Being in kindergarten has added a new dimension to Annabelle. She plays made believe as much as possible now, using any object she can find as a prop for her storytelling. She'll scrounge up a stick or two to be baby-misses-her-mommy-in-a-meeting (!) or use rocks as pretend food to sell because she is the rock-muffin-seller-girl. If those items can't be found then she settles for taking off her shoes and using them for her storytelling.
She's learning verses and songs and brings them home for us to hear. I LOVE this.
Often she talks about what happened in kindergarten that day - someone got hurt, or someone was wiggly during snack, or someone was making silly sounds, but most are about Teacher Carole and all the fun stuff Teacher Carole does. This morning as we were getting ready for our day Annabelle told Dave and I about something the day before...
Annabelle :: Sarah is not my friend NO MORE!
Me (wondering if Sarah is a real or imaginary friend) :: Really? Why not?
Annabelle :: Because she takes too many turns on the swing!
Me :: Is that what you said to her?
Annabelle :: No. That's what she said TO ME!
Me (trying not to laugh) :: Did Sarah ask you for a turn on the swing?
Annabelle :: Yes. And now we're not friends never again!
These kind of conversations fill our mornings and evenings. The seemingly brutal nature of giving up friends because of not sharing a swing is something I can only understand abstractly. It helps me to remember the times when Annabelle describes her favorite apple juice popsicles as "boring" or tells me it's "disgusting" to water the plants. Then I really get how she's just trying out new language and new ideas.
Yesterday she got angry with me for not letting her eat a banana before she finished her butter sandwich. She turned to face me, pointed at my face with her pointer finger, grimacing at the denial.
Annabelle :: I'm going to TELL ON YOU!
Me :: Really? Who will you tell?
Annabelle :: My MOM!
Luckily I also get the more precious moments of the beautiful things she picks up from school. Tonight after her bath I was dressing her in her pajamas when she suddenly took a couple steps back and formed a eurythmy E.
Annabelle :: Micha-el! Micha-el!! Micha-el!!!
(pause)
Annabelle :: MICHA-EL!!!! MICHA-EL!!!!!
(pause)
Annabelle (leaning to me, whispering) :: Victorious!
Hearing her chant the Saint's name, practically calling to him was powerful. But hearing my four year old use the word victorious really made my heart so glad. It is so nice to feel confirmation that she is exactly where she needs to be.
