Karen joined us for church this morning. It started off with some jazzy Christmas music then transitioned into some more traditional (albeit still pop and rock-influenced) music. After the service I collected Milly from Grow Zone and gave her to Amanda. Since she’s not been able to get over this cold she’s got I wrote in for her last night and said she wouldn’t be helping with Grow Zone this week. Being healthy, and really enjoying playing with the three year olds, I stuck around to volunteer.
There was this one girl who latched onto me today. She was hanging out by the door with her hands on the gate like she was in jail. A few of us had talked to her to try to get her involved in some things, but she wasn’t having it. I tried one more time and asked her, since there were some boys playing with trucks behind her, if she wanted to play with some trucks.
She told me that she didn’t want to play with trucks because trucks aren’t beautiful. I asked if she wanted to play with Play Doh, but she said that Play Doh isn’t beautiful. I thought for a second and said to her, “Well, let’s go find something beautiful for you to play with.” So she let me pick her up and I carried her off to look in the cabinets where they keep the toys. We found dinosaurs and puzzles, neither of which, I was told, were beautiful. Exasperated, she told me, “Nothing in here is beautiful.”
Finally we went over by the window and outside, where it had been raining. We still didn’t find anything beautiful out there, but I got her to tell me about things that are beautiful, like giant hearts, mermaids and butterflies. She finally started laughing and having fun when she pretended it was raining inside and got out her imaginary umbrella for us.
I feel kind of bad for the other kids in cases like this, because I don’t want to give too much attention to one kid, but she really latched onto me for the rest of the time, and there were plenty of other people helping out. I talked to her Nanna afterwards, and she told me the girl had had a rough time lately.
Karen had left by the time I got home and Amanda went out with Cyra to get some things for the office after a little bit. Amanda and I circumspectly discussed the Christmas present I was planning on getting her, but I’ve decided I’m not going to do it now. She doesn’t think she can leave Milly for a night yet (she knows it involves an overnight stay and that we wouldn’t be able to bring the baby), and it would really ruin things if she were sitting around crying or moping about. It’s a shame too, because I was really excited to have come up with something different and special that I thought she’d really like. I guess I’ll just have to buy clothes or boots or something for her now.
Michael and Jenn came by to borrow our copy of Christmas Vacation because Michael can’t find his. She’s leaving to go back home on Tuesday.
Milly’s really moving around a lot. She’s still not crawling, but she’s rolling around a good bit. I’m not sure if she’s aiming her rolls or not, but she’s definitely moving.
In other baby news, I suggested that Amanda pick up some baby food on her way home from going out with Cyra so she picked up a few different things. Milly seems to like the green bean mush we fed her. I was thinking we should vary her diet a little because she’s been eating less formula lately. She was up to seven ounces per feeding but lately she’s only been drinking between four and six. Usually we’ll use whatever’s left to make rice cereal, but she hasn’t been finishing all of that either.
Amanda went to bed at 8:00 tonight. Hope this cold passes her by soon.
Zach Dotsey