This one's for Denise!

We spent the last day of summer vacation in the pool, me and the kids. While Suzi was napping, I took advantage of some prime floating time, as did Izzy. I drifted by him on my big net raft, and he looked up from the giant turtle upon which he lay and said, "Mom, I'm a little nervous about starting first grade." He ran through a list of crazy reasons, so I started reminding him of friends that were going to be in his class this year (I read the names on the door during orientation the night before).

I asked him if he remembered those people and he said he did, but he didn't know one little boy very well because he came new to school at the end of last year. Izzy told me that the little boy had been very quiet for a few days and didn't play much. I told him that his daddy and I were like that little boy in school, and that people like us needed friendly people like him to help us feel more comfortable.

"You and Sophie are like my friend Denise," I told him. "You're both friendly and outgoing, just like she was. When we were in second grade, she just came right up to me and said, 'Hi, my name is Denise! Want to play?"

Now I actually don't remember how we became friends, but it could have happened like that. Still proved a good object lesson though.

Sophie said, "Mommy, did Denise used to have no hair just like Daddy?"

Seriously, that's what she said. Sophie is CRAZY.

"No," I told her, "Denise has always had lots of dark brown hair."

"You know, Mom," Izzy said, "Your friend Denise is just like my friend Madison: they both have dark hair, a great smile, they're skinny and friendly and they have dark tans."

Now the next time she's having a bad day, I hope she'll remember how awesome she is, especially through the eyes of my sweet little guy!