Grandpa Terry, Grandma Barb and R.J. came to visit on Saturday. Reid was in the driveway, drawing with chalk and smiling at R, the boy from next door. R. is only 2.5 years so old and I miss most of what he says but I don’t think it’s because he speaks French. Reid doesn’t talk to him much at all, just gestures to share her toys or invite him to play hopscotch.
It was a relief that they arrived when Grandma Barb said they would. Reid had woke up at 5:30 and asked if Grandma Barb was there yet and then she repeated the inquiry every half hour or so, mixing in the occasional ”how much longer until Grandma will be here?” for variety until Grandma Barb finally arrived. I’d been offering up little pleas for divine intervention since I’d taken the “we’ll be there about 11:00″ to be “precisely 11:00 and not a minute later but maybe a bit sooner.” I didn’t voice the latter thought, of course, but did hope for it. Being fickle like all kids, Reid had settled into her chalk drawing and hopscotch playing by the time the van pulled in. R.J. stayed out with Reid for a few minutes and then they came in.
Reid had printed everyone’s name on papers so that they would sit in the proper places at lunch. She can make just about every letter of the alphabet, or at least the capitals. Reid had me spell each name, a letter at a time. And after each she asked, “Capital letter?” I told her a couple of times that it was best to use a small letter after the first one but Reid didn’t seem to like that response and so I just gave up and agreed, repeatedly, that a capital letter would be good if she couldn’t make the little letter. Just as everyone was sitting down, though, Reid had second thoughts and came running to me. I sent her back to negotiate with the others. Negotiation is something at which Reid usually excels. Or at least when she tries to get a few more minutes at an activity or another books and so on, she offers many reasons to change the ruling and has a counter-offer for every decision. I guess that makes her a typical 4-year-old or dyed-in-the-world contrarian. When I got to the table, I had a plate to eat at and so Reid’s negotiation skills must have come through for her but I didn’t ask for details.