"Mom I Wish I had Two Hands"

It happened, yesterday...I heard the words I always dreaded hearing.  But you know what...it wasn't too bad, at all.... surprisingly.

When Kyla was younger I would cry just thinking about her one day saying those words to me.  But yesterday, it was such an easy conversation. 

I said something like "yeah...well I'm sure lots of other people could say similar things, like "I wish my skin wasn't black and was white, I wish I had blue eyes and not brown, I wish I had straight hair and not curly"  I also reminded her that God chose to make her special, that he didn't chose me or her Daddy to make special and that he chose her specifically.  I also told her that she isn't the only one he chose to make like her, that there are lots of other people in the world with armies and reminded her of all of the pictures we have seen on the Internet and "my phone" of kids and people that are just like her.  Conversation was over in probably 2 or 3 minutes.  Easy. 

Kyla has become really good friends with our new neighbor girl.  She is actually in the same class as Kyla's cousin and Kyla's cousin had previously shared with her class about Kyla...not sure why, but she did, so this girl has never treated her differently or even asked about her arm, pretty cool.  Kyla now pretty much lives outside, playing with her "friend named Nora." 

Side note:  Kyla's Auntie and Uncle are half Caucasian/half African American, so I find myself using skin color difference and reminding her about her Auntie Amanda and Uncle Peter often, it helps because it's people she LOVES that also have a difference, skin difference.

Then to top it off yesterday night I found Kyla poking at her eyeballs real hard and saying that she "likes doing that."  I yelled at her to stop and told her that she was going to make herself go blind and never be able to see again.  She was shocked.  So I explained to her that some people are born not being able to see.  Holy cow!!  No way.  LOL.

Anyway, Kyla starts swimming lessons tomorrow.  She is taking them at the same place both her Dad and I learned to swim, a small business swimming school that has been around forever...as her Dad is 34 years old and I am 30 :)

I signed her up for semi-private lessons which is 2 students to 1 instructor.  She will go for 3 weeks and is taking the class with her cousin who is quite a bit older than her, but she doesn't know how to swim, so I think they will do well together.  I did explain her limb difference to the gal who runs the place and she was super friendly, really nice and said she had, had a student about 6 years ago with a similar limb difference. 

So other than Preschool this is Kyla's first "activity."  I'm pretty excited.  I just about signed her up for YMCA soccer a couple weeks ago but her Dad talked me out of it, thought she was a little too young still, so we are going to wait a bit.  I kind of now wish I did since she's been out of preschool for about 3 weeks and is driving me nuts!!!  Oh the life of a stay-at-home Mom.  Try to post swimming lesson pics/results soon.

Hope all is well.