"What was your favorite part?"

At bedtime each night, Lena postpones the inevitable by asking me or her daddy to "stay for one minute" to talk about the day.  She asks, "Mommy, what was your favorite part?" and I tell her some moment of fun we had together, or something new she did that I was proud of of her for... or if I'm feeling particularly tired and ready for her to go to bed already, occasionally I'll say "naptime!" 

Last night we were having this usual conversation (as she turned about in her pack n play, where she's still insisting she sleep instead of her big girl bed, oy!) and I asked her what her favorite part of the day was.  She told me that it was "checking the mail."  Not her playdate, making an art project, playing with mommy, counting the peas inside her sugar snap peas or anything else I would have considered a "meaningful" part of the day.  Why checking the mail???

I'm not quite sure what the answer is.  Maybe it's because last month were excitedly checking it waiting for a movie to arrive that I had ordered.  Or maybe it was because we got a letter yesterday from my friend Leah. Or maybe she just likes the surprise of what's ahead.  Or maybe appreciates the routine of checking the mail.  Who knows??

I don't know if it matters why.  But her response made me feel much better as a mom.  It affirms that I don't have to schedule her into a bazillion enrichment activities or worry about making every moment count as a learning opportunity.  We can be silly, have our routines, and just enjoy the last couple months before the baby comes and disrupts them!  And the mundane can be my favorite part too.