THANKFUL FRIDAY

We have the Cabbage for ten day stretches during the summer instead of the usual every other weekend schedule. She's been with us all week and every evening I've come to a constant chatter describing the days' activities. Monday, Michael and the Cabbage went to school so that Michael could help get summer school started and then they came to work to have lunch with me. There was much excitement over peanut butter and jelly and chocolate pudding (the ice cream machine was out of order, wah wah). Tuesday she accompanied her Dad to the DMV where they spent all day getting Michael's license renewed. I asked her if she had fun at the DMV and she replied "Oh yeah! I can't wait to go back to the DMV!" Now, coming from an adult, there would be a definite tone of sarcasm in that statement, but from a three-year old's perspective that's real excitement and fun. Wednesday, when I came home from yoga class, I stood in the kitchen making my dinner while the Cabbage told me all about a place where they bring your food "ON A TRAIN!" and the water park (sprayground) and the boy who knocked her down at the park and made her scrape her elbow and Lego people and and and...."I smell a ghost!". I asked her what a ghost smells like and she said "a white under sheet". Thursday she left for a couple of days to stay with her Mimi and Nona. We get her back on Sunday. In case you've missed it, it's Summer Break all up in this house and there's ice-pops in my freezer. I was a little nervous about having the Cabbage for so many days in a row in our tiny little house. I also have fretted about food. There's been some effort to start getting her to eat what ever the adults are eating. It's something her mom is trying to do and it makes perfect sense, but I really balk at this idea because what three year old is going to eat kale with mung beans and rice? I can't even get Michael to eat it. I want to provide healthy things for her to eat, but I want her to WANT to eat it. I bought a package of strawberry applesauce packets, the kind all the kids are eating these days, and she didn't like it. That's OK because it's become a learning tool. I make it very clear to her that she's not in trouble, but that I want to know why she thinks it's "yucky". Is it a texture or flavor issue? If I bought this flavor instead would you like it? This way she learns how to be more descriptive than "yucky" and I learn about the foods she likes.

I am thankful for the things we've been able to teach each other this week. I am also thankful that we are eating good things and not junk. I am thankful that I haven't had to struggle to get her to eat carrots and tomatoes. Fruit has been consumed. All things to be thankful for. I am also thankful for all the chatter that greets me when I come home for work. The stories she tells me makes me smile. Her perspective on things make me laugh. The day they came to lunch, she said "Let's play three little pigs. You be the pig that builds your house out of straws" and then pointed to her straw in her cup. She thinks "straw" in the story refers to the kind you drink from. Which is awesome.

There's loads to be thankful for this week. I played the weather lottery yesterday and totally won, making to work before the storm and heading home as the final rain clouds moved out. I am thankful for cotton candy Jelly Bellies. And of course, I am thankful for you. Here's to a great weekend and a perfectly perfect Thankful Friday.