lights

I just want to remember a few things about today.

Firstly, today was great.  Abby was really well behaved and sweet and helpful and...I really like it when she's like this.  We went to play group this morning where she had a blast playing with her friends.  Afterwards, we joined a few of them for lunch.  On the way to lunch, Abby gives me a big big hug and says "Thank you soooo much mommy for taking me to playgroup!  That was really fun!"  I was shocked.  It was completely unprompted.  It just warmed my heart so much.

And?  She did it again later after lunch.  "Mommy, thank you for taking me to the restrunk for lunch.  It was so yummy!"  Yes, I reinforced the daylights out of that action.

After lunch, we stopped by the high school to say hi to a few people and introduce Elizabeth to a few of my coworkers.  It was great to see everyone and Abby (and E) were well behaved.  This was appreciated because in order to stop by, we had to delay (and eventually forego) nap time.  So, Abby is exploring, and she goes down this little hall and touches something - I think it was a door stop.  Well, at that exact moment, the fire alarm goes off.

Poor Abby thought she had done it.  She came running down the hall back to me, lip quivering, pointing back towards the hall and saying "I didn't mean to!"  Poor baby.  I explained that it was an alarm, that it wasn't her fault, that the buzzer and the strobe lights would end soon.  She was not a fan.  She clung to me while we waited for the alarm to be turned off (um, there was no fire, obviously)

Well, for the rest of the afternoon, Abby would randomly say things like "the lights DID turn off"  or "the lights and buzzes were loud"  It was the strobe lights, though, that really made a lasting impression.

All of that to say - this evening while we were not napping, a storm started to roll through.  Abby announced to be that she heard thunder - and then would say "I need up"  I could tell she was nervous about it and tried to make things jovial and lightherated for her.  Then she saw some lightning (she hasn't seen this much) and said "oh no! the alarm back on!  I see lights"

So, she thought the lightning was the same as the alarm lights she saw earlier today.  She went down early and easily for bed tonight - she was exhausted.  I hope she dreams of sweeter things than lightning and fire alarms.