Girls are mean - part 2

A little while ago, I wrote about Gillian having a hard time making new friends at John's basketball game (check out my post titled "Girls are mean"). Yesterday was John's last basketball game. Gillian was prepared. She brought her Anna and Elsa dolls and Minnie Mouse for baby Mackenzie. When we arrived I made sure we were not close to the "mean girls." Gillian sat and played for a little while by herself. Then a little girl started inching closer and closer to us. Gillian noticed the little girl and held on tight to her dolls. The little girl was wearing an Elsa dress and was very interested in Gillian's dolls. Gillian was very hesitant to let go of her dolls. Finally (after a little encouragement from Mommy and Daddy), she handed the little girl the Elsa doll. And that was it. The two of them played and played. I am so glad that Gillian made a friend and that there was no drama. 

Girls are mean

Gillian learned the hard way yesterday that girls can be mean. John had a basketball game on Saturday morning. We all went to watch. Normally we bring Gillian's LeapPad with us so she can play games. But this time all we grabbed was her plush Belle doll. We sat in the bleachers behind another family. A few minutes into the game the little girl sitting in front of us opened her bag and took out little plush dolls, Anna, Elsa, Olaf and Sven from Frozen. Gillian's eyes lit up. She watched the little girl and her friend play with the dolls. Gillian just watched at first. But then other girls joined the first two in front of us. Now there were four little girls all playing with the Frozen characters. Gillian moved closer to the girls and played with her Belle doll. 

The four girls moved to the empty bleachers to play. Gillian followed them and sat close to them, and played with her doll. From our view it looked like Gillian was going to be included, but we were wrong. The girls moved every time Gillian got close to them. My heart ached for her. She just wanted to play. Luckily this only lasted a little while and the basketball game ended.

As we were putting on our coats and getting ready to leave, Gillian burst into tears. I picked her up and held her. She was so upset. I told her that everything was all right and that sometimes girls could be mean. She said "I just wanted to play." I told her that we would all play with her when we got home. She asked "Even Daddy?" Yes. Even Daddy. Daddy carried her to the car and I explained what happened to John. He agreed to play dolls when we got home. And we did. All of us sat and played dolls with Gillian. She was so happy. 

snow day

Friday was a snow day for the entire family.  I woke up early and John was the first one to join me.  He was super excited about no school.  Gillian, on the other hand, didn't wake up until 9:30.  The kids were good all day.  They didn't fight and they didn't really ask to watch television.  They played Legos and babies and dress-up and ninja turtles. 

I asked the kids if they wanted to go outside and play.  Gillian screamed "YES!"  John said "No thank you."  I asked him "Why?"  He said "Because I don't want to take off my jammies."  First of all, yes, they were still in their jammies.  It was a snow day.  And I said "Well you can keep them on.  Let's go."  I bundled the kids up in their snow pants and hats and gloves and scarves.  Poor Gillian couldn't put her arms down and John said "It's hard to walk around."  Their complaints stopped when we got outside.  John went running towards their playground and Gillian needed some help getting down the stairs of the deck.  She walked towards John and wanted to climb up on the playground too!  But we had John clear off some of the snow first so it was easier for her.  We even convinced John to go down the slide. 

We asked Gillian if she wanted to make a snow angel.  She said "Okay."  I asked her "Do you know what a snow angel is?"  She said "When you lay in the snow and move your arms and legs?"  I'm impressed.  Last year, she didn't really play in the snow too much so I was surprised to hear that she knew was it was.  She made a beautiful snow angel.  And John did too!  Even Daddy made a giant snow angel.

 

 



Gilly and Mommy got cold and we went back inside.  John decided to stay outside and play.  I watched him from the kitchen.  He took his snow shovel and would fill up the slide with snow and then he would climb up on the playground and then try to go down the slide.  He got stuck one time and didn't know what to do.  But he didn't panic and he figured out how to get out.  The next time, he brought the shovel down the slide with him so that he could dig himself out when he got stuck.

We had so much fun playing in the snow.