I am a pretty ordinary looking person and I think you could count on one hand how many heads I’ve turned in my life, so it is fascinating to be to be out and about with Eve some days. She always gets attention, wherever we go, but some days it’s ridiculous! She’s not even a classically beautiful child (I say with no disrespect, of course!). I wonder if the stereotypically “pretty” kids with the long blond hair and deep blue eyes get as much attention as Eve does. I suspect not!
Today we went to the hospital to visit Grandma. Last night Eve picked out “my prettiest dress to wear to visit Grammy in the hospital.” This morning I put pigtails in her hair to help control the curl chaos. At Lex’s school drop off two of his teachers (para and student, not the primary) were GUSHING over how adorable Eve looked. They had her take off her jacket so they could see the whole dress. They oohed and ahhed. Eve basked.
She still doesn't like me taking pictures of her.
At the grocery store Eve picked out a little pink Primrose plant to bring with us and we bought a helium balloon at the hospital gift shop. Walking down the main corridor at the hospital Eve had everyone’s attention. She wasn’t even being loud or silly or really doing anything to draw attention to herself, other than wearing a winter jacket with a tutu sticking out the bottom, pigtails, pink and gray winter boots, and carrying a flower and a balloon. She was seriously, and quite literally, turning heads everywhere we went! In Grandma’s area all the nurses were talking to her and everyone kept asking if she was a ballerina. She didn’t quite get it. In her mind she was just wearing a pretty dress, I’m not sure she knew why people kept talking about ballet.
Silly girl! :)
After we were done visiting Grandma we got lunch at the hospital. While we were eating I asked Eve is she liked all the attention. I think I asked if it made her feel happy or shy. She said shy. I asked because I saw how she basked in Lex’s classroom when his teachers (very much known to Eve) were gushing over her, but as the morning went on she got quieter and quieter and after awhile even stopped responding to some of the people who stopped to comment on her adorableness. It must be an interesting experience for her. I wonder what kind of connections are being formed in that little brain when she gets so much attention from strangers. Oh to be inside her head sometimes.
Besides the excessive attention we had a really nice morning. It was the first time I’ve taken either of the kids to visit Grandma in the hospital. She should be going home this weekend so hopefully it’s the last time too! :) Eve and I went grocery shopping, then to the hospital and Eve was so excited that I let her choose the flowers and the balloon, and that we got lunch at a restaurant (Sabarro’s food court, but close enough!) and I even let her pick out (within my very tight restrictions) a little dessert treat after lunch. It was a full morning and now she is happy at school.
I have to get off this blog and focus on some work though. I have two (that’s right, two!!) meeting tonight and a busy afternoon. Lots to do!
I can relate. It was awkward (for me) to receive such kind attention from strangers when I was taught to distrust strangers. I never knew how to respond and it became confusing because I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to respond. Was I allowed to talk to strangers? That and I never understood their strange questions or why they had to touch my hair. And why my mother was smiling.
It might help if you teach Eve how to respond to compliments (a simple but genuine thank you), and also continue to teach her how to set her own boundaries. As for the questions she doesn’t understand — I have no wisdom about that. My mother always fielded those for me. :)