We dance on a song called “Follow the leader”. She knows the choreography from the kindergarten. I ask her if she knows what the title means.
-I don’t know! What?
-You have to do what the leader does.
-Leadel? What is the leadel?
-The chief or the boss.
She stops. She doesn’t know what to say and now she is thinking. After a few seconds she declares:
-Mama, in our house you are the boss! Not me!
Dear all,
You have chosen one of the most difficult and most important jobs there is and you made it your passion and your art. One that you practice all day, with patience, commitment and devotion. It is also the most beautiful job in the world because your role is to shape and prepare for life beautiful and innocent little humans, pure and yet untouched by the ugliness of the world. For them you will always be the first and the most important teacher, the first to guide their journey to the great unknown, the Universe! You are the light in the darkness of not knowing if they are enough or not. Of course they are, but they still need your kind reminder.
To all of you, thanks for all the love and affection you give!
Illustrations by Kevin Henkes
Easter books and activities
We lay on the bed, next to each other and we eat green apples. Of course it is not allowed, but no one can sees us, so…
Green apples are her favourites. And the red ones, and the yellow ones, and the apples she picks up from her grandparents orchard, all the apples in the Universe are her favourites.
-Baby girl, do you know how pretty you are?
-Ihim!
-How do you know?
-Matthew told me!
-He did? What did he said?
-That I am beautiful.
-And what did you respond?
-That I like it.
-What?
-That he told me that. His “competent”
-You mean his compliment.
-Yes mama! Why don’t you pay attention? That’s what I said, compliment!
Apples
I give her a big hug. She looks at me, as if she will have to remember all of my face features for her entire life.
-Mammy, ale you an alien?
-No baby, why?
-Because you have gleen eyes, mama! We all have blown eyes in oul family. Only you have gleen eyes. Tell me, mama?Ale you? An alien?!
It’s a sunny yet cold morning. We walk to the car in a fast pace, maybe we can warm up a little. Suddenly she stops and says in a happy voice:
-Look mama, that is daddy’s car! Can we go with it at kindergarten? Please!!!
-Baby girl, mama doesn’t know how to drive daddy’s car! And I don’t even have the keys…
-I will show you how, I know!
-You do, don’t you? How come?
-I saw how daddy does it and now I know.
-…
-You sit in the driver seat, press the round button and the car engine starts and the car begin to move. It has a sensor, you know? When there is no more space, it beeps. Then you stop, flash your signal and you go! And you go straight ahead, then you make a right turn, then a left one, you drive a little more and you arrive! You park, push the round button and get out of the car! See? Is so simple, mama! What do you say? You wanna try?
-So simple hah? I don’t have to do anything else…
-Well, you do, of course! You have to put your seatbelt on, but first you have to put my seatbealt on and you have to press the pedals. You push the pedals and the car goes vrum, vruuum. You don’t push them, the car stops. You want to try, mama?
-I don’t really want. But is a good thing that you know how, if we will ever need you to drive it…
-Mama, I am a child! I cannot drive daddy’s car! Come on, hurry up, it’s very cold and I will be late for today activities.
Driving lesson
– Mammy, it is time to wake up if you want to go to kindergarten today!
She mumbles something and she turns on the other side.
– It is late dear, if you want to go you really have to wake up now.
She sits, with her hair all messy and in the sleepiest voice possible she says:
– I will go when I will be happy! Right now my heart is not happy! My heart tells me that I have to sleep more!
– So, you’re not going to kindergarten today?
-…
– Baby? Are you going or not?
– No! I’m not happy, didn’t you hear me?
I can’t go like this, with an unhappy heart!
She: what are you doing there?
Me: I’m trying to do the candle…
She: can I blow?
little humans 