My funny Ali

My daughter makes me laugh daily. She is one of the most sensitive, loving and funny people ever. Because she is a little shy most people don't get to see the real Ali and I am so glad I get to experience her everyday!! There have been a few Ali stories that I have to write down so I can always remember how much she makes me smile!!

Kindergarten Bus
Ali rode the bus in kindergarten and didn't love it. I watched her everyday get on with the big kids and try to find a seat. I always felt sick to my stomach as the bus would pull away and she would still be staniding in the isle looking for a seat. She was only 5!! I had her keep riding the bus until I heard about bullys that were telling kids they would choke them if they sat by certain people and I no longer wanted Ali having to deal with that.Everyday she would tell me how much she didn't like it. It was just easier for all of us to drive her.

Well I asked her if she wanted to ride this year now that she is in second grade. The answer of course, "i like going with you mom!" I don't mind taking her and it is always fun to see her excited face after school. So as we were driving to school last week I asked her what she didn't like about the bus. I thought I knew the answer but Alis memory of what was bad and my memories were totally different!!
Ali said, "well mom do you want to know why i didn't like the bus.It was because every day after school (am kindergarten) the bus driver would say, who is ready to go home and have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! and i hated when she said that."

I tried so hard from not just bursting out laughing. Here my sweet five year old didn't care about the crowded buses, or riding with strangers, but she hated when the bus driver talked about Peanut butter!!! it was hilarious!! She said she would get on the bus everyday and sit down in her seat and cover her ears because she knew the bus driver would say it and every day she did.
I asked why she didn't tell the bus driver that. Ali said." because the kids whose parents bought them the seats up front sat there and so the bus driver wouldn't hear her.

I was laughing at this point because where on earth did the idea come that parents bought their kids good seats and every other kid had to sit in the back. Hilarious!!

"Peanut Free" Table aka Handicap Table

-- Because of Alis' peanut allergy she has to sit at the "peanut free" table at school. This wasn't a big deal in the past but this year it seems to be a little less convenient for her. She wants to sit with friends but because she has never done it before it is just scary to her. This year I kept noticing that Ali was barely touching her lunch. Each day she would say that she had to go to the bathroom and didn't have time to eat it. Or she would say she had to hurry so she could get outside faster. There was always something.
I decided to go have lunch with her because she loves it and because I wanted to figure out what was really behind her not eating. As i got there I sat down in a crowded lunch room and looked around me at the peanut free table. There were a few kids sitting there (that i am pretty sure were not allergic to peanuts!) but the table wasn't overly crowded. As i talked with Ali and we ate our lunches a huge group of the handicap kids came over. They sat down and started squishing Ali and I over. They quickly took up the whole table. There was one lady with them that was not paying to much attention to them. As I ate with Ali one little girl kept saying "Is that your mom, Is that your mom, Is that your mom, Is that your mom???" After a moment of her saying it rather loudly I said, "Yes I am her mom, how are you?" She kept eating then the next second another girl looked at me and said (loudly) "I need a straw!" I need a straw!!" over and over again. Well the lady wasn't paying attention so I turned to the little girl and said- You can go get one! (they were not far from her!- I wasn't rude, I just could tell she was capable of that). Ali instantly looked at me completely embarrassed and said, "Mom they are handicaps."
I realized that the "peanut free" table was not actually a peanut free table, but a handicap table and Ali had to sit there all by herself- everyday! I felt so much love for her trying to be the sweet girl she is everyday, when I could barly do it during one 20 minute lunch period. I love handicap kids, but it was so amazing to see Ali be so cute towards them even though I know she felt completely out of place!! I told her she could sit with her friends because she would be fine, but she was to nervous to do it.

Yesterday ali came home and said "don't be mad- but I didn't sit at the Peanut free table today! I was so amazed and excited- she sat with two of her friends at their table. It was a huge step for her!! Way to go ali!!

You want a piece of THIS
Ali gets in these silly moods, and they make me laugh to where I almost pee my pants. She gets a little sassy and things she says just have me in tears. I was talking to her about something and out of no where she jumps to her feet and does this dance move with her upper body and says - you want a piece of THIS while running her fingers up and down over her- like a crazy vanna white! i had to stop and just laugh because she looked like a black girl wanna be rapper mixed with vanna white pointing to herself- it was so funny.

the other thing that Ali does that I love is she does this dance move with her arms. It reminds me of some kind of old new kids on the block move where she beats her arms towards her heart. it makes me laugh instantly and when ever Ali knows I need a laugh she does it for me and it works every time!!