Encouraging Words

We unpacked our boxes of games recently. My girl decided there were some fun looking ones, and that we should play one a couple days ago. We pulled out a game called 'Penguin Pile Up', in which you balance as many penguins as you can on top of a wobbly iceberg. She had some trouble stacking them, so she just ended up handing each penguin to me and having me stack them while she watched. Occassionally some penguins fall down. At one point I had all but 3 of the 25 penguins perched on the iceberg, when disaster struck and they all came crashing down. Elise, my wonderful girl, turned to me and said enthusiastically, "Keep trying Mama!" I told her I thought I needed a break, and that she could have a turn. She had decided that what I needed wasn't a break, it was to get back up on the horse that had kicked me off. She looked at me with her big smile and said, "Keep trying Mama! You can do it! Keep trying!" Then she came over, put her arms around me and said, "You the best mama ever! You can do it! Keep trying Mama! Keep trying!"
With all that encouragement, how could I say no? So of course I kept trying to pile the penguins on their iceberg. After a couple more minutes, we decided to change the rules of the game. Each of us got to pick a penguin, then have that penguin hop to the top of the iceberg where the red flag is situated.
We would cheer for the penguin and then it would get to slide down the iceberg while shouting, "WEEEEEEEEEE!!!" Elise liked this game much better, and we had a great time finally playing all together. My girl is so special, and is such a great cheerleader, that she makes me feel like I could do anything, since she believes in me. She is a wonderful girl!!!! I love her loads and loads!!!!!