Missing Mama

My kiddo is 10 and 3/4 years old today!  Time is flying...  They told me not to blink.

This week was a little hard for Evie because I had to go out of town for work.  I left on Tuesday and got back early morning Friday after a flight delay (due to someone getting airsick on the inbound flight).  I was supposed to go with her to her out of town field trip on Friday, but because it was thunderstorming and there were flood warnings, the trip has been postponed.  I can't say I'm sad I didn't get to chaperone 100 5th graders at the space museum 3.5 hours away, riding on a charter bus.  Instead, Evie went to Eden's house and enjoyed the day with her while I slept until recovery and then worked.

While I was gone, on Tuesday night, Seth told me Evie was having a tough time getting ready to go to ballet and he was going to let her skip.  This has become a pattern where she takes too long to get ready for ballet and is generally wishy washy about her commitment to dance.   At first I was thinking this was because of one of the girls there who has been snubbing her, but now I'm thinking it's more to do with her being overscheduled between ballet and theatre.

Anway, I told her she was not going to skip and she needed to get dressed and she was going to go even if she was late.  It was a battle of wills and she eventually got to ballet and had a good time.  I'm not sure what the best response is when she has these moments because, on the one hand, it's just ballet and she's 10, not a professional dancer.  On the other hand, I don't want her to give up on something she enjoys (once she gets there) because she's anxious about going.  I want her to learn resiliency and the importance of commitment and follow through, and discipline, responsibility, etc....  I think this is an instance where I have to be a little firm, but also we need to consider whether we can do anything other than ballet - it's been a lot with her Wizard of Oz rehearsals...

Granna provided some notes on things with Evie while she was in Granna's care:

On the way to your house, I said, "I am sure you are ready for your mama to be home, but I have enjoyed being with you so much these past 3 days."  She said, "I had fun too, but yes I want my mom back. I am glad you understand." Then when she got out of the car, she said, “Thank you for having me at your house this week. I enjoyed it.” My response was "It was my pleasure!"  What sweetness.

 

A funny from the ride home from PT was that she told me about Carmen, "a girl I don’t like too much (though Carmen doesn’t know it)" breaking up with her boyfriend today because he was playing a game with another girl. Evie said he didn't want to play what Carmen was playing, so what is wrong with him playing a game he wanted to play with someone else?  I said I didn’t understand why a fifth grader needed a boyfriend. Evie’s response was, "Right? I don't think boys are worth it – but don’t tell Grannadaddy because he is the exception." So funny.

On Wednesday night at trivia, Keith played that song "Wagon Wheel," and Evie had already been a little tired and ready to go home, so she was long-faced. I motioned for her to come sit in my lap and swayed to the music and patted her back. Near the end, she climbed down and said, "It's just that Mama used to play that song a lot and it made me a little sad that she isn't here. But I'm better now." 

She got to be on speakerphone with Ryan and family when they called just about when we pulled into the PT parking lot. She seemed to enjoy listening in and then told a spooky story she created. Such an eerie voice she uses with pauses at the right times. And it's all her creation. Wow.

Thanks for sharing her with us!

Today when I picked her up from school, she was marveling at this large leaf she found.  I enjoy how she still finds wonder in the small things.