My Girl Meera

Meera today before heading off to school; Meera today grocery shopping after school

Meera is soon to turn 4 years old, and she suddenly seems so much like a little person. Her babyishness is just about all gone, and all toddler resemblance is quickly vanishing too. She wants to be a “big girl” and she lets us know it all the time. She dresses and undresses herself, she unbuckles her own carseat, can get herself a glass of water, and does a hundred other things “all by herself” too.

With this she is also quickly developing a newfound sense of her own identity. It is becoming very important to her — and important to her that others see it too — that she’s a Girl (capital ‘G’). She points out to me often that we (she and I) are “the two girls” in the family, and she contrasts this with “the three boys.” Heading off to school this morning she decided she wanted to wear a scarf, “just like Mommy,” and was quick to point out that “the two girls are wearing scarfs!” and “the three boys aren’t wearing scarfs!”

Also before school this morning I was talking to all three kids about the plan for the day. I had to go grocery shopping this afternoon after work, and I gave all three of them the option of choosing to either: 1) have me pick them up from school and then go to the grocery store with me, or 2) stay after school at After School Program and I’d pick them up when I was done grocery shopping. Kyle and Owen both immediately chose option #2. Meera, on the other hand, quickly jumped at the opportunity to go to the grocery store with me. She immediately announced, “the two girls are going grocery shopping!” and “the three boys aren’t going grocery shopping!”