Saturday, Lila lay slumped across my lap holding me down lest I try to actually be helpful as the boys (her brothers) set up their bunk bed. She just kept saying, "I'm sad." or "I'm jealous." or the whole of it, "I wish I had a bunk bed."
Spending so much time with the boys clearing a hole in their room for the bunk bed was salt in her wound. She flopped in and out of the way of bed parts, dipping in and out the door and under feet, pausing long enough to hold me down or hang from my arm as I attempt to help tighten screws. Not only did they get a bunk bed, but "Can't you do something with me? You only do stuff with the boys."
So, on Sunday we spent some time together in her room. Job number one, "I want a job!" was to collect all stuffies in one basket. . . Three baskets later there were still plenty of stuffies for her bed too! Job number two, pull old warn and summer items out of circulation, "to Lucy, (Lila's cousin), Get rid of, to Lucy, to Lucy. . ." Now, job number three, the books. I hauled up and repurposed a shelf from the basement. The little organizer was in heaven, "I'll put all the Biscuit books on this shelf, the Elephant and Piggie books over here. . .
Before we knew it Lila had a large expanse of shining wood floor rediscovered! But, apparently we weren't finished, "Mom, I really always wanted a dance space." Silly me, I thought a big open room would make a perfect dance space. Aghast, "Mom, anyone could come in and see me! It needs a curtain." Alas, the final touch, one pink and white checked sheet turned "Dance space curtain"
The Grande Finale: "Now, watch me dance!"
