My Chica & Her Character

Well, peeps.

We did it.

We managed to achieve the near-impossible for a household with three relatively young kiddos.

We spent as much couch and television time as one could possible expect within one day (even though it doesn’t even come close to the glory television marathons pre-kiddos), and it was amazing.

To be clear: this amazing feat was still only a total of four or five hours all day long, but it felt like a lifetime.

And the best chunk of that time was a family midday viewing of this hilarity:

It was really, really funny—just as much for the parents as the kiddos, I think. We were a pretty raucous bunch whilst watching. :) I was wildly entertained and it never lagged. I definitely recommend.





So, yay, for a happy, chill family day with lots of quality time—and some low-key tidbits of dismantling some small bits of Christmas decor.

But.

All that said, this is really a post about my Chica and a special award she received at school. And though it was more than a week ago and got lost in the the holiday shuffle, I don’t want it to be lost, indefinitely. 

Because my girl is so special and deserving of a little attention (and those brown eyes of hers just slay me—as evident in the pic below, which is the one I submitted to her teacher for the presentation of her award).



Now. 

I’m gonna be that annoying parent for a hot second and brag that my girl has received some sort of character award every year of her short elementary life.

In fact, if memory serves me correctly, there’s even been a pattern of her receiving said awards—two from her old school in McKinney, and two now in SA—the second nine weeks of school, just before the holiday. (Though her kindergarten award might have come a tad earlier than that, but at the time, I had three kiddos under the age of five and life was a bit insane).

Basically, my girl is an exemplary student, in that she’s attentive, kind, on-task and sweet as all get-out, and her teachers have routinely recognized this—for which I’m so grateful, since Chica also had a side dose of reserve or shyness at times, and that can sometimes equate to being overlooked.  

The character award she received this nine weeks is a pretty big deal within the school—though I didn’t really understand it at the time, last year, when I showed up for a ceremony I didn’t think I really needed to attend, and, man, am I glad I did. Here are the details of it:

http://delappenings.blogspot.com/2019/12/chicas-school-character-award.html?m=1

As you can see, the presentation is the award typically happens during a school-wide assembly, and it was a total joy to be there in person last year to witness it. And I’m doubly grateful for that experience, as this year’s award was presented in a vastly different manner.

Via a virtual ceremony that was broadcast in all of the kiddos’ classrooms, as they can’t all be in one place at one time right now. Understandably.

Of course, the principal and the staff members did such an excellent job is making a lot of joyful, celebratory noise for the recipients, and I was so grateful to watch the quick event via Zoom. But, still.

Different times, for sure.

But as another show of just how much Chica’s teachers really adore her, I received this pic from her second grade teacher via email, after the ceremony. Because she was still so, dang proud of my girl, even though she doesn’t have her in class anymore. :)



So.

In summary.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a gazillion times: I’m so very proud of my Chica, who is good to her very core. The sweetest soul you’ll encounter, and just a lovely presence for any teacher or classroom.

This Mama Bear is wildly proud, every time she receives special recognition—and even when she doesn’t. Because I’m always aware and watching all the beautiful moments, big and small.

For all of my babies.

And on that note...another little bit of rambling to share as part of this post. Because big pictures are sometimes important.

An acknowledgement that there are so many very deserving kiddos out there, who sometimes, for whatever reason, don’t get the recognition of any award, but are good and kind and smart and thoughtful—or any number of unique adjectives that make them special—in and of themselves.

You see, the truth is, this wasn’t even Chica’s first award of this school year. She received another small recognition the first nine weeks, for some other positive classroom habits, and when it was announced via another school-wide virtual assembly, my Chicklet heard her sissy’s name and cheered her on wildly (they were still virtual learning at home, and actually streaming the assembly together).

But then later, in a quieter moment, Chicklet asked me when she, herself, might ever receive an award. And it was sort of a punch to the gut to heap praise upon her and remind her that awards are lovely but every child is amazing with or without one, so who knows what the future will bring, but she’s award-winning in my book.

Ugh.

And then, another day, shortly thereafter, when I received word of Chica’s bigger award she’d be receiving, I’ll full-on admit that I cried about it—because my heart actually hurt for my Chicklet. And the feelings that might be a little tender when she watched her sibling receive yet another bit of school recognition, wondering when her own day might come.

The wonderful news is that, thanks to the big and happy heart of my second-born, it was a nonissue, and the only feelings that surfaced were gleeful and proud. 

She was a champ, and so happy for her older sister. 

But it really got me thinking about the vital positive reinforcement that I wish all kiddos received, everywhere.

Alas...that’s not a problem I can solve, but I can certainly address it within my own home, and make sure all three of my beautiful babies feel special and loved and accomplished. Regardless.

Who knows? I could have a household of award winners in my future, or three children that fall at various points along the recognition spectrum, or off the radar totally and completely. But all three are unique and perfect. With good souls and heaps of love poured in to them, daily.

And at the end of the day, that’s the absolute best way I can think of to set them on a solid learning path and to keep them there for the foreseeable future.

I truly can’t believe we’re halfway through this crazy school year of ours, already.

(And halfway through the holiday break, for that matter.)

But I’m also in awe of my kiddos’ expanding brains, day in and day out, and it’s a joy for me to watch them be happy students and sponges. Soaking up all the knowledge they’re so eager for at this young, mostly-uncomplicated age.

So we’ll bask in this in-between time of post-Christmas, pre-January, couch-sitting time.

And then we’ll launch into the New Year and second half of the school year with as much gusto as we can.

Awards or not.

;)

Hope you all are being as lazy as you’re able. And for those of you with vital and important jobs at the moment—man, am I grateful for you.

Over and out.