A huge sigh of relief

On Friday, when I picked up Tessa from preschool, I spied on her as she was playing at recess (I was there early). She was running around, interacting with kids, playing a game with two other girls, and laughing. No shy wallflower, she was utterly engaged. Her teachers (both of them) came to me and said, "Boy, Tessa sure changed! She was really out there today, playing and engaged," and I smiled and agreed.

It seems that Mama's coaching on how to interact might have made a little difference, with huge payoffs.

And today,we were validated again. Tessa was at "spirit play" (something akin to Sunday School) at WSUU, and the children were doing the stone soup story, and in charge of putting together the vegetable soup for the congregation to have at the social hour. At the end of the children's church, when it was time to pick Tessa up, Teacher Donna said, "Boy, Tessa really came out of her shell today!" and told me a similar story to what I'd heard on Friday.

This is music to my ears. It's not that I don't know my own child (gasp - that feeling felt AWFUL), or that she's incapable of interactions, it's that we just hadn't taught her the basics, since she's usually surrounded by children she knows well and doesn't have to try so hard.

I am blessed to have a child so willing to learn, and to take a little direction from her parents.

Tomorrow, we have a playdate with Kate from preschool, and this is part of our plan to help Tessa feel more comfortable at preschool.

Buttercup is doing well, by the way, but at this point when I walk into Tessa's room there is a distinctive odor. I keep scooping unmentionable things out of Buttercup's cage, but it's distinctly less fresh than it was when we got her on Friday. I may break down tomorrow to buy some new bedding because yechhhhhhhhh. I think I'm remembering why I vowed not to have any pet rodents, no matter how cute they are. And I think I'd like to have Buttercup overnight, more than I would like to have her for the weekend, if we do this again. It's not her fault - she lives in a cage, what else can she do? - but rodent poop is gross, and the fact that it's in my daughter's room is even more gross. She returns on Tuesday, adn although she has grown on me, it will definitely be time to say good-bye.