Everybody Loves My Baby

With her 4th birthday only 8 sleeps away and the end of preschool only 3 sleeps away, Lulu went today for her pre-k assessment at big-girl school (where Pete goes). What that means is that she went with the psychologist, who tried to ask her some questions, while I met with the principal and told her how fantastic Lulu really is (she already knows - she's known Lulu since Lulu was 4 months old). After the meetings, I met back up with Lulu in the office where the psychologist went on and on about Lulu's "big personality" (her words) and how funny Lulu is and how hard it was to ask her questions because she was laughing so much. The psychologist said (no surprise here) that Lulu is very ready for school. Du-uh. But not only is Lulu a smart little kid, she's also funny and clever and engaging. The psychologist didn't say that exactly, but it was clear that Lulu had pulled her into Lulu Land, like she has done with people her whole life.

And I love that about her.

As a tiny baby, 6 months old, sitting on my lap at Pete's swimming lessons, Lulu would look around at the people nearby and figure out which of the adults (or teenage siblings) was most likely to play with her and then she would proceed to engage that person, whoever they were, mom or dad or grandparent or older brother, and eventually that person would be making silly faces and sounds or playing peek-a-boo or whatever like a big goofball while Lulu laughed for Lulu's amusement. She never failed to wrangle someone to play with her. Seriously. Never.

And now she plays with other children, strangers at 6:30 - friends at 6:35, during Pete's swimming lessons, and at the park or the play area at the mall (a germy place I avoid but that Husbandguy loves for some reason) she always manages to find a friend or 2. For herself and Pete to play with.

At school, her teachers marvel at her ability to bring the children together. She plays with each of the children in her class and one time even managed to organize an impromptu game of ring-around-the-rosy that had all the children, except for the one tired one, going round and round under her direction.

Everybody loves my Lulu, my little leader, peacemaker, teacher, star. I wish I had half of her dynamism.

Happy birthday (in 8 sleeps), Lulu.