March.21.2011

Jade woke up from naptime earlier in a good mood.   I know she was able to sleep well and was in a good mood mainly because she was chattering nonstop right from the very moment she opened her eyes.  There was no gradual transition from asleep to drowsy to awake then to alert.  Like a spring, she bounced off her bed and walked to where I was and said “Hi, Mama!  I’m awake now.  It’s a sunny day!”   She rattled off story after story, question after question, but one topic stuck to my mind.

Jade looked up the ceiling and said, “Mama, there’s Mr. Butiki.  I’m not afraid of Mr. Butiki anymore.”  She then pointed to herself and continued, “I’m not afraid because I’m brave. I’m brave, Mama, I’m brave!”

To say that I’m proud of how my two-year-old has conquered her fear of Mr. Butiki is an understatement.  Just days before, she was so hysterical when a lizard crawled on our ceiling right above her bed.  She was crying and screaming, totally terrified of it.  I’m glad she was able to overcome one of her many fears.  Now, our next goal is to overcome her fear of ants, dogs, cats, and pretty much any other animal.  Hopefully, she’ll be brave enough also to conquer them.