Fall leaves

Well, Sumana and I get an awful lot of inspiration from my cousin Megan's blog. (She's the one with triplet 2 year-olds and an almost 1 year old). We try to check her blog every morning. Today Sumana saw pictures of the kids playing in the leaves. 'Why are they laying in the leaves, Mom?' Ummmm . . . they're playing in the leaves. You've played in the leaves before haven't you?? 'Nope!'

So, today Sumana played in the leaves. I raked a big pile and told her to back up and fall into it. She looked at me like I was crazy and carefully put down her crutches, got on her hands and knees and THEN backed into the pile and sat. My good friend had just called me from Alaska, so I just left her there thinking she would figure out how to play in the leaves. But no. She just sat there looking at me, wondering what all the fuss was about leaves!

When I got off the phone, I grabbed a bunch of leaves and dropped them on her head. 'Mom, what are you doing??!!!!' We're PLAYING in the leaves, Sumana!!! 'But my hair is getting dirty!'

Oh, brother! She lasted about 20 minutes and was VERY ready to be 'done'. I'm sure it would have been more fun with other younger kids, but it was such a nice day . . . .I was enjoying it!

It's times like these that I realize yet another thing that she missed out on by coming to our family as a 5 1/2 year old. I have tried to 'catch her up' on nursery rhymes and songs, but we always come across one she' doesn't know, or has forgotten. I makes me sad to realize how much she's missed. I know we've done our best to expose her to lots of things, even though they often seem too 'young' for her. But, it is sad to know that a lot of those precious preschool moments are lost forever. Hey, here's a good lesson for all you young-up-start parents!! Play in the leaves with your kids! Read them nursery rhymes like crazy! Sing them stupid songs! They'll be 5 before you know it and ready to be 'grown up'!!! (Please catch the sarcasm in my tone! Parenting is tough work . . . I wouldn't want to repeat the preschool years!!!)

This last picture is at AWANA Bible-ween night. Sumana is the wee little man in the sycamore tree . . . Zaccheus! Check out the happenin' mustache. She looks wayyyy too Hispanic, though!