Swee’Pea has always been a bit self-conscious, which can translate into shyness, when she has been around others. She would get embarrassed if she realized you were watching her while she was singing or dancing or just being silly. Knowing how difficult life can be when trying to overcome shyness, I have tried to encourage the outgoing, silly side of Swee’Pea so that she will feel more comfortable around others and not take herself so seriously. I wasn’t sure if any of this was sinking in.

But today, while driving in the car, Swee’Pea told me she wanted to tell me a story. This is how it went:

“Today, TheMonk and I were drawing with Devin at daycare and I had the green crayon, the red crayon and the black crayon. But then I couldn’t find the red crayon! I looked all around. I looked on the floor, I looked on the table and I couldn’t find it anywhere… Then TheMonk told me that it was in my hand.”

And upon hearing this, I started to laugh. Hard. And before I knew it, Swee’Pea, unlike those times in the past where she would have been embarrassed, joined in with laughter of her own. And as we drove down the highway while giggling ourselves silly, I couldn’t help but feel proud that my little girl now knows how to laugh at herself.

Unless she was laughing at her old man. She’s been known to do that.