I just discovered that my 3 year old has the heart of Sister Theresa. I guess my head has been in a hole.
I’ve never met anyone like her before. I’ve met lots of people who are loving, and who love to hug, and kiss, and be affectionate. This is not her. She doesn’t need that. She’ll take it, but she is completely content to be by herself. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me, because we did name her Soledad, which means solitude. But once, I met this guy named Forest and he wasn’t green nor did he have leaves coming out of his head. Go figure.
Anyway, yesterday Soledad came up to me and said, “Mama, I wanna do somethin’ for you today. I think I’ll make you lunch.”, and she proceeded to get out a plate and make a very balanced meal of Rice Chex, banana, carrots with baby formula sprinkled on top (for added calcium?), a Peanut Butter and Jelly whole wheat sandwich, with a granola bar for dessert. Then she placed it on the kitchen table, and asked me to come and sit down next to her.
We sat and talked while I devoured my surprisingly delicious lunch. The carrots were my favorite (I’m not kidding). Towards the end of our lunch she said, “You know mama, I made this lunch for you because you always make my lunch, but you never eat lunch. I want you to have a good lunch too.”
And to that I replied, “Well Soli, this is the best lunch that I’ve ever had. Thank you.”
Awww, sweetness! Reminds me of my daughter Allayla cleaning her room without being told while I took Alahna to the doctor. She wanted to surprise us. I love it when children make heartfelt efforts. What an angel, Soledad is!
So sweet. I want that to happen to me too. I think a clean room might trump a free lunch.