Gia kisses a boy!

Well, it happened. At just 16 months, my little girl hugged and kissed a boy! His name is Rafa, and he’s a really adorable, affectionate, expressive, smart and playful boy, about 3 weeks younger than she. We met Rafa and his mom Allison at a Gymboree class about a month ago, and he was the one she liked. Gia tends to be interested in looking at all kids, but is quite particular about whom she wants to play with.

I like Allison and Rafa a lot, too ... she's kind and generous, we are very compatible in our beliefs and behaviors, and Gia and I feel very at home with them. The four of us had a playdate at the park a couple of weeks ago. And yesterday, we had a joyful 3-hour playdate at their house. The two kids engaged in some remarkably graceful parallel play, as well as direct play with each other and the mammas.

We were all playing with a plushy stuffed soccer ball in the wide, sunlit hallway ... Gia got in my lap to give me a hug and kiss, and then Rafa (who’d been coming to sit in my lap and hug me on and off) saw this and came into my lap, too. They turned to each other and ... kissed. And hugged.

Adorable.

She said "bye" to him all the way home and AT home about 20 minutes after we left, until she fell asleep.