorizes things easily and never has difficulty memorizing her lines or songs for shows that she is in. Staley is very responsible, getting herself up and ready in the morning without much prompting. She continues to get better with doing her own hair. She helps a lot around the house with things like unloading and loading the dishwasher, making simple meals and baking, cleaning the bathroom, making her bed, changing sheets, and putting away laundry. Her recent interest in calligraphy has seen her develop strong skills with lettering.
Sticker mosaics are fun too!
Staley continues to do well in school, getting all A's on her report cards and scoring in the 98th and 99th percentiles for standardized testing with math and reading. Although athletic pursuits aren't where she focuses her time, Staley is good at roller blading and ice skating, is a proficient swimmer, improves with each sports season she completes, and can run 3 miles without stopping.
Personality: Staley has a lot of the typical first child personality traits. She is responsible and a rule follower. She is a good helper around the house and with her siblings. She has grown in her independence and now enjoys going for walks by herself, doing her volunteer work, helping out with the younger kids at NTA, or being "in charge" if Zach and I go for a walk together.
She has really enjoyed her volunteer hours at the library.
Although Staley is social and enjoys time with friends, she is also very content to have alone time for reading, listening to music, and doing creative pursuits. Staley is confident in herself and her skills. She generally embraces a challenge, like training for her first 5K or competing in the school spelling bee.
Competing in the school spelling bee
Although she still has strong opinions and can be quick with a retort or an excuse, Staley has also softened to being more open to suggestions or opinions from us. Staley is very creative and imaginative. Although getting older, she still likes to snuggle and spend time with us, especially if it's one on one time together. She continues to grow in her faith, completing her Bible reading and keeping a Bible journal on her own, as well as doing a devotional time with me. I love watching Staley grow up and getting a front row seat to the way God is working in her life.
Love my big 11 year old!
