Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Ten things I love about my daughters right now

1. Every time I get Daisy dressed to go out, if I blink my eyes she strips and dresses up in a princess dress.

2. No matter what’s happening in the evening, when J walks into the door Lily drops everything to greet him with a hug.

3. We read chapter books regularly – Daisy gets one to two chapters before naptime from a book she and I read together (recently finished Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and starting Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon). Surprisingly, she is retaining some of the plot lines.

4. Lily really likes playing in water. And mud. And dirt. Really, anything messy.

5. Daisy has a couple dozen books and a seemingly limitless number of songs and rhymes memorized. She is constantly dragging a picture book of the shelf and “reading” it out loud – every word perfect.

6. After 13 months of reading daily to her, Lily is finally sitting still long enough to snuggle up and read a couple of picture books together. I love that snuggle time. Her favorite is Happy Birthday Mouse. She always claps when Mouse gets the cookie.

7. Daisy lives in a world all her own. Yesterday she told me a story that involved a polar bear, a dragon and a princess together on a lunar rover. She is particularly interested in Rapunzel and Thumbelina, so just about every story features someone named Rapunzel and/or Thumbelina as well.

8. Lily is a big believer in giving spontaneous kisses. It melts my heart every single time.

9. Lily’s one-year molars have finally cut through; along with four other teeth. After several rather painful weeks, I am happy to report that my sweet baby girl, who smiles and sleeps through the night, is back.

10. Yesterday, while at the checkout at Whole Foods, Daisy greeted the cashier with, “Hey Bebe, What’s Smokin’.” I just about died of mortification.

Tuesday, March 05, 2013

36 months

My darling monkey,

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I have been pondering for days on the exact way I should begin your letter. Should I open with a tidbit about your blossoming creative imaginative play? Or a dissertation about the extraordinary intellectual leaps you are making? A list of ways in which your vocabulary is developing; for example, last week you used the word “melancholy” contextually correct. (MELANCHOLY!) Or how most people gasp when they hear you are just three after hearing how articulate, expressive and polite you are. (“What shall we do now, Momma?” or “I’m not quite ready, Momma” SHALL! QUITE!)

Or should I instead start this letter talking about your newfound love of artful self-expression? Your obsession with “writing letters.” Should I tell you about the ways your eyes light up when you see collage materials and glue on the table after naptime? Should I make jokes about your love affair with glitter? Should I tell you about the many, many afternoons you spend with a paintbrush in hand, painting picture after picture. Or perhaps, I should try and explain the sheer giddiness exuding from you when you cut the junk mail.

Maybe I should relay your love of ballet and tap. How you constantly dance around the room practicing first position and shuffle ball change as you sway your arms and move to whatever music you hear. Maybe I should discuss your obsession with all things fantasy – your fascination with your princess dresses to your constant appeals to go “mermaid watching.” Or maybe I should tell you how adorable it is seeing you mimic our daily activities – from seeing you sweep the back patio to making dinner for daddy with your play kitchen to giving your dolls a bath because they are “smelly.” Or maybe I should tell you how proud of you I was after your first swim lesson, you listened and followed directions and loved every second of being in the water, your first time without me.

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Or maybe I should tell you how incredible it has been to see you grow as a loving big sister. Maybe I should tell you how much it makes my heart sing watching you love on Lily. Maybe I should tell you how you reached out and comforted her when she received her one-year vaccinations: “Sissy, it’s okay, be brave like me, I’ll hold your hand.” Your empathy astounds me.

Or maybe I should tell you how much joy it brings me to see your fascination with and connection with the outdoors. Maybe I should focus on how much I love our lazy sunny afternoons where we wander down to the green open space and watch the creek bubble by under the wooden bridge. Or how much we love to picnic, or watch your love of hiking and running and long walks develop. Or maybe I should tell you about the elaborate stories you concoct with only a single flower as your inspiration.

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It’s all so amazing, so unbelievably amazing, that I cannot even begin to capture the magic of this age with you in words.

I love you more than all the stars in the sky and the water in the ocean.

Love, Momma