Today at the park Froggy climbed up a ladder for the first time. She was so incredibly impressed with herself and said, "I'm a BIG KID now." A little boy maneuvered his way in front of her at the ladder and she said to him, "It's okay, I take turns." That's my girl.
Froggy bolts out the door the second we leave the apartment. She runs down the sidewalk towards the park, and I inevitably fumble for keys and my purse and shoes, while she's running away. Today, after catching up with her half way down the block, I grabbed her arm and said, "You wait for Mommy. Do not run away!" Froggy said, "I funny." So I said, "No you are not funny. It's dangerous to run away from Mommy." She laughed and sighed and said, "No... I funny."
Froggy is the most affectionate kid. I'm a little worried that she'll be seen as the weird "smothering kid" at the park. She'll say "hi" until you do. And she doesn't give up. Eight year old boys will not respond to a two-year-old who is waving at them or saying hello. They're just too cool. But Froggy doesn't get it. She'll say, "hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi," assuming the boy is deaf rather than too cool. And she's the big hugger at the park. Little kids love it, big kids don't understand why a toddler they've never met is suddenly attached to them. Older girls totally get it. When Froggy comes up to them, they take her under their wing like a little sister and respond to her with affection, including her in their games. Being a parent really does mean wearing your heart on your sleeve. When I see a kid reject her, or cut in front of her, or not include her in a game my heart breaks. I know I can't interfer. She has to fight her own battles, even at two. Her life has always been about love, being surrounded by love and it's tough when the rest of the world doesn't comply.
4 comments:
I can hardly wait to hear what Ella has added to her vocabulary. Your Froggy is just so funny, isn't she, but then that's what she said, isn't it.
Kelton is still like that with the talking to older kids - I have to remind him that big kids think they are too cool to talk to little kids. And yet - every time, part of my heart breaks. :(
And Kaylen is big time into running away from me. The scariest times are when we are returning to the car from picking up Kelton at school - she bolts into the parking lot even though I am fast on her heels (she has usually pulled free from my hand in 2 seconds flat at the curb). It scares me so much - today I told her that if she does it again tomorrow I will swat because it's *that* serious. I just don't know how to get her to understand the dangers that lurk behind everything and everywhere. *sigh*
i'm so with ya. our girls HAVE to meet. they can be hugger friends. jcn
Tallulah is pretty much the same... and my heart is out there too. She is a hugger too, and takes little ones under her wing.
Last week, there were proto-teens playing to the side of our house. She hung out from the upstairs window, all excited, waiving and shouting "Allo!" until they replied, none too politely. She missed it, and kept up her cheeriness, but I caught it, and was sad.
At Montessori, her teachers told us that she has the biggest heart of all the kids, and the most important thing for her is to be with her friends.
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