Today I drove Emily to preschool. But it isn't just a regular preschool day. Today she gets to stay after for "lunch-bunch." Basically, all lunch-bunch is is a time for kids to stay after, eat their lunch at preschool, play, and do a craft. Normally there is no opportunity for Emily to go because Ms. Shari picks up the kids from preschool at 11:45, and when working I can't pick up Emily when lunch-bunch is over (1:50).
She has been asking ALL YEAR to go to lunch-bunch because her dear friend Ella attends lunch-bunch every day. Ella is a year older than Emily, and used to go to Ms. Shari's house with Emily ever day. Emily misses Ella terribly, and the only time they see each other is in passing at dance, which always results in both of them running to each other with big hugs. It is far too cute!
Well, Scott and I decided to sign Emily up for lunch-bunch this one time. We picked her up together at Shari's yesterday and told her the big news. Then we told her we needed to go to Target to get a new lunch box. She was thrilled! We spent the afternoon getting a cream slush from Sonic, picking out a new super-special lunch box, and choosing the best things for our lunch. (BTW, when asked to pick out a dessert for her lunch, my kid passed up the pudding for mandarin oranges.) What an afternoon!
Then this morning I walked Emily in to her class and before I could inform Ms. Hope of Emily's special lunch-bunch attendance, Ms. Hope said to Emily, "I saw you on the list for lunch-bunch today! How exciting!" Apparently Emily has also been asking her teacher to go to lunch-bunch all year.
As I walked out of preschool my child was beaming. I'm sure she drove her teacher crazy asking, "is it time for lunch-bunch yet?" about a zillion times. I'm thrilled that something that I would consider "no big deal" is such a joy for Emily. I think I could learn from Emily how to see the excitement in even the simple things.
Now off I go to pick her up. Who knows the stories I will be told about lunch-bunch and the accompanying activities. I will make sure to be just as excited as can be while she shares.
1 comment:
Uh... yeah. So guess whose kid fell asleep during lunch-bunch and had to be carried out to the car line?
Poor Emily Grace. She's one of the few four year-olds I know who still insist on falling asleep promptly at 1:30.
Once again I am reminded that I am raising a version of my sister Mindy.
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