Thanks to an extremely understanding employer I'm working from home this week in order to be with Sydney over the period of time between the end of the regular school year and the beginning of summer school. As you can imagine, it hasn't been without it's challenges. We took some time yesterday to go and visit a friend I haven't seen in about a year. It was a little stressful for Sydney because she's afraid of dogs (something I've known for about a year but can't figure out because up until a couple of years ago we've always had dogs at our house). It took a short stay in the kitchen for little Nino and a little coaxing for Sydney but eventually we got in the door and they both adjusted (somewhat). Sydney surprised me by saying "seven" when we got situated at my friends house, which I took to be a request to pay a visit to my aunt who lives on the seventh floor. She spent some time there last summer and, apparently, enjoyed herself. A visit to my aunt, however, was not on my agenda. It was on Sydney's though, which she later expressed while we attempted to walk to the store by taking off on me, running back into the building, gaining access through the main entry behind someone else and entering the elevator on her own. The man that had let her in must have thought I was insane the way I was banging on the glass and commanding him to let me in before the elevator door closed. I pressed the button right in the knick of time but wow... Scary. We haven't had big scares like that in a long time. I was still shaking with adrenaline when I bumped into my best friend from elementary and high school with her daughter who is just about a year older than Sydney. I feel bad that I wasn't able to really engage with her, it was pretty awkward... I nervously babbled something about the whole incident to her but she didn't really get it. That doesn't REALLY bother me but it made me feel a little sad because she and I had always expected that our daughters would be close like we were. Our lives have led us in different directions though. I admit it has me feeling a little left out and a little sad that maybe Sydney does too. I don't think I'd mind so much if I had some friends who did understand... Anyway, on a lighter note, I managed to get Sydney's hair braided over just a couple of days, even though it's typically a week long project. I owe it all to YouTube and Sydney's one-to-one aide who taught her how to use a computer this year. I was so impressed with how she could type in "once" and find "Once Upon a Dream" and then click on the related videos of her choosing. I'm so proud of her and I know she's excited about her ability to be independent in the activity. I should also add that she adjusted to using a laptop as apposed to the single-click Apple mouse that she uses at school. Impressive!