"Aba"

Sam is in love. Her name is Ava but he sweetly calls her "Aba." He's in love and Mama's heart is broken. I was certainly not prepared for him to become interested in girls at the tender age of 2 and a half. But it happened. Saturday at our party Sam met Ava and he fell for this sweet little girl. Ava has been to our house a couple of times before...her Dad went to school with Ally and me and Ally is still friends with him and his wife. Ava is older than Sam by a few years but sweetly plays with him and all the younger kids. I remember at our Fantasy Football party all the older boys followed her around like little puppies. Cade and Cole hung on her every word.

And now she has mesmerized my Sam. She sat beside him on the hayride and when we all got off to get pumpkins she ended up on the other side when we all sat back down. Sam asked me where the "hurt lady" was. I didn't understand him and so he pointed to his arm and said "the hurt lady." You see, Ava's arm is broken and she has a bright pink cast. I showed Sam that Ava was sitting on the other side now and he said, "No, Mama. Aba sit with me." Little did I know this would not be the only time he asked for her.

Later I looked to find Sam and Ava riding in the wagon. Sam had managed to get in the wagon with her and talked Cannon into pulling them both around. Sam's Daddy will be proud of his ability to manage that. When Ava grew tired of the wagon ride she ran into the backyard to play on the swingset and she had two little boys tagging close behind. Sam and Cannon both proceeded to follow her around the play area, hanging on her every word and movement.

That evening after everyone went home, Sam looked at me with panic and said,
"Mommy, I lost her."
I thought he was speaking of a toy or stuffed animal.
"Who, Sam?"
"The girl with the hurt arm, mommy."
Gulp. I am not ready for this I thought. Jody and I asked Sam about "Aba". He told us he liked her because she was "so, so nice."

All day Sunday "Aba" wasn't mentioned. Then it happened. We were all snug in bed ...Sam and Jody watching John Deere Days and me reading. And he thought about her.
"Mommy, I want that girl to come to my house."
"What girl?"
"Aba. The girl with the pink arm."
I was reading the new book about Jon and Kate plus 8 (my favorite show) and he pointed to Hannah, one of the 4 year old sextuplets, and said, "There she is Mommy. There's Aba."
Hannah is half Asian so there really is no resemblance but she does have dark hair like Ava and he was convinced it was her.
"She's my girlfriend, Mommy."
Gulp. Gulp.

I had no idea I could be jealous of a preschooler but I am. Pitiful, huh? A sweet little girl with dark hair and freckles and a bright pink cast. Yes, she has stolen Sam's heart. And I am trying to cope...