DD and I went to my parents’ farm for our “Special Sunday” (where the ex and I split up the twins so we have one-on-one time with each) and had our first overnight there, just the two of us. When I suggested an overnight stay to DD, I didn’t think she would be receptive because DS wouldn’t be there with us but she was very excited about sleeping in the “pink room” (Guess what colour the walls are in that spare room?).
When we got there, Grampa and Noni were building a room and DD was right in there helping out. Soon DD was decked out in a yellow hard hat and a gardening belt to hold screws in, and was being Grampa’s helper, handing him screws whenever he needed them. She would help Noni bring in more wood as needed for construction. All around, a GREAT helper!
After about two hours of that (what kid has that kind of attention span?!), she started getting bored so she and I went for a walk along the path at the back of the farm. We were checking out all the flowers, birds and nature along the path. At one point, DD threw her hands in the air and declared “Nature is sssoooo beautiful!”.
That night, as I was putting her to bed, it dawned on me that she was literally sleeping in my childhood bed. My heart became overwhelmed. The bedding was even the same summer sheets I had growing up! Only my mother can keep sheets for 20 years and they still look new…it’s a skill, I tell you! 
Before DD went to bed, she told Grampa, Noni and I that she had “to do homework for Grade 1 as soon as I wake up”. Umm…you’re in SK and it’s May, but okay. We put a pad of paper and pencil in the pink room for her and, first thing in the morning, she came into the room I was sleeping in and told me that she didn’t have a pen (one of the cats had used it as a toy overnight) so I went searching for a pen at 6am, and she spent the next half hour in the pink room, at the desk, doing her “homework”. It was full of numbers and math signs! How awesome is that?!!
There were so many moments during our trip to my parents’ where I was just amazed at how grown up my 5yo DD is, and I’m so thankful to be able to get to know her more each and every time we have a special day together.
