Lasts

One of the things that's difficult about having only one child and knowing you'll (probably) only every have on child is that every "last" is always your last.  As in, I will never have another child who has a last day of kindergarten.  That's hard if you're a sentimental softie like me, and so this week has been a little bit difficult in that regard.  Tomorrow is indeed Evie's last day of kindergarten, though yesterday was her last day at her school.  Today we went on a field trip to the zoo and tomorrow we go on the much-anticipated kindergarten excursion.   But, let me back up.

On Thursday, Evie had her last day of dance for the semester and so she and her classmates put on a little recital for us (even though they already had their formal recital about a month ago).  Evie loves ballet and tap so I'm sure we'll be reprising this activity in the fall, but her teacher, Ms. Jade, may be joining a company in Philadelphia so she may have a new teacher next year.  Look at these poses!

Each girl was allowed about half of a song to do her own freestyle dance, and this was Evie's:

Friday since I knew I had to go to a meeting in the evening, I snapped a picture of Evie's handprints on the fence outside her school.

Monday, I had to miss Evie's last game of the T-ball season, but Daddy and Granna took her.  I was reminded that earlier in the season, thinking that she might have some friends from school or dance who were on the team, Granna asked, "Evie, did you know anybody at t-ball?"  Speaking to her charismatic personality, Evie said, "Not when I got there."

Today, Evie and I dropped Daddy off at work while his car got repaired and she and I headed to Howard's for breakfast.  Grannadaddy met us there and then came with us to the Zoo where the entirety of Lipman School was invited to attend.  We were able to stay in a group if we wanted to, but also allowed to break into smaller groups, so we stayed with Evie's friends Katherine and Bridger for a while and then split off my ourselves.

I was amused when I told Evie that one of the colorful ducks in the water was a female and she said, "No, I think it's a boy."  I asked, "Why do you think it's a he and not a she? and Evie said, "Because she's have to sit on their nests." 

Evie was very concerned about the fate of the rhinos in this picture, but I didn't think to take other pictures.

Unfortunately, our zoo trip ended unpleasantly and abruptly.  About 30 minutes before it was time for us to leave, I told Evie she could play on the playground.  She was enjoying that until 4 boys from her school took a game of chase too far and picked her up, one on each appendage, and began dragging her away.  They didn't lift her up far enough to keep the mulch from going down her shorts and she was incredibly upset at being over-powered like that.  She screamed at them, "No!  Stop!" and then called for me when they didn't let her go.  I had heard her cries for help before she called for me, but they'd already done the damage by that point.  When they saw me coming they dropped her and she was shaking and in tears, and I honestly was ready to lay into them, but I decided I shouldn't say anything because I knew if I started, I'd probably say something that the other parents would take issue with and we didn't need that kind of a scene.  Only one of the boys was called over by his parents and sternly spoken to and made to apologize.  I don't know if the other boys' parents weren't there or didn't see or didn't care.

This is a hot button issue for me.  I firmly believe that when someone asks you to stop doing something to their person, even if you think they may be kidding, you stop.  No matter what.  I know this kids are kids and they're learning this.  But my pulse was racing and I couldn't help but pray, Dear God, please let this be the only time some boys decide to drag my daughter off somewhere else; please let this be the only time she feels powerless and not in control of her own body.  I'm sure some people would say that's me over-reacting or being over-protective, but unfortunately, it's highly unlikely that Evie will get through life without being sexually molested or assaulted in some way - like most women in our culture.  And that thought makes me want to put her in a bubble and never let her go outside again.

Needless to say, the experience put a bad taste in our mouths.  I made sure to tell her how proud I was of her, that she did the right thing by telling them to stop and then calling for help when she didn't.  And then when she continued to be upset and a little traumatized by the experience, I decided we needed some retail therapy, so we went shopping for some things for a wedding reception I'm coordinating tonight.

We came home and let her get a bath and now she's having a nap and feeling much better after being clean and having lunch.  I'm still shaken by the whole experience, but I'm sure she'll be alright.