Tessa-isms

Warning: cute kid stories follow.

Tessa couldn't find Bear - that is, Special Bear, the one that Uncle Paul bought her when I was in labor with her, the one that she has slept with EVERY SINGLE NIGHT OF HER LIFE - the other day. I wasn't concerned - he had to be somewhere close by, since she'd had him in bed the night before and we are careful not to take him anywhere he might get lost. So, I sent her back into her room to look harder. She looked, she didn't find. She looked more. She got worried, so I joined her in her looking. We started running out of places to look....

And Tessa started packing her bags, putting in small blankets and a pillow, along with other necessities. "What are you doing?" I asked. Tearfully, she responded, "I just can't stay here without Special Bear. I just can't stay." We talked it over further, and she explained how sad she was, and how she had to go. "But I'd miss you!" I told her. We agreed that she could go stay in the back yard, because then I could visit her. But before she could go, I said she had to clean her room.

She's six, so this seemed logical enough to her. We cleaned together.

And we found Special Bear. Fortunately, I am pleased to announce that Tessa still lives INSIDE our house.

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Tessa has started receiving regular allowance. We agreed that she would spend some, save some, and give some away (charity) each week, as we hope to teach her basic financial principles. I am proud to say that she chose "Guest At Your Table" for her first charity; she collected her dollars and then brought them to WSUU for distribution.
http://www.uusc.org/blog/2006/12/guest-at-your-table.html
She is thinking about donating to Family Promise (the homeless shelter we help out with) or "an animal charity" next.

I am very, very proud of the way my daughter so willingly, and excitedly, shares what she has to make the world a better place. I am even proud of the pride she has in this activity.
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Yesterday, Tessa and her friend Jessie worked very hard, and made Leprechaun Traps. The idea was to trap a leprachaun, be nice to him, then demand all of his gold. (They decided that the leprechaun could keep one piece, and they'd get the rest.) Tessa was very excited to check the traps, but alas, no leprechauns were to be found.
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Tessa is writing phonetically with greater and greater frequency. Hurrah! Sometimes it's darling - I enjoy reading her stories that begin "I lik to ryd hosis." (Say it, you'll hear what it is.) Right now, there is a sign on her door that reads "No pepl LD in vis roon." Not exactly friendly but I don't have the heart to erase it (it's in dry erase) yet. (The sign was written when a playdate brought along her younger, very active, sister.)
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We've been having daily tea parties, which basically consist of peppermint tea with lots of sugar and cream, poured out of my "nice" teapot and using pink china cups. What a pleasure.
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Tessa is doing more chores. She has learned to fold napkins (we use all cloth) like a pro, and takes pride in her work. Putting her pajamas in the hamper without reminding, well, that's not as fun....but she is helping around the house and proud of it.
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Tessa likes "Mamma Mia" and it's music even more than I do. I get the giggles when I hear her singing, "Honey honey, how you thrill me a-ha, honey, honey...."
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Tessa's going to whip me into shape....with jump roping. She's getting good! If I join her maybe my belly will stop jiggling. (sigh)
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And best of all (for me): Tessa has taken to telling me her own "special words." Some time during my cancer treatment, in the depths of the darkness, I came up with "special words" that I tell Tessa every night. It started because of sadness - I wanted to nail down the memory of how much I love her, so that if I died, she's have that memory to hold. I say, "Of all the girls, in all the world, I'm so glad that you belong to me and that I belong to you, because we belong together. I love you so much! Thank you for being my daughter." Tessa often replies, "I love you too, Mama. Thank you for being my mother," which I find awfully sweet. But in the last couple of weeks, she sweetened it even more. Tessa has her own version of "special words" and then she's been giving me (and Ryan, too) lists of things that she loves about us. My list included "I love you because you drive me to school," and "I love you because you tuck me in" and "I love you because you read me stories," and "I love you because you are kind and gentle and good" and "You're a perfect mama, Mama." (I cried a bit on that one. I am so far from perfect, but I want so deeply to be the best mama for her..... I am grateful that she forgives me my flaws.)
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Shoes. What is it about this kid and putting on shoes?! It can take her 10 minutes to decide which ones, and 10 more minutes to put them on. This is leading to me shrieking like a crazy person....not my finest moments. (NOT perfect.) I am actually trying to build in time for shoe-putting-on in the mornings, because this is becoming a big deal. Deep breaths. She will grow out of this. Deep breaths....
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Tessa's art is becoming more interesting and more creative, more filled with stories....
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I love my daughter deeply. I pray that I am around to tell her even when SHE is old, and I'm just a little old wrinkled thing of a woman. I am blessed with an amazing child.