Changes Are A'Comin'

My sweet little social Kasidee, who always asks to play with friends and can play with her sisters and their friends for hours, has suddenly become a little homebody. A little clingy. Yesterday morning one of her favorite friends called to invite her over to play. She was so excited and I took her over. She was happy until I was ready to leave - she gave me a hug and a kiss and then gasped in a sob. And then she couldn't stop. I held her close and told her she would be fine and that I would be back in just about over hour. Her friend's mom got her excited about something inside the house, and Kasidee followed her in. But 45 minutes later, the mom called me and said Kasidee wanted to come home. We got inside and she just wanted to sit on my lap. For a very long time. I can't say I didn't like it!

Then yesterday afternoon when we got back from a walk, a message was on the answering machine from a friend Kasidee has been wanting to play with for awhile. They usually play at least once or twice a week, and for the last 4 or 5 times it has been at our house, which is perfectly fine. Anyway, on the message this little friend said, "I just wanted to know if Kasidee could play today. At my house. Bye." I asked Kasidee if she wanted to call her back, and she said yes. I reminded Kasidee that her friend probably wants to have a turn playing at her house. Kasidee got quiet and stared at the cupcake she was eating. She said, "Well, I should probably finish my cupcake. I'll call her back another day."

My heart has broken several times today, looking at my sweet, independent little girl who is growing up way too fast. I know she is sensing big changes are coming - in preschool we are practicing for our graduation program and we talk about how exciting kindergarten will be. Kasidee often says to me, "When I go to kindergarten you will be all alone and you'll miss me so much. But it's okay, because I'll be back for lunch and then we can be together." She's amazingly perceptive and is so in-tune with others' feelings even if they (me) think they're doing a good job at pretending they aren't feeling a little melancholy. It's all good, but I thought I was the only one who was wishing this time didn't have to come so soon....