This Girl.

If there is one word that fully describes Audra, it is this: Obedient. I don't know how, but she has been blessed with the gift of obedience. She did not get this from me, though she possibly got it from Ben because he is quite the rule follower as well.

Ever since she was a child, all you had to say was, "It's a rule" and Audra would do whatever you wanted/needed her to do. She doesn't argue with rules- ever. It is quite remarkable.

But, for all the seemingly wonderful pros, there are also cons.

Yesterday I took the girls to the elementary school after hours so they could play on the playground with some friends. It was pretty chilly, but the girls were having a great time playing with friends. But, all of a sudden I see Audra fall from the playground right on her belly- she basically belly flopped off the 4 foot high play structure. Very weird. She hasn't fallen off the playground since she was about 14 months old. She was trying hard not to cry, but I had her come over and gave her a kiss and hug and sent her on her merry way.

Then, not five minutes later, she did it again! Plop-right on her stomach. This time, I could tell she was really trying very hard to hold back the tears. She came over, and I hugged her and she started sobbing in pain- she had rally hurt her knee and wrist. Bewildered, I asked her what on earth was going on and how on earth she was just walking off and falling on her face.

Come to find out they were playing a new game that the school kids came up with: Tag, with this genius catch: You can only have your eyes open if you are on the ground. If you are on the playground, you have to have your eyes closed. I have deduced that Audra was the only one who actually kept this rule and never peeked, as she was the only one who kept falling off the playground.

I asked her if she ever thought this might be a bad idea. She admitted she did. We need to funnel her obedience gene into only obeying safe, appropriate items.

Like....Rock climbing!

Our local rec center has a rock climbing wall, and Audra LOVES it. And, she's great at it! I mean, really- she has a knack for it. She just scrambles up the wall like it's nothing.

There are 5 rock walls, progressing in difficulty. She easily and quickly did the first 4 before her arms got so tired she couldn't do any more. She's pretty much a rock star (pun intended).

A very obedient rock star.