Statues and Birth Defects

Last weekend, we attended a surprise 30th birthday party for a neighbor of ours. Kids were welcome as our neighbor had activities for the kids to do. Other neighbors that we have hung out with outside were there as well. One of their daughters has a birth defect, her right hand is deformed. I guess Ashley had never noticed it before when we have been playing with them. But in the confined room we were in, the girls all decided to hold hands and run around the room. Needless to say, Ashley became fascinated with her right hand. She kept trying to hold it and stared at it. I assume this is normal for her age. Then they had a group activity to do and all the kids lined up. Ashley then turned to me and said, "Mommy, she has a little hand." I wanted to dig a hole and bury myself. Instead, I discreetly pulled Ashley aside and explained to her that people come in a all shapes and sizes, and some people will be very different from you and I. I think some of it sank in as she left her alone the rest of the time.

The other thing that happened at the party involved Ashley and a decorative statue of a golfer that was in the room we were. The statue was exactly Ashley's height. So off went Ashley to talk to the "golfer." Talking turned into giving the golfer a hug, then kissing the golfer before Ray and I put a stop to the molesting of the statue. I wish I had my camera with me!