November 4, 2009: Preschool Love
There's a little girl in Ivan's class that Ivan seems to be particularly fond of. He told me that himself. Well, sort of. A few weeks ago I was chatting with him about who he likes to play with in preschool and who his friends were and he told me he played with boys but also there was one girl: Bianca. I asked him what they played together and Ivan paused a little: "I don't weally play wif huh.", he said.
I've seen this girl before, actually years before, because her older brother was in Veronika's preschool class. She is the cutest little thing. Dark long hair, a bit curly, perfectly shaped little face, loooong eyelashes and a personality between feisty and sweet. At the preschool field trip I asked Ivan if he'd like me to take a picture of the two. He was very enthusiastic. She less so. She was so shy, she wouldn't look at me, and so I ended up with a photo of two kids, about half a yard apart, each looking somewhere else. A few days after that Bianca came up again and I asked Ivan if he played with her.. and he said: "No, I don't weally play wif huh. I jus' take picturs wif huh."
Oh, sweet little boy, that is too much. Lincoln's face when I told him the story seemed to immediately reveal all the sadness and agony of loves unrequited in years prior: "Poor guy." was all he could managed to say.
Today while dropping Ivan off at school I catch him and Bianca awkwardly saying hi to each other in the classroom. Bianca, with her pretty summer dress (albeit over pants and a long-sleeve-shirt, - telling a story of how she probably insisted on a summery dress while her mother insisted on weather-appropriate clothing. I'm telling you, sweet and feisty.) gave him a smile and he returned it with the most adorable mix of shyness and absolute adoration on his face. He even waved a tiny wave. After that he came over to me to say goodbye. In the meantime Bianca passed us by and I said: "Look, there's your friend!" (BAD mother, I know, I swear I will never embarass him like this when he's older. I do, I swear!) And Ivan looked up and saw her and just erupted in a giggle unable to say anything.
On the way home after preschool I tell him:
"Did you play with Bianca?"
"No."
"Maybe you are a little shy? Sometimes when you like someone a lot, you get a little shy around them..."
"YES! I do! I get vewy shy because I like Bianca."
"I know, baby."
"Mama, do you fink Noni got vewy shy when she was wittle and she loved someone vewy vwey much?"
Vewy vewy much? This boy...! My heart exploded into a million little sparkly sparks. I know he will grow up and these moments will be gone but I am so grateful to have witnessed this. And of course, I promise, I will never ever pry and meddle ever. Ever. I will just bury this innocent revelation deep deep in my memory and pull it out secretly once in a while and look at it and sigh and hug him in my mind.
Posted by mama at 01:22 PM