High School or Kindergarten

A friend of mine at work was telling me the other day how her son had a minor emergency at work, and had been calling her several times in the morning while she was trying to get some work done. 'They only remember mom when there's an emergency', she rolled her eyes. I had to share my story from that morning.

I drop Miss Haana to school in the morning everyday. Most days one of her classmates car pools with us, and i drop both kids to school. When we reach school, i park the car, we all get out. The three of us walk over to the school building, i holding Miss Haana's hand. Once inside the building, we walk across the cafeteria, towards the corridor past the double doors. That's how far i can go without the additional hassle of a visitor badge. This is where i say 'Bye, i love you',  give a hug and plant a kiss or two on her cheek. Miss Haana and her buddy walk down the corridor to her class. I watch her go with her backpack on her back for a few moments, then turn around towards my car. This is our daily morning routine.

That day, as i was parking the car, Miss Haana and her buddy saw their friends walk to the school. They were eager to catch up to them. So, as soon as Miss Haana got out of the car, she said 'Bye mumma'. I arched my eyebrows, bye? Here? Why? I was contemplating this, meanwhile Miss Haana was already running towards the school building. Not wanting to be left behind, i ran behind her. We ran into the school building and ran past the cafeteria. I tried to catch up to her before we got to the double doors, but the little girl was ahead and ran through. Giggling and saying byeee! And there i was, i said 'Bye!', and watched her run and finally catch up to the other kids further down the corridor. No hug. No kisses.

And so i returned back to the car. My friend laughed to my face at my attempts of running down the little girl. I admitted it was kind of... sad😊. But i thought this was supposed to happen in high school, not at kindergarten!

Pajama Party

We had a landmark day this weekend. Last week when Miss Haana went to her gymnastics class, she came back with a news. They're going to have a pajama party at the gymnastics place this Saturday. They had raffles and prizes (including a secret spy kit), and gymnastics all evening. What would be not to love about that!!

The following week i heard the wish list (to go to the pajama party) on repeat mode, several times. Little Miss Haana has been to pajama parties before, but that's either at our place or at a friend's place where we (parents) are there too. I wasn't sure I had reached a place where i can let her go to a party all by her 6-year-old-self! More repeat cycles of how she excited she was about the party played during the week. Including a reminder that the raffle prizes included the secret spy kit, which she was definately going to win!

Finally, i made some calls. We weren't going to be sending her to the party alone. So i arranged for her best friend Rushil and her to go to the pajama party together. They were both stoked! Us parents were looking forward to an evening dinner with grown up conversation unpeppered with kids.

On Saturday, kids brimming with excitement, were dropped off at the gym. We were a little shaky leaving her there, but this gym is a known territory for her and for us. And they had our phone number in case anything comes up. We adults went over for a dinner with some real conversation. Towards the end of the dinner, though, we were eager to pick up the kids. Are they sleepy? Are they tired? Did they have fun? Was it too much?

I was expecting when we pick them up, they'll be terribly disappointed to see us. Turns out, i was spot on. Rushil wanted Miss Haana to come over to his place from the gym, for a play-date, and was heartbroken when he was told that wasn't happening  (at 930pm). Miss Haana was in a line to get a nail paint in 1 finger nail, and was heartbroken when she saw us, thinking we will pull her out of the line when she was so close to getting that blue nail paint. We waited till the snail-paced line moved so the little girl could her nail painted and almost her heart's content.

Driving back home in the car, we were told, remember that secret spy kit in the raffle prizes? She didn't win it! Another kid got it. Oh! The secret spy kit was amazing. I got my hint and took to some internet shopping. Meanwhile i was wondering if the pajama party sans parents may be the beginning of a disturbing trend. I have to say, I'm not ready for it just yet.

Slacking On Duty

I've been slacking off again.. Haven't written on the blog in a long, long time. I'll pick up where i left off about Miss Haana putting in a lot of effort in her poster for the art competition up at school called Reflections.

The school announced the winners mid November, and after a lot of waiting for each category, it was finally time for announcing the winners for the painting category. My little Miss Haana won an award for her painting called 'Its all within reach'. We took pictures, and a very proud little Haana posed for pictures in front of her displayed art work at school.

Today we went to an outdoor ice rink, and the little girl wanted to ice skate. She's been to just 1 ice skating class which was at least 2, and maybe 3, years back. She knows roller skating but not with inline skates. So i was apprehensive. I went over the basics of how to stops, but i think she was too excited to care what i was saying. I hoped she doesn't fall too often. She was to go into the ice rink by herself.

She wobbled as she put on the skates, and i cringed about how it might go. But then, she got in the rink, wobbled a bit, didn't fall and just like that, started skating. She wasn't holding on to the sides, she was really skating. I was amazed at her and watched her go with simply amazed, dazed happiness. I was reminded of my own attempts at trying ice skating, which weren't exactly very successful, but weren't disastrous either. All i need is a little more practice which would need a lot more dedication!

And, i think i need to find little Miss Haana some ice skating classes too in the future.

Within Reach

I'm still amazed that my little girl Haana is now in kindergarten. Our state has an optional project work called 'Reflections' where the student can turn in project work in any one of a variety of formats (such as music, dance, photography, visual arts etc). This year's theme is 'Within Reach'.

I felt its a bit premature for kindergarteners. They are adept at doing certain things that appeal to them, but to do a project work on a certain theme, it seemed to me, it may be too early.

Anyhow, I asked little Miss Haana what did she want to reach when she grows up. What did she want to be. I was expecting to be surprised, I had never actually asked her that question before. In my mind she's already growing up too fast, I want to stretch out her little-kid-days endlessly, like string cheese.

She told me point blank, she's not going to be just one thing, she's going to be 7 different things when she grows up. I asked her what these 7 things were. Scientist, astronaut, teacher, artist, builder, chef... I lost the 7th one! When I asked her again to remind me what the 7th goal was, she hesitated and said - diva. I shot back, these are not the things you already are! It's for the future 😁. She and I giggled!

She worked on her project work over several days. It is, afterall, all within reach.

Judging the Book by the Cover

Judging by the size, little Miss Haana is the tiniest child for her age. This becomes even more apparent in her new elementary school, where almost all other kids, are way bigger than her. When I see her in a group of kids, she's this tiny little frail thing, that might fly away if you blow too hard.

But, as with most other things in life, it's whats inside that matters more ultimately. Miss Haana is no frail at spirit. As witnessed daily with high octave fights between mother and daughter, she's not lacking in passion, opinion or just pure sass. Yet ever since kindergarten started, I've fixated on how much she's eating and how that's hardly enough. And then every once in a while I realize regardless of her size, or maybe in spite of it, she's just so simply amazing.

The other day we went to PinStack which is a bowling alley but has other games and stuff too. It had rock climbing walls that Miss Haana stood in line for. But, looking at her, the attendant said the minimum weight requirement is 40lb. She made her stand on the weighting scale and Miss Haana was 36lb. Poor Haana was very disappointed. So, we turned to another section where they had a high rope course - ropes tied up 20 feet high in several different patterns, and tests the wits and agility by criss-crossing the ropes with a harness on. The first time i got up on a rope 20 feet high, i momentarily froze! But then one step next to the other, and it was exhilarating. Little Miss Haana wanted to try it. We all got in our harnesses, Miss Haana went first, I was right behind her. I was expecting she will freeze up there initially too, like i did on a previous occasion. But, she didnt. She looked to make sure I'm coming, and I told her I'm right behind her. But then, she didn't look back, didn't hesitate, didn't freeze. She just kept on going. She didn't say she was scared.

And for a minute I marveled at that. I marveled  at how her spirit is much much larger than her tiny frame. And I'm good with that!

Flower Garden

Joint effort of Miss Haana and mine.
A flower garden with sunflowers and a rose. Dragon fly, butterfly fluttering about. A fairy floating with them, wand in hand. All under the yellow golden sun.

Shorts

Banter returning home from dinner yesterday:

Mumma: Gugu, i have a question
Little Miss Haana: What?
M: Why are your shorts so short? Do you see how short they are? They're barely there!
H: Because they're SHHOORRTss. Get it? SHORTs? Get it?
M: (giggling out of control)