Just you and me kid

January 7

A blur of school and activity today. Back into the go go go feeling of regular life after the holidays. I am suddenly allergic to decorations and rid the house and yard (OK yes and car) of the last few decorations. Into a box, see you next winter.

My little one and I play in the front yard while waiting for the school bus. Today we make it outside an hour before it comes. We chase and run and pretend to hide. She mostly likes to race past me yelling "You can't catch me!" Eventually the bus swooshes to a stop and my first grader appears. She heads straight inside and asks if she can go up to her room for some time to herself. She has begun needing and asking for some decompression time after school. Even though I can't wait to ask about school and engage her I have learned that she just needs some time to just be after a long long school day. When she emerges from her room she is happy and re-energized. By now her little sister is watching a show. Finally we get some one on one time. "Let's go outside," I suggest. I tell my husband we are heading to the back yard and he nods.

Outside the evening is settling in and the air is golden. I could not have seen this subtle saturation of light from inside, even if I'd been standing right at the window. This is only going to last a few moments I think and I am thankful we are there to see and feel this particular moment. "Can you help me climb my tree?" asks my daughter. I think I'm going to cry with joy. Her tree, oh yes, her tree. She adopted this as her tree last summer and had announced she was going to sit it it every day and do her homework. But then of course we stopped going outside in the evenings and the plan was forgotten. So this evening I give her a boost and up she scrambles to her favorite nook. Her tree is not very tall and in her spot she is just above my eye level as I stand close by. She begins telling me about her day. I don't have to prompt or prod, she just starts talking and talking and talking. She is in a tree and she has my full attention, joy oh joy.