We're all up early before I need to leave for school. The whole family, all in good spirits, is hanging out in the living room.
I'm goofing around with my iPod Touch, messing with Facebook or some other such time-killer, when The Princess climbs into my lap and lays her sparkling baby blues on me.
Something makes me decide to turn on one of her favorite albums on the iPod, and she starts dancing.
Swaying back and forth, grinning from ear to ear, she sits in my lap and "dances" with me through four whole songs.
I sing.
We sway.
She giggles.
I giggle.
The eye contact, the participation, the attention span: I am in awe of this little girl every day of my life.
Leaps and bounds, folks. Leaps. And. Bounds.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Leaps
I'm lying on the couch watching TV, relaxing after school and the ordeal that is grocery shopping these days.
The Princess walks up with an ear-to-ear grin, lifts my tee shirt so she can see my belly, and lowers her face to my skin, stopping just short of blowing a fart noise on me.
Just like I do to her.
She looks up with sparkling eyes and an even bigger grin, as I laugh hysterically. This causes her to do it all over again and again.
Lift shirt, touch lips to belly, pause for reaction, lower shirt.
Lift shirt, touch lips to belly, pause for reaction, lower shirt.
On her own.
No prompting.
Playing a silly game.
Because she wants to.
The Princess walks up with an ear-to-ear grin, lifts my tee shirt so she can see my belly, and lowers her face to my skin, stopping just short of blowing a fart noise on me.
Just like I do to her.
She looks up with sparkling eyes and an even bigger grin, as I laugh hysterically. This causes her to do it all over again and again.
Lift shirt, touch lips to belly, pause for reaction, lower shirt.
Lift shirt, touch lips to belly, pause for reaction, lower shirt.
On her own.
No prompting.
Playing a silly game.
Because she wants to.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Oldest
Today, my oldest baby turns six. I simply can't believe it's been that long. That means I bought my house six years ago May, that I got married six years ago October, and that my life is going by much more quickly than I ever thought it could. I am now beginning to understand those well-meaning folks who have always told me to make sure I savor every moment...because the time seems to speed up as you get older.
But enough of that.
DeeYoJi, Dee, Bubbles, Bun, Run-bun, Madame Blobula (and all of your other nicknames that no one will understand here):
Your mommy loves you very much. Consider this an electronic belly rub, and I'll make sure you get the real thing when I get home.
Happy, happy birthday to my oldest girl (aka my Beautiful, Bodacious Birthday Bun).
But enough of that.
DeeYoJi, Dee, Bubbles, Bun, Run-bun, Madame Blobula (and all of your other nicknames that no one will understand here):
Your mommy loves you very much. Consider this an electronic belly rub, and I'll make sure you get the real thing when I get home.
Happy, happy birthday to my oldest girl (aka my Beautiful, Bodacious Birthday Bun).
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
It's Hard To Be Four
She's finally asleep, and I'm making my way to my own bed. It's been a long night, filled with overload on so many levels.
Before bed time, things were good. I don't know what went wrong.
The first time she woke up crying was at about 11:00, roughly fifteen minutes after my head hit the pillow. I seem to remember drifting off some time after that and waking in a panic to her pained screams from the next room.
She thrashed and kicked, screamed and cried, until...finally...she drifted off into sleep. There were many false starts here: she'd get quiet and calm, only to bust out crying again just as I thought she was asleep.
I hate not knowing what's wrong. Hate. It. With a mad, fiery passion.
Well, crap. My alarm is set to go off in a minute or two. Here's hopin' The Princess's day is better than her night was, and that I can make it through work and school today without a hitch.
Before bed time, things were good. I don't know what went wrong.
The first time she woke up crying was at about 11:00, roughly fifteen minutes after my head hit the pillow. I seem to remember drifting off some time after that and waking in a panic to her pained screams from the next room.
She thrashed and kicked, screamed and cried, until...finally...she drifted off into sleep. There were many false starts here: she'd get quiet and calm, only to bust out crying again just as I thought she was asleep.
I hate not knowing what's wrong. Hate. It. With a mad, fiery passion.
Well, crap. My alarm is set to go off in a minute or two. Here's hopin' The Princess's day is better than her night was, and that I can make it through work and school today without a hitch.
Monday, April 11, 2011
And the Angels Sing
They all told me it went fast, that the pregnancy was the longest part. I politely smiled and nodded, all the while thinking they were nuts. A year is a year is a year, right? Anyone who feels that they are zooming by at a breakneck pace simply isn't taking the time to stop and smell the roses.
That was then.
Now, as I watch The Princess getting bigger every single day, I wonder where the last four years went. I certainly haven't been neglecting my responsibility to stop and smell the roses. Hell, I was out of work for nine months, every moment of which was spent with my family, every moment of which was savored to the fullest.
I am well aware of the fact that The Hubbs and I have been blessed with a charmed life. Since we met, everything has simply fallen into place. All we've had to do is put one foot in front of the other, and life seems to take care of itself. We met and dated for a whopping six months before he proposed to me on a beach in Michigan. Seven months later, we bought our house. A month after that, we were ecstatic to welcome our first fur kid into the family. Another four months, and we were married.
We toodled around the house, making it our own. Seven months after we were married, we welcomed our second fur kid into the family. Less than three months later, I took the test that would change our lives forever.
A whirlwind: that's what those nine months of pregnancy really were. Everyone says it's the longest part, that time when you're waiting to meet the little person who's been kicking you in the tummy. For me, it went so fast. I never felt better in my entire life than when I was pregnant...no morning sickness, very little fatigue, and that didn't come until the last few days if I'm being completely honest. I didn't swell up, didn't even get too many off-the-wall food cravings. Taco Bell, sure, but that's just a day in the life for me.
Then came the last doctor's appointment, that Tuesday evening when I was to report to the office for my final checkup...if I was still pregnant by then, anyway. And, boy, was I pregnant. Forty weeks, and this little person seemed to be hunkering down for a good, long stay. She had no intention whatsoever of leaving her cozy little abode in my enormous swollen tummy.
We packed our bags and dropped The Girls off with The Grumps, knowing that I would be checking into the hospital that very evening. I saw my midwife for the final checkup, and she called ahead to the hospital to let them know I was coming, and that they'd be inducing labor bright and early in the morning. She held our hands and smiled all the way up to her twinkling eyes as she told us we'd meet our little boy or girl in mere hours. At that point, we didn't know if we were to be welcoming a prince or a princess...only that we were eager to meet this little nudger after so many months spent speculating.
Leaving the doctor's office, we decided to have one last high-class meal before becoming parents, so we stopped at the McDonald's across the street from the hospital. We feasted on burgers, fries, and soda. For dessert, we stopped at the gas station for candy bars, and in a moment of pure genius decided to stock up on Gatorade.
Checking in at the hospital, we unpacked our necessities and took care of the most important preparation of all: the music. The entire time we were there, we were joined by Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Ella Fitzgerald. The entire staff of the maternity ward marvelled at how calm and serene our room seemed, and many of them drifted in and out over the next day or so to see what was playing.
After I was set up with all of my monitors, one kindly nurse convinced The Hubbs that he'd get a better night's rest at home in his own bed. After all, she said, I'd need him to be strong and alert the next day. So he headed home.
I fell asleep almost instantly.
At seven o'clock on the nose, on the morning of Wednesday, April 11, 2007, I was awakened by my midwife and the doctor with whom she practices. It was time to induce.
Where, though, was my knight in shining armor?
"Look outside," they told me. "He should be here soon, but you don't want him hurrying through this."
And that's when I saw it: a white-out snow storm in the middle of April. Gotta love the midwest! I spoke to The Hubbs on his way to the hospital, and he assured me he'd be there soon enough.
Over the next nine hours and forty-some minutes, we were again joined by our jazz greats. I was told that I was doing great, oh, I don't know...maybe seven hundred times? All I could think was how badly I wanted to meet this little person, and, even when I nearly broke The Hubbs' hand during a contraction, I was giddy with excitement.
At just before 4:45 pm on this day, to the tune of "And the Angels Sing" by Benny Goodman and his band, the axis of my world shifted. She was here. She was mine. She was, is, everything - and more than - I ever could have wished for.
My Princess.
Baby girl, your momma loves you more than you could ever possibly know. The day you were born, you flipped a switch in me. Nothing else, as long as I live, will ever matter to me as much as you do. You are my sun, my moon, my everything.
I am so proud of you, it's beyond my ability to put it into words. I see the beautiful little girl you're becoming, and your sweet and sometimes teasing nature is truly something to behold. Your laugh, your smile, every little thing about you just makes me burst with pride.
When I was a kid, everyone always asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. At five years old, I told them that when I was 25, I would be married, have a house and a dog, and I'd be a mommy. Interestingly enough, I was mostly right. At 25, I was married with a house and two dogs, and you were growing in my tummy. Less than three weeks after I turned 26, you made all my dreams come true.
Dreams so big, so wonderful, that I never in a million years would have dared to dream them.
Every day since then, dear Princess, has been even better than the one before. I never knew how much one could learn from a person who is so small. Never again will I make the mistake of underestimating the power of anyone on this earth...especially you.
For if you've been able to teach me so much already, how in the world could you possibly be done?
Up until the day I met you face to face, I had absolutely no worldly idea how much love there was in my heart. Now, every time I look into your sparkling eyes, that love continues to grow.
Today, my sweet little Princess, you turn four years old. These have been, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the best four years of my life thus far.
I love you. Happy, happy birthday, Princess. Thank you for being you.
That was then.
Now, as I watch The Princess getting bigger every single day, I wonder where the last four years went. I certainly haven't been neglecting my responsibility to stop and smell the roses. Hell, I was out of work for nine months, every moment of which was spent with my family, every moment of which was savored to the fullest.
I am well aware of the fact that The Hubbs and I have been blessed with a charmed life. Since we met, everything has simply fallen into place. All we've had to do is put one foot in front of the other, and life seems to take care of itself. We met and dated for a whopping six months before he proposed to me on a beach in Michigan. Seven months later, we bought our house. A month after that, we were ecstatic to welcome our first fur kid into the family. Another four months, and we were married.
We toodled around the house, making it our own. Seven months after we were married, we welcomed our second fur kid into the family. Less than three months later, I took the test that would change our lives forever.
A whirlwind: that's what those nine months of pregnancy really were. Everyone says it's the longest part, that time when you're waiting to meet the little person who's been kicking you in the tummy. For me, it went so fast. I never felt better in my entire life than when I was pregnant...no morning sickness, very little fatigue, and that didn't come until the last few days if I'm being completely honest. I didn't swell up, didn't even get too many off-the-wall food cravings. Taco Bell, sure, but that's just a day in the life for me.
Then came the last doctor's appointment, that Tuesday evening when I was to report to the office for my final checkup...if I was still pregnant by then, anyway. And, boy, was I pregnant. Forty weeks, and this little person seemed to be hunkering down for a good, long stay. She had no intention whatsoever of leaving her cozy little abode in my enormous swollen tummy.
We packed our bags and dropped The Girls off with The Grumps, knowing that I would be checking into the hospital that very evening. I saw my midwife for the final checkup, and she called ahead to the hospital to let them know I was coming, and that they'd be inducing labor bright and early in the morning. She held our hands and smiled all the way up to her twinkling eyes as she told us we'd meet our little boy or girl in mere hours. At that point, we didn't know if we were to be welcoming a prince or a princess...only that we were eager to meet this little nudger after so many months spent speculating.
Leaving the doctor's office, we decided to have one last high-class meal before becoming parents, so we stopped at the McDonald's across the street from the hospital. We feasted on burgers, fries, and soda. For dessert, we stopped at the gas station for candy bars, and in a moment of pure genius decided to stock up on Gatorade.
Checking in at the hospital, we unpacked our necessities and took care of the most important preparation of all: the music. The entire time we were there, we were joined by Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Ella Fitzgerald. The entire staff of the maternity ward marvelled at how calm and serene our room seemed, and many of them drifted in and out over the next day or so to see what was playing.
After I was set up with all of my monitors, one kindly nurse convinced The Hubbs that he'd get a better night's rest at home in his own bed. After all, she said, I'd need him to be strong and alert the next day. So he headed home.
I fell asleep almost instantly.
At seven o'clock on the nose, on the morning of Wednesday, April 11, 2007, I was awakened by my midwife and the doctor with whom she practices. It was time to induce.
Where, though, was my knight in shining armor?
"Look outside," they told me. "He should be here soon, but you don't want him hurrying through this."
And that's when I saw it: a white-out snow storm in the middle of April. Gotta love the midwest! I spoke to The Hubbs on his way to the hospital, and he assured me he'd be there soon enough.
Over the next nine hours and forty-some minutes, we were again joined by our jazz greats. I was told that I was doing great, oh, I don't know...maybe seven hundred times? All I could think was how badly I wanted to meet this little person, and, even when I nearly broke The Hubbs' hand during a contraction, I was giddy with excitement.
At just before 4:45 pm on this day, to the tune of "And the Angels Sing" by Benny Goodman and his band, the axis of my world shifted. She was here. She was mine. She was, is, everything - and more than - I ever could have wished for.
My Princess.
Baby girl, your momma loves you more than you could ever possibly know. The day you were born, you flipped a switch in me. Nothing else, as long as I live, will ever matter to me as much as you do. You are my sun, my moon, my everything.
I am so proud of you, it's beyond my ability to put it into words. I see the beautiful little girl you're becoming, and your sweet and sometimes teasing nature is truly something to behold. Your laugh, your smile, every little thing about you just makes me burst with pride.
When I was a kid, everyone always asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. At five years old, I told them that when I was 25, I would be married, have a house and a dog, and I'd be a mommy. Interestingly enough, I was mostly right. At 25, I was married with a house and two dogs, and you were growing in my tummy. Less than three weeks after I turned 26, you made all my dreams come true.
Dreams so big, so wonderful, that I never in a million years would have dared to dream them.
Every day since then, dear Princess, has been even better than the one before. I never knew how much one could learn from a person who is so small. Never again will I make the mistake of underestimating the power of anyone on this earth...especially you.
For if you've been able to teach me so much already, how in the world could you possibly be done?
Up until the day I met you face to face, I had absolutely no worldly idea how much love there was in my heart. Now, every time I look into your sparkling eyes, that love continues to grow.
Today, my sweet little Princess, you turn four years old. These have been, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the best four years of my life thus far.
I love you. Happy, happy birthday, Princess. Thank you for being you.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Precursor
Tomorrow, The Princess will turn four.
Over the last few months, The Hubbs and I have found great joy in letting her choose her own gifts from us by setting her loose in her favorite toy store and buying the one item - whatever it may be - that she can't live without on that particular day.
Yesterday, The Grumps and I took The Princess to this toy store, where she chose a Melissa & Doug jewelry beading set as her present from them.
Since we had just been there terrorizing the lovely staff of her favorite store yesterday, The Hubbs and I decided that today might be a day for a different shopping destination. We headed to our nearest Toys "R" Us, where The Princess proceeded to fall head-over-heels in love with this adorable little pink 12" girls' bike.
A bike, huh? I can deal with that.
So we decided to do a little bit of shopping around, and this is what we came up with:
After riding it all through the store, The Princess sat patiently in line (key word: PATIENTLY) and allowed the nice cashier to zap it. She then rode all the way out to the car with The Hubbs and me, and allowed us to put it in the trunk without a fight.
And then we got home. As soon as she got out of her car seat, well, I'll let her show ya:
That little Elvis-style curled lip just kills me. It's like she's saying, "Thank you, thankyouverymuch."
She hasn't quite figured out the whole pedaling thing yet, but my guess is that it won't be long. :)
Over the last few months, The Hubbs and I have found great joy in letting her choose her own gifts from us by setting her loose in her favorite toy store and buying the one item - whatever it may be - that she can't live without on that particular day.
Yesterday, The Grumps and I took The Princess to this toy store, where she chose a Melissa & Doug jewelry beading set as her present from them.
Since we had just been there terrorizing the lovely staff of her favorite store yesterday, The Hubbs and I decided that today might be a day for a different shopping destination. We headed to our nearest Toys "R" Us, where The Princess proceeded to fall head-over-heels in love with this adorable little pink 12" girls' bike.
A bike, huh? I can deal with that.
So we decided to do a little bit of shopping around, and this is what we came up with:
After riding it all through the store, The Princess sat patiently in line (key word: PATIENTLY) and allowed the nice cashier to zap it. She then rode all the way out to the car with The Hubbs and me, and allowed us to put it in the trunk without a fight.
And then we got home. As soon as she got out of her car seat, well, I'll let her show ya:
That little Elvis-style curled lip just kills me. It's like she's saying, "Thank you, thankyouverymuch."
She hasn't quite figured out the whole pedaling thing yet, but my guess is that it won't be long. :)
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