a sense of confidence...

last week I was able to join Madison's class at their

"Day at the Park"

for school...

a whole day at the park with her classmates, teachers, games, fun, BBQ, nature walks, and other activities...

{normally this little girl doesn't back down from picking worms up but these were huge!}

I just set everything aside that day and thought I would join them...

Madison doesn't share too many details about school...she keeps most of it to herself...

she has great days at school {because she will say that} but when she's home...she's home!

She has fun and plays with Hayley as soon as she gets home but I have that bit of hurt that I want to hear some details other than boys you know...I started over a year now our "favorite parts about our day" at dinnertime...its helping but I wanted to see her in action

but I just didn't imagine how much Madison would show me that day

one of my favorite days with her that day 
because I got to see her being the girl I know...
she is a quiet type A...but when she's comfortable and knows others she is quite the social bug, and I felt so blessed that I could put work and anything else aside that day and just go and have fun with her

I found out that she had those monkey bars down one-handed...I just couldn't get a picture since she just wanted me to lift her up to them and "hold" her legs which I really didn't because she could do it...

I loved seeing her out there
on the nature walk they took...
she was most of the time right up front and was one of the first to venture off of the path to go look at plants, flowers, trees, etc.

I was so proud of how adventurous she was

I didn't stay by her the whole time because I didn't want her to think I was right there but most of the time I just watched her or helped the teachers {or talked with them}

I loved seeing her enjoy her surroundings so much

we had some special bonding time just us

It gave me a "Mama just relax" moment because I worry about her sometimes
she is already so hard on herself...

definitely a perfectionist by nature and definitely struggles if she can't do something perfectly when she attempts it...
we are trying to help her with that...to just encourage her to go for it...

she's still a youngin'....this I know...

but I still worry about her

I don't want her growing up in the perfectionist world

and I don't want her to follow my path where I expected it of myself all too often

in all honesty I don't expect it of anyone else so why do I of myself?

she doesn't expect it of others either...

but she does herself

What I learned from her that day was just a feeling that came over me

I just smiled so big and felt so peaceful in knowing that I was being taught not to worry so much about her

she may still struggle with this

and right now she is with an activity...
she doesn't feel comfortable because she doesn't know the others at all

but you know I felt like she was showing me not to worry about her that day

she's going to be just fine

I was very thankful for that...

this girl teaches me so much as a mother and a person it's ridiculous...

I'm proud of this girl

because it was so nice to see her out of that shell

and so worth our special time together

and I felt I could relax about my worries {for now, right?}

a little at peace like Miss Hayley sleeping...

Being a mother never stops my mom tells me

at any age...

and I know I'll probably worry about this same thing again

but right now she showed me it's okay and she's learning her sense of confidence

thank you for that my butterfly

side note: the sprinkler now can be done on "command"...we just say "sprinkler"

but the best part is that they started doing it themselves when an upbeat song comes on...