a big girl scenario

just as i'd dreaded, i saw IT... my kindergartner in despair in the lunchroom. i raced in 2 minutes late for our lunchdate to see her sitting with a red face buried in her hands. when she looked up at me with a tear-stained face and relief in her eyes, my heart sank. i wished i could've blamed difficult-to-open fruit snacks for her torture but that pathetic look was my fault. i should've been there early. i should've known that her 5 year old brain would overload with this very big girl scenario- what she thought was a mom who forgot the date she'd been begging for and no lunch arriving for her hungry tummy. i hugged and kissed her 20 times- her whirlwind of emotions allowed it despite being in the company of peers! that scene lingered in my thoughts all day (i hugged her over and over) and night (as i recounted it with tears to stover dad). yes, i felt guilty but it was more upsetting to know that stover girl has a whole lot of big girl scenarios ahead of her.