My Social Butterfly

I took munchkin to the doctor today to have a rash looked at (we're still waiting on test results to find out if it's strep or, more likely, just a virus.) Since it was a same-day appointment, we ended up waiting around in the waiting room for a good forty minutes before getting to go into an exam room. The waiting room at our pediatrician's office is pretty small; there are maybe 30 chairs total, a fish tank, a few tables, and a tv mounted to the wall. The room is small enough that you can always see anyone else in the waiting room, which was heaven for a social butterfly like Audia.
I've always known that Audia was a friendly kid, but seeing her in action today was a lot of fun for me. I would even go as far as to say that it was a bit of an eye-opener. It's pretty rare that I get to really watch and hear her interact with kids she doesn't know; when we're at a playgound or play area at the mall, it's not like I'm following around behind her the whole time. She does her own thing, and I keep an eye from a distance. Being able to sit back and watch her do her thing, while being able to hear her the whole time was a treat.
There were a handful of kids who went through while we were waiting, none older than 6 or 7, I would guess. And every kid that came in, she walked right up and said a friendly "hi!" to. She helped a younger boy, maybe 2 or 3 years old, take off his jacket while his mom filled out a form. She showed another little girl who was 18 months ("She's the same age as my brother, Callen!" She told her mom,) the fish in the tank, naming each one's color. And she asked a girl, about a year older than her, about Kindergarten. I was so impressed, not only by her outgoing-ness (as I was, and still am, pretty shy with strangers,) but by her ability to adapt her interactions based on the age of the child she was interacting with. A lot of kids her age like to talk about themselves, and don't get me wrong, Audia loves to tell people all about her brother and Spiderman and her My Little Ponies. But the majority of her interactions with these other kids were about them, not her, and it was a bit of an eye-opener. Maybe even a little peek into her future. I only hope that she'll maintain her outgoing nature while also gaining a healthy understanding of "stranger danger." I hope that no bullies or bad experiences with other kids will squelch her brave, social nature. And I cannot wait to see what she does with her interest in and empathy towards others. Keep flying, my girl! I can't wait to see where the wind takes you!