Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Abigail


Abi has been going through a middle-child/only-girl identity crisis of some sort.

The other day we came home after a family outing and after about 15 minutes, I realized we were one short person short. After a moment of searching, I found her out in the car (it was later evening and cool, thank God), crying her little heart out. The child protection locks were activated and she couldn't open the doors to get out. I had gotten out, carrying Kenny and the backpack, Hetee got out and went to close the gate and didn't notice her on his way back into the house. Nate must have been too caught up in his own little world, too, to notice that she stayed behind.

I opened the car door and she jumped into my arms. I comforted her and apologized deeply for letting that happen to her. She sobbed and said, "No one came for me. You just left me all alone!"
Ouch. Poor baby.

Abi is the quieter one in our bunch. She's usually the brains of the outfit; she's smart keeps her brothers in line. They are loud, cantankerous and demanding at times and she's the complacent one who, sadly, try as we may, often gets overlooked.

Hetee and I both see this and try every day to let her know she's special to us. We usually each have a day with her once a week, just to do something she likes and to talk and listen without interruptions. We do this with the boys, too but our times with Abi are extra special.

After the car incident Abi and I decided it was time to have a girls' day out. We ate at her favorite restaurant and then headed out to the market to buy her some new dress shoes. She had outgrown her old ones and had been asking for new ones. She and I put our money together and got the pinkest, glitteriest ones we could find. She was very pleased.

As we were leaving the market, her in her new shoes and wearing a new headband as well, she asked if she could give her old shoes to Kenny. I told her "no", because Kenny is a boy. She said, "Oh, mom, please! They match the Tinkerbell dress I gave him!"

5 comments:

rem said...

I teared up when I read Abi's reaction to being left in the car, then was laughing by the end of your post! He can't go barefoot in his Tinkerbell dress! :)

Zimms Zoo said...

That is cute! I have an Abigail too! She is 10.

BUt my middle child is anything but complacent and quiet. She is quite the ornry one. She is the middle of 5. She is the one going to the hospital for a broken arm or other things. She is the most outspoken. She also is the most inquisitive. I guess she decided she had to be so she didn't get over looked!

Cheri said...

You know, a sassy pair of good shoes can fix a whole lotta hurt!

It's absolutely precious she wanted to share with her brother. I'm not sure my youngest brother would want to know how often I practice make up and nail polish application using him...

Lady Dorothy said...

What a dear! I can just feel what she was feeling!

I am sitting here all by myself, but laughed out loud at her Tinkerbell statement. Absolutely too cute!

I just had to tell you that I will be sharing this! Too precious not to.

Twila G. said...

Oh my! Loved the Tinkerbell dress quote. Too cute!