Sunday Report

It's Sunday afternoon.  There are toys, blankies, and random items likes a Dora sandals, sunglasses, and Band-aid wrappers strewn around the living room.  There is always something that could be done...laundry, dust bunnies, streaks and smears...and yet I sit at my computer savouring my afternoon coffee.  I like coffee.  The spring wind is whistling outside.  Blowing so hard that the house shakes and creaks and cracks at times.  It's days like this that productive people are getting their indoor jobs done so that when Mother Nature says its Go Time they are standing ready at the door with their bedding plants in one hand and a paint roller in another.

And me, well I just poured another cup of coffee, put on a sweater, turned up the heat and sat back down with Lexi at my side.  It would be a great day to get stuff done and maybe I will.  But right now a warm coffee, a snuggle with my little girl and a movie, Barbie and the Magic Pegasus, is what's on the agenda.   

This was Friday's breakfast.  Cucumbers and bright sunlight in the windows.  Be gone short dark days!! Be gone!

Callie is at a playdate with a friend this afternoon.  On her own. There are not many places she will go to all on her own.  I can count probably three friends that she will go to without me.  She is growing more confident and independent all the time.  And, as always, I struggle with when to push, how much to push, and when to step back and let her take the lead.

I decided to follow her lead and skip registering her for soccer this year.  Our conversation went something like this...

Me:  Its time to register for soccer.
Callie: Mom, I don't want to play soccer.
Me: Why not?
Callie: I just don't want to play.
Me: You played last year and had fun, remember?
Callie:  I just don't want to.  I'm not playing.  Even if you sign me up.  I don't want to play.
Me:  Are you sure?
Callie:  Yes, I don't want to play soccer.
Me: Okay. Let me know if you change your mind.
Callie:  I won't change my mind, mom.

And so soccer registration came and went.  Summer soccer camp registration came and went.  And she didn't change her mind.  I don't really care whether she plays soccer or not but the mother in me wants what she can't give me.  The why?  Is this just her usual apprehensiveness and would she have been fine and enjoying herself after the first time out?  Or is this her true self and identity forming her likes and dislikes.  I don't know.  And I don't know why I have to overthink things all the time.  She doesn't want to play soccer.  She wants to keep swimming.  End of discussion.  Oh, and she want to be an acrobat too, by the way!

Maybe a golfer?

*****

In other news...

There was a serious incident at the daycare.  Something about Lexi sitting on Jake and then his head broke off...

Jake joined our family in the summer of 2008.  Callie and I were just wheeling around in the Wal-Mart store and we passed the display of babies.  These dolls were motion sensored so when you walked by the display they started moving and calling mama.  Callie reached her chubby little arms out of the cart and landed a death grip on one of the babies it came home with us that day.  He didn't get his name, Jake, for a couple of years later.  Named after our friend's son.

Over the years, both girls came to love Jake.  Eventually his movement and talking ceased but that never mattered.  He was still loved.  There have been a lot of babies come into our house and the girls like them too but there was always something special about Jake.  He just seemed to be the first choice for road trips and adventures.

Callie handled Jake's accident very well.  She immediately went into fix-it mode, suggesting we could hot-glue him or tape his head back on.  I don't know if getting a new Jake will be an acceptable option, if it's even possible that these dolls are still being made or if something so loved could be replaced.  For now, Jake is sitting in Callie's room with his head hanging low waiting to see what will become of him.  Only time will tell.