My Kid is NOT going to be a Serial Killer....probably

Camdyn and I spent the last two weeks plugging away on a little book called "Ramona & Beezus."  I went to the library looking for "The Indian in the Cupboard" but couldn't get my hands on it, so we settled for Ramona.  I remember reading all the Beverly Cleary books as a child, and thought this would be a great 1st non-picture book for her. 

And then, by chance, I saw a commercial for the movie.  Perfect Timing! 

We finished the book on Saturday night, so yesterday I took Camdyn to see the movie.  This is also the first non-cartoony movie she's seen at the theater.  We crunched on popcorn and sipped on soda as the movie played on.  She laughed at all the right places, and asked questions in a voice far louder than a whisper.

And, then it happened. She showed me that she is indeed her mother's child, and that she inherited my sensitive, sappy, and emotional side. Toward the end of the movie there is a scene where Ramona decides to run away because she is fed up with always messing things up. Her mother helps her pack her suitcase and sends her off. She walks down the street and is waiting at the bus stop, when her mother's voice blares from the baby monitor (weird, cause those aren't two-way radios, but whatever) in her suitcase. Then, the bus moves, and Ramona's family is standing there. At this point, Camdyn bursts in to tears. I'm not talking about one big crocodile tear rolling down her cheek, I'm talking sobbing. She even buried her head in to my chest as she cried. Now, it was definitely a tear jerky kind of moment, my eyes were misty, but when Cam started to cry, I. Lost. It. 

It was such as sweet moment.

When, we got home we talked about the movie, the cat that died in the movie (no tears at that part), and about Ramona's wild imagination, and about the "happy tears" at the end of the movie. 

I was pretty much floored that a child her age (4 1/2) could empathize with a character to the point where she was moved to tears.  That she could place herself in Ramona's shoes, and imagine all of the feelings that Ramona was feeling, and then display them.

Camdyn on the "Mermaid Rock."  Usually when we walk by this rock in our neighbor's yard, she climbs on it and starts belting "Up where they walk, up where they run, up where they play all day in the sun..." 

And because of that gift, that ability to feel for others, I deduce that Camdyn will more than likely not be a Serial Killer, or an animal abuser, and she'll probably grow up to be a compassionate and albeit sappy writer. 

Like Mother.  Like Daughter.