I had such a great week. Catherine and Elisabeth were sad that I was leaving, which really touched me. Then they started to be afraid that Mommy was going with me, so we had to straighten that out, which was accomplished by kissing them goodbye and leaving Mommy there with them.
My husband had gone to pick up Abbie from Head Start/daycare, and as I was unpacking I heard the door open and a cheery, childish "HI!!" She went right for her toys and discovered a new spiral notebook to replace her used-up one. She got her markers, sat at her little table with her marker poised over her notebook, announced, "Mommy!" and proceeded to draw this:
Then she put down her pen, looked pleased, and affirmed, "Mommy!" I was floored. I told her, "Oh, Abbie, that's wonderful! I can't believe you drew such a wonderful picture of Mommy!" She beamed happily. This drawing totally blew my mind. Abbie is 3 and a half and has Down Syndrome. I did not expect this masterpiece to flow from her felt-tip marker.
Surprises were not over. We went to McDonald's for supper. For dessert we got her an ice cream cone to take out. As we were leaving, she tripped and fell on the sidewalk, but caught herself with one hand and held the other up TO SAVE THE ICE CREAM!! What a stitch!! I said, "Uh-oh, you fell, but did you save the ice cream???" She nodded and continued to lick happily. After we got her in her car seat, we discovered that her knee was in fact skinned and bleeding. She had been focusing so carefully on saving the ice cream that she hadn't even thought about getting hurt.
Back at our place, she wanted "fruit snacks," these little things kind of like gummy bears made of fruit juice (at least 10% according to the label.) I said if she peed in the potty she could have some, not expecting anything because she's just starting the potty thing. I was busy unpacking when I heard her yell, "YAAAAYYYY!!!!" and clap her hands. Damn, there she was with her shorts and diaper off and there was definitely pee in the potty. I cheered along with her and she pointed to her fruit snacks, like "I held up my end of the deal, now you hold up yours."
I go away for 5 days and my granddaughter gets a year older -- saves her ice cream in a fall, draws the Mona Lisa, and goes potty. This is not fair. If we go away for the winter she'll be graduating from high school when we get back in the spring.
5 comments:
Wow, that's fabulous!!!! That picture is incredible! That's one smart little girl there!!
sounds like a very good day! What a stitch saving the ice cream and sacrificing some knee skin! My kind of girl!
Abbie's DS doesn't seem to be holding her back much! Kidlets develop so rapidly at this age. It is good that you have this summer to spend with her.
"Pick these berries" here, Ellie. Enjoy :)
Toddler Pol is 30 months and doesn't make pictures with much semblance of anything. So, that's a picture of which you can be proud.
And, Toddler Pol would tell you they are called "Fruitsies." (From "Fruit Juicies"). We're in the same boat with potty training. The potty is a ladder, and the rewards are something he seems able to do without. Who knew a kid would pass at chocolate baseballs in order to stay off the potty.
It's all about the ice cream. That's a smart kid.
Post a Comment