Kate Conversations

Kate has been asking for a playdate with one of her closest friends for about a week. It doesn't sound like a long time, but when she is asking multiple times a day for a week it tells me that she has felt like a week is a long time, and having to answer her each time makes me feel like it has been a long time. The problem is that her parents have been traveling in Europe for three weeks (hard life!) and the Norwegian grandma is watching them who does not speak English, making it hard to set up playdates.

Well the parents finally returned, I sent a text and we arranged something for today. I was so excited to tell Kate this morning thinking that she will smile and bound around all day. Well, when I told her she sat quietly. I asked her, "Are you happy that you will see Ella?" this is how the rest of the conversation went:

K: Well, is today a free day?
S: Are you asking if we have school?
K: No, it's Thursday so I know we have school. I am asking if it's a free day.
S: What is a free day.
K: A day that is free.
S: Free for what?
K: Free to play.
S: Are you asking if we have plans this afternoon?
K: Yes, or is it a free day?
S: We have no plans, except to get Ella at 2:30 and have a playdate.
(silence...)
K: So, we will have school, clean up a little then get Ella at 2:30 and then we can bake (the first smile comes across her face) and dress up...oh mom, can we have some fun music really loud? She loves loud music (an even larger smile) and when we bake can we make chocolate chips muffins with a banana? She loves those too.

I am just amazed at Kate. I thought she would jump around and show how excited she was, but she needed to understand all the factors before she got excited. She needed to know what other plans we had, and plan what they could do together. But the most amazing detail is that Kate was thinking of things that Ella likes to do. See she is happy to be with her friend that it makes it easy to do what her friend wants...they enjoy the same thing, but mostly they enjoy being together. Kate truly is thoughtful and kind, and she continues to amaze me with her sweetness.