My little Bear! She is such the drama queen! And I love it. Sure, most of the time, the drama is more aggravating than fun, but I can't help smile at the stuff this kid comes up with.
For her birthday, the Bear learned she was going to go to California with GrammaC. She has been so excited for this trip, as would any 11 year old about to embark on a journey that included beach time. Giving her two weeks notice before her departure may have been a bit hasty. She has spent every spare minute for two weeks planning and preparing for her adventure. Nothing wrong with that, but she has gone a little over the top. And to be perfectly honest, her obsessing has been quite enjoyable entertainment for me.
First off, she created a permission slip for the trip. She took a field trip permission slip from school and tailored it for this vacation. She had me answer, in writing, questions about any allergies, whether or not she had her own luggage, and if she requires any special foods. At the bottom, there is a space for "Parent/Guardian Signature", "Gramma Signature", and "Goer's Signature" -that's her. She's the one going, hence, she's the "Goer." I laughed so hard at that. I think it hurt her feelings a little, so I had to back-pedal and tell her how glad I was she was so organized.
Then one night, she turned to me and asked, "Mom, will be flying over the Hudson River?" Following a quick geography lesson, I answered, "No, why?" She replied, "Because that dang Hudson's been swallowing people up lately!" What a proud moment when your youngest proves to be up on current events!
Today, the day before her trip, Bear spent most of the afternoon packing and repacking her suitcase. Before she was satisfied, she had me review her packing list. It was a full page list with all sorts of detail. Each item fell into one of six categories. After each item, there was a check mark, and within each category she wrote, Complete. At the bottom of the page, she signed her name to certify her packing was accomplished.
She is just too fun. I'm glad she made the prep for this trip so much fun. I was having such a fun time watching her, I forgot to remember how much I'll miss her while she's gone.
