VIP

Oh, the specialness of it all!

Sydney is VIP this week. I can also call her Star of the Week if I'd like, she told me. It's the same thing.

She came home from school Monday as excited as could be. Even before she made it in the front door she was doing her best to show me the extra bag she was carrying. The bright red VIP bag is full of all sorts of wonderful surprises, such as a note saying I need to send a snack on Thursday, and clear my schedule so I can read to her class, and help her create an All about Me poster and write in a journal about the wonderful things she got to do this week with Little Bear.

Who's Little Bear? Why, only the most exciting part of being VIP.

Normally, I'm not a germ freak. But I couldn't help but cringe when Sydney pulled the somewhat crusty overly loved stuffed bear out of the bag. AJ immediately grabbed the toy and embraced it. It's the same bear  he got to bring home two years ago. And so, in the midst of this flu season, all I can think of is how many germs from how many kids are now embedded in that fuzzy fake fur.

My other overwhelming fear: how do we keep Little Bear from falling victim to a naughty golden retriever who loves to tear up stuffed animals? What kind of trauma would it cause to a room full of kindergartners if  Little Bear returned minus an eye, ear and half his stuffing? Sydney would be an outcast for life!

I've warned her that she can't leave Little Bear laying around, and so far she's been doing a good job. He "helped" her with her poster and slept with her last night. Here's a photo we'll be including in the journal.

We also plan to bring Little Bear with us to hockey practice this evening.

Worth noting: some of Sydney's answers on her All About Me poster:

• My favorite color: turquoise (never mind that she used a mint green marker to color in that space.)
• Places she'd like to go: a hotel
• Someday I'd like to be: I don't know
• My favorite subject: quiet time

Oh, the irony of that last answer. This is from the same child who'd been running around with Little Bear and loudly singing made up songs about the stuffed toy. And her favorite subject is quiet time. Mine, too.