Show and Tell

You would think that today was Christmas, Birthday, Halloween, Easter, the 4th of July and Kasmir Pulaski day all rolled into one, but it's not. It's simply Kyra's kindergarten Show and Tell day.

Each school day for the past month, one classmate has been scheduled for Show and Tell. Kyra, by luck of the draw, was in the last group to go. So for the past month, we've heard nothing but questions about how much longer until Show and Tell. I am SO THANKFUL that it was today.

She's also been adamant about what she wanted to Show and Tell: Grammy and Papa's six month-old Golden Retriever puppy, Rex. Bad idea. Rex, while placid as a small pup, has quickly grown into a 60-70 pound spaz-dog, with his body swiftly outgrowing his age. He has very little control over his gargantuan body, and when it gets truckin' in one direction, it's hard to stop. He even has little control when he sits perfectly still. On a couple of occasions, we've witnessed him sitting in the middle of the living room floor when, suddenly and inexplicably, he tumbled over backwards as though caught offguard by a stiff breeze. Hilarious. When Diane and I go to visit, it takes him a solid half-hour to calm down, then he's fine. I think he's going to be a great dog when he gets a little older, but for now he's out of control, even with the snippity-snip of canine sterilization. I can't imagine the carnage of a roomful of kindergarteners he'd leave in his path, even with an adult trying to hold him down. Kindergarten chaos would ensue as 5-6 year-olds scurry over one another looking for cover. Not a pretty sight.

I thought we were going to have quite a time trying to talk Kyra out of taking Rex to Show and Tell, but we didn't. I think she knows and understands how spastic he can get, and though she pouted for a couple of minutes, she conceded. She opted instead to take a Barbie fashion head, where you can style her hair and apply makeup...you know, one of those messy toys I haven't seen her play with since Christmas that clogs up her closet until we give it away to Goodwill. Good to see it's been rediscovered and is getting some use.

I loaded the head in a black and yellow "Wheel of Fortune" duffle bag that I got from work and we headed off to school. (It's really morbid when you think about it...a head in a duffle bag? Oops. I'm just glad we didn't get pulled over on the way to school.) When I drop her off, I like to watch her walk in just to see what she does. She usually meanders to her classroom, distracted by butterflies or bugs, stuff on the ground, or other kids on their way to school. Today, though, she was focused and walked briskly with a purpose: she needed to get to her classroom and hide the Wheel of Fortune duffle before her classmates arrived. She wanted her Show and Tell to be a surprise, even though no one knew what was inside the duffle. She cracks me up.

It was one of those moments where she was so excited and proud that I couldn't help but be excited for her and proud of her as well. I laughed to myself as she faded from sight and I drove away. I can't wait to hear about how it went.