A Blue Sticker Day

Some people think that Ainsley gets a pretty bad wrap in my diary. I am constantly writing about her mischievous shenanigans and her ability to bamboozle the casual observers. Certainly she can't be that sneaky. Certainly Mark overexaggerates for comedic effect.

Well, I don't!

But, today... Today I have to brag about her. (Well, either this is something to brag about or she has fooled us all once again)

Yesterday, I was at a golf tournament for Wipe Out Kids Cancer in Plano. I received a phone call from my mother who was picking up the kiddos. Ainsley had received her first blue sticker. To rehash, there are four colors of stickers and blue is the sign of exceptional behavior - of going above and beyond the call of duty.

Apparently, as the kids were sitting down for story time one of the other kiddos was sitting in Ainsley's spot. She politely (yes, I said politely) asked them to please move out of her spot. To top that off, when they actually moved she then thanked them.

Was this my daughter?

This was not the Ainsley I knew. At home when someone sits in her seat she has one of 2 moves.

1. She slaps them on the back of the head and tells them to move - or -
   
2. She grabs them by the hair on the back of the head and physically pulls them out of her spot.

That's it. Much to our chagrin, there is no please and thank you and that is why she almost always finds herself in timeout with a lecture about proper seat acquisition procedure.

So, what happened. I am befuddled - well, befuddled and somewhat strangely proud. Our parental powers for good have never seemed to effect her before. Is all of our hard work starting to sink in? Could this be a result of good parenting?

I doubt it... This is part of a bigger picture. She must be up to something.

Regardless, in her defense, I must stick up for her. When I got home last night I was greeted with a huge smile on the face of a very cute little girl. As soon as I opened the door she came running to me with her folder opened to her very blue sticker. She gave me the biggest, best hug she could muster and, once again, being enveloped in those little arms is about the best thing a daddy could ever hope for. I admit it. I was caught up in the moment. I has extremely proud of her.

I should also point out the contrary to all of my writing about Ainsley she continues to have the best record of behavior in Pre-k of all of our kiddos. To this day, she is yet to have a single mark of bad behavior. It boggles my mind.

It is a strange world we live in.

And somehow, I can't me prouder of my most miniature of purpii.