1 Mother 2 Another

Maddie’s had trouble with her lovey
being at school; if she brings it, she has a tendency to want to
take it out and snuggle with it. During class time. And when
Maddie’s got Silky in her hands, she goes into a coma-like
trance, only barely able to listen to the outside world. I find
that the days Maddie would leave Silky at home, she’d finish
the day much more alert and attentive, and I tried for a long time
to get her to leave it alone.


Finally I went with the tried-and-true parenting method of
bribery.

When on vacation in Colorado last summer,
Maddie rode a horse for the first and only time in her life, and
some time in April I told Maddie that if she could leave Silky
alone in her book bag for the rest of the school year, I’d
take her horseback riding.


Guess where Silky stayed?


Of course, I’d promised her horseback riding without
bothering to check and see if anyone would allow a six-year-old
girl to go out on a trail ride on an actual horse, not pony, and
it’s taken me a while to make good on that promise.


But this morning Maddie and I are headed out on a custom trail ride
just for us. I found a stable not far from here (no cracks about it
being Texas and isn’t there a horse in every back yard?) that
is willing to let Maddie out on a trail ride for an hour. My girl
is so excited she can’t stand it: she picked out her favorite
jeans and (almost) matching shirt last night, and set aside her
pink cowgirl hat to go with it. We’re riding early to avoid
the worst of the heat, and I’m pretty sure she’s going
to be awake when I head upstairs to get her in a second.


Have I mentioned that sometimes I love this job?