I want to set the record straight on something. I HATE being away from you, Petra Sky.
Ever since you and daddy started staying with Grandma and Grandaddy, and I've been forced to stay here in Henderson so I can finish out my time at my current job, I have been a miserable mommy. I miss you more than you can ever imagine. I stand in your room sometimes and choke back tears because I feel like a part of me is missing. I can't imagine what it must be like for parents who are divorced and this is the way it is all the time - only seeing their children on the weekends. It's just not worth it! I feel like you are growing up without me, even though it's only been a very short time. Your sweet little voice on the telephone makes my heart ache. When we are together on the weekends, I love cuddling up to you and holding you. I love all the kisses you give so freely.
This whole process is hard on you, and that hurts me too. You don't understand why I have to be away from you and daddy. You don't understand why we had to leave our home and why we still haven't found a 'new house'. You don't understand why daddy is sad all the time or why mommy can't play with you sometimes because she has to spend time 'helping' him feel better. How can I explain depression to a four-year-old? How can I explain a struggling economy, or job loss, or a bad real estate market? I try. I try hard. I tell you that it's not your fault. You haven't done anything wrong. You are good and smart and wonderful and beautiful and things won't always be like this. We won't always be apart.
I promise.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Moving is Hard to Do
Moving. It seems to be the story of my life, but I really had hoped it wouldn't be the story of yours.
When we came to South Henderson, I really had thought this was going to be someplace we could be long term. The church has been such a good fit for all of us - you included. I remember when we first came and you were SO shy. You wouldn't talk to anyone, you hid behind my legs in apparent terror when anyone tried to speak to you. I was really worried that you would never really adapt to this big new world with so many strangers in it.
But you have adapted...beautifully. You love your Wednesday night Rainbows teachers, Ms. Shelia, Ms. Kathy, and Ms. Heather. You love all the ladies on the Kings Kids teacher rotation. You made a very special friendship with our Senior's Pastor's wife, Ms. Peggy. You have played with Pastor Rhonda and the secretary Ms. Jeannene. And you've even come to love and accept many of the teenagers (I think our drummer, Adam, will always be your image of 'Prince Charming'!)
Of course you've been blessed with friends your age as well. Madision is your best friend - you two are inseparable at church. At times the promise of seeing Madision was the only thing that would get you out of the bed in the morning (my little night owl!). You have grown to love the children in your class at Great Beginnings. You call Kyra and Sierra your 'sisters' and have told me rather definitively that you are going to marry R.J. when you both get 'grown up.' Daycare was another thing I had worried about, but you showed me just how adaptable you can be.
Now we're moving. It wasn't something we wanted. It's very hard on all of us to let go of these wonderful relationships we've built here. You are pretty ticked off about the whole thing: "Why do we have to move?" "But I like our house!" "I'm going to miss my friends in Ms. Twanda's class..." "I don't want to go to a new church!" "Are they (all the church people) coming with us?" One of the sweetest - and most heartbreaking - things you have said came up when I offered to paint your bedroom pink when we move into a new house. You said, "Well, that's okay, but I want you to paint a picture of me and Madision and Adam and Brittany on the wall. We will all be princesses, except for Adam. He can be a prince because he's a boy." Every time I think about that I tear up.
It's been hard for you since my daddy died and through all the emotional roller coaster since. You don't understand why mommy and daddy are sad so much. You don't understand why you and daddy are staying with Grandma and Grandaddy, while I have to keep working in Henderson during the week. It's tough. I hate being away from you more than you can even imagine. When I get to come to Sanford on the weekends, I don't want to ever let you go. I am trying to look back at how well you adapted to our new life in Henderson and believe that God will help you to have the same reseliancy in our new life in Sanford. I think it will help that we will be close to Grammy and Grandma and Grandaddy and all of our extended family.
Being a pastor's kid just doesn't lend itself to the stability that I had when I was growing up. I don't remember the first house I lived in. I've seen pictures of it - a trailer in Hearn's Mobile Home Park at the end of MeMa's road. All of my memories are tied up in the home that Grammy lives in now - where I lived from the time I was 3 years old until I graduated from high school. Your daddy on the other hand lived in several different places growing up - Pembroke, Chocawinity, Fayettville, and Sanford. I can't say that one way of growing up is better than the other. I just hope that God will help me to always create postive experiences whenever we have to move. I also hope that you will learn as you grow older that home is where your family is, no matter what town that may be and Christ is our stability at all times, no matter what changes we face.
So let's start packing!
When we came to South Henderson, I really had thought this was going to be someplace we could be long term. The church has been such a good fit for all of us - you included. I remember when we first came and you were SO shy. You wouldn't talk to anyone, you hid behind my legs in apparent terror when anyone tried to speak to you. I was really worried that you would never really adapt to this big new world with so many strangers in it.
But you have adapted...beautifully. You love your Wednesday night Rainbows teachers, Ms. Shelia, Ms. Kathy, and Ms. Heather. You love all the ladies on the Kings Kids teacher rotation. You made a very special friendship with our Senior's Pastor's wife, Ms. Peggy. You have played with Pastor Rhonda and the secretary Ms. Jeannene. And you've even come to love and accept many of the teenagers (I think our drummer, Adam, will always be your image of 'Prince Charming'!)
Of course you've been blessed with friends your age as well. Madision is your best friend - you two are inseparable at church. At times the promise of seeing Madision was the only thing that would get you out of the bed in the morning (my little night owl!). You have grown to love the children in your class at Great Beginnings. You call Kyra and Sierra your 'sisters' and have told me rather definitively that you are going to marry R.J. when you both get 'grown up.' Daycare was another thing I had worried about, but you showed me just how adaptable you can be.
Now we're moving. It wasn't something we wanted. It's very hard on all of us to let go of these wonderful relationships we've built here. You are pretty ticked off about the whole thing: "Why do we have to move?" "But I like our house!" "I'm going to miss my friends in Ms. Twanda's class..." "I don't want to go to a new church!" "Are they (all the church people) coming with us?" One of the sweetest - and most heartbreaking - things you have said came up when I offered to paint your bedroom pink when we move into a new house. You said, "Well, that's okay, but I want you to paint a picture of me and Madision and Adam and Brittany on the wall. We will all be princesses, except for Adam. He can be a prince because he's a boy." Every time I think about that I tear up.
It's been hard for you since my daddy died and through all the emotional roller coaster since. You don't understand why mommy and daddy are sad so much. You don't understand why you and daddy are staying with Grandma and Grandaddy, while I have to keep working in Henderson during the week. It's tough. I hate being away from you more than you can even imagine. When I get to come to Sanford on the weekends, I don't want to ever let you go. I am trying to look back at how well you adapted to our new life in Henderson and believe that God will help you to have the same reseliancy in our new life in Sanford. I think it will help that we will be close to Grammy and Grandma and Grandaddy and all of our extended family.
Being a pastor's kid just doesn't lend itself to the stability that I had when I was growing up. I don't remember the first house I lived in. I've seen pictures of it - a trailer in Hearn's Mobile Home Park at the end of MeMa's road. All of my memories are tied up in the home that Grammy lives in now - where I lived from the time I was 3 years old until I graduated from high school. Your daddy on the other hand lived in several different places growing up - Pembroke, Chocawinity, Fayettville, and Sanford. I can't say that one way of growing up is better than the other. I just hope that God will help me to always create postive experiences whenever we have to move. I also hope that you will learn as you grow older that home is where your family is, no matter what town that may be and Christ is our stability at all times, no matter what changes we face.
So let's start packing!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
We Will Remember
Petra, I never imagined having to write this. I never imagined that I would have to make an effort to help you remember one of your grandparents. I just thought all of them would be there for you for the better part of your life. That they would watch you in dance recitals or ball games, concerts and plays...that they would watch you graduate and walk down the aisle to be married someday. The only reason they wouldn't see those things, in my naive mind was if the Lord came back and raptured us all home before those things occurred. Never, ever did I consider that one of them would die before you were even old enough to really remember them.
But here we are.
Your Grandaddy, "Grammy's Grandaddy" as you like to distinguish him, my Daddy, died on December 7, 2009. This has been the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my life. There is no comparison to be made to this kind of grief. I know if the Lord tarries, you will have to go through it someday - I pray earnestly that it will not be this sudden and more than that, that it will not be under such traumatizing circumstances. Someday perhaps I can go into the details of how Grandaddy died. I just can't do it right now...not in this post. This post is about my commitment to you to help you remember someone who should never be forgotten.
Your Grandaddy was the strongest man I have ever known. He was the one who could always be counted on in every situation. If something needed to be done, if there was a crisis staring you in the face, he was our anchor. My mom, your Grammy, always has had the reputation of being the 'strong one' in her family. But I saw the truth of the matter - she was strong, but he was her rock. He took care of everyone...me and my brother, Grammy, MeMa, and really even his sister-in-laws knew they could count on him when they needed anything.
He was a man of integrity - a hard worker who gained the respect of all of his coworkers and those who worked under him. Everyone who was touched by his life was changed for the better. His work ethic was second to none and the bar he raised on every task was often a hard one to live up to. No one kept a more immaculate car or yard. No house was better maintained. So much of his identity was wrapped up in what he did and how well he did it. He was a perfectionist, no doubt about it.
But I also remember the tender love he always showed to our family. He was never hesitant to tell you he loved you, to wrap you up in a strong hug, or kiss you on the cheek. He worked hard, but those times we did get to spend together he never held back in showing us how much he cared about us. I remember playing tag in the yard with him, or shooting hoops at the end of the driveway. I remember baking him little cakes with my Easy Bake oven which he would always eat and tell me how good they were, no matter how badly mixed or how runny the icing. He was always there and it was his presence that made me always feel safe and loved. He worked a lot - too much really. But the times that it mattered the most, he was there. He was there, and now I admit I feel very lost at the thought that he isn't anymore.
Oh, how he loved you. You were his first grandchild and the only one I am to sad to say he ever knew. He loved you and showed a reckless childlike abandon when he spent time with you. He would roll around on the floor with you, play hide and seek, make funny voices for dolls and stuffed animals. You would jump out from behind his recliner and yell, "Boo!" and he would jump and make a big deal out of pretending to be scared. You spent a lot of time outside together, watering the garden or playing on the swingset. You would play in the sand box for hours, and he never seemed to mind you dumping play sand all over the yard (Uncle Joe nor I could have ever gotten away with that!).
They had a big playground at Lakewood Campground at Myrtle Beach where we would all go together. I have such great memories of you and Grandaddy running around that playground, or playing in the arcade. He went and bought cereal so you could feed the ducks.
I also remember the two of you playing in the leaves. You were the only person ever allowed to mess up his leaf piles. One time we were staying at Grammy and Grandaddy's house and I heard you doing something in their bathroom at the back of the house. When I went back there to check on you, there you were standing in the shower surrounded by piles of unrolled toliet paper, Grandaddy standing over you grinning. I started to scold you, but he interrupted me, saying, "Oh, it don't matter. We'll just buy some more at Sam's." My mouth dropped open. Where was my spend-thrift dad? He'd somehow been replaced by a ready-to-spoil grandaddy.
You are going to miss out on so much with him gone. I hope I can keep the memories of him alive in you. I don't want you to ever forget.
But here we are.
Your Grandaddy, "Grammy's Grandaddy" as you like to distinguish him, my Daddy, died on December 7, 2009. This has been the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my life. There is no comparison to be made to this kind of grief. I know if the Lord tarries, you will have to go through it someday - I pray earnestly that it will not be this sudden and more than that, that it will not be under such traumatizing circumstances. Someday perhaps I can go into the details of how Grandaddy died. I just can't do it right now...not in this post. This post is about my commitment to you to help you remember someone who should never be forgotten.
Your Grandaddy was the strongest man I have ever known. He was the one who could always be counted on in every situation. If something needed to be done, if there was a crisis staring you in the face, he was our anchor. My mom, your Grammy, always has had the reputation of being the 'strong one' in her family. But I saw the truth of the matter - she was strong, but he was her rock. He took care of everyone...me and my brother, Grammy, MeMa, and really even his sister-in-laws knew they could count on him when they needed anything.
He was a man of integrity - a hard worker who gained the respect of all of his coworkers and those who worked under him. Everyone who was touched by his life was changed for the better. His work ethic was second to none and the bar he raised on every task was often a hard one to live up to. No one kept a more immaculate car or yard. No house was better maintained. So much of his identity was wrapped up in what he did and how well he did it. He was a perfectionist, no doubt about it.
But I also remember the tender love he always showed to our family. He was never hesitant to tell you he loved you, to wrap you up in a strong hug, or kiss you on the cheek. He worked hard, but those times we did get to spend together he never held back in showing us how much he cared about us. I remember playing tag in the yard with him, or shooting hoops at the end of the driveway. I remember baking him little cakes with my Easy Bake oven which he would always eat and tell me how good they were, no matter how badly mixed or how runny the icing. He was always there and it was his presence that made me always feel safe and loved. He worked a lot - too much really. But the times that it mattered the most, he was there. He was there, and now I admit I feel very lost at the thought that he isn't anymore.
Oh, how he loved you. You were his first grandchild and the only one I am to sad to say he ever knew. He loved you and showed a reckless childlike abandon when he spent time with you. He would roll around on the floor with you, play hide and seek, make funny voices for dolls and stuffed animals. You would jump out from behind his recliner and yell, "Boo!" and he would jump and make a big deal out of pretending to be scared. You spent a lot of time outside together, watering the garden or playing on the swingset. You would play in the sand box for hours, and he never seemed to mind you dumping play sand all over the yard (Uncle Joe nor I could have ever gotten away with that!).
They had a big playground at Lakewood Campground at Myrtle Beach where we would all go together. I have such great memories of you and Grandaddy running around that playground, or playing in the arcade. He went and bought cereal so you could feed the ducks.
I also remember the two of you playing in the leaves. You were the only person ever allowed to mess up his leaf piles. One time we were staying at Grammy and Grandaddy's house and I heard you doing something in their bathroom at the back of the house. When I went back there to check on you, there you were standing in the shower surrounded by piles of unrolled toliet paper, Grandaddy standing over you grinning. I started to scold you, but he interrupted me, saying, "Oh, it don't matter. We'll just buy some more at Sam's." My mouth dropped open. Where was my spend-thrift dad? He'd somehow been replaced by a ready-to-spoil grandaddy.
You are going to miss out on so much with him gone. I hope I can keep the memories of him alive in you. I don't want you to ever forget.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Christmas is not about wrapping paper and bows...
We were heading home from church last night, just the two of us in the car. Daddy was home sick - bronchitis, the poor thing. I hope you don't inherit his propensity to catch upper respirator type infections...he gets twice as many as I do, I think. You were 'oohing' and 'aaahhhing' over all the Christmas lights we passed. I'm enjoying the fact that this Christmas season you are really able to take in and enjoy some of those little things for the first time. We took you to see Christmas lights before, but you seemed only briefly fascinated. I think we'll have to plan a special Christmas-light-viewing-outing this year.
There are a lot of traditions for you to enjoy during the holidays. Before our big family get-togethers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we have some traditions we follow throughout the month of December. We have a felt count-down-to-Christmas calendar that we use to build excitement through the weeks leading up to Christmas. There are Christmas plays and musicals at church to plan for, practice for, and enjoy. When we are home, we always try to watch a lot of Christmas movies during December. Daddy is all about finding that radio station that plays 24-hour Christmas carols to listen to in the car. We love to shop for our family members and really take the time to buy them things that reflect their individual personalities, not just what the 'hot' item might be that year. I am hoping you and I can start some new traditions of our own as well. I want you and I to make some Christmas cookies together, and make some homemade Christmas cards for the granparents. I'm even optimistically thinking you might be able to help me wrap some of the gifts. Granted they won't be as "perfect" as I used to make my gifts look when I first got married, but I don't think that matters.
Boy, did I obsess over the package trimming those first couple of years though. Clothing had to be placed in tissue paper before it went in the box....wrapping paper had to be unique and elegant....every package h
ad to have ribbon wrapped fancifully around it. I made my own bows or embellished store bought ones. Once I started teaching full-time life got a lot busier and ministry responsibilities around the holidays became more intense. Soon I had stopped worrying so much about the look of the package on the outside and became more concerned on what was on the inside. By the time I had you, well....let's just say last year the packages just did have cheap little stick on bows and more than half of the gifts ended up in gift bags. I have to chuckle when I think about it. All that fanciful wrapping usually got crushed or messed up when we had to pack all those gifts into the trunk of our little car for the 3+ hour drive back to Sanford. And even the ones that did survive the trip were destroyed in 0.5 seconds of excitement.
So that's my life lesson for today, I suppose; don't obsess so much on the outer trappings, whether in Christmas or just in life in general. It's what is inside that counts.
There are a lot of traditions for you to enjoy during the holidays. Before our big family get-togethers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we have some traditions we follow throughout the month of December. We have a felt count-down-to-Christmas calendar that we use to build excitement through the weeks leading up to Christmas. There are Christmas plays and musicals at church to plan for, practice for, and enjoy. When we are home, we always try to watch a lot of Christmas movies during December. Daddy is all about finding that radio station that plays 24-hour Christmas carols to listen to in the car. We love to shop for our family members and really take the time to buy them things that reflect their individual personalities, not just what the 'hot' item might be that year. I am hoping you and I can start some new traditions of our own as well. I want you and I to make some Christmas cookies together, and make some homemade Christmas cards for the granparents. I'm even optimistically thinking you might be able to help me wrap some of the gifts. Granted they won't be as "perfect" as I used to make my gifts look when I first got married, but I don't think that matters.
Boy, did I obsess over the package trimming those first couple of years though. Clothing had to be placed in tissue paper before it went in the box....wrapping paper had to be unique and elegant....every package h
ad to have ribbon wrapped fancifully around it. I made my own bows or embellished store bought ones. Once I started teaching full-time life got a lot busier and ministry responsibilities around the holidays became more intense. Soon I had stopped worrying so much about the look of the package on the outside and became more concerned on what was on the inside. By the time I had you, well....let's just say last year the packages just did have cheap little stick on bows and more than half of the gifts ended up in gift bags. I have to chuckle when I think about it. All that fanciful wrapping usually got crushed or messed up when we had to pack all those gifts into the trunk of our little car for the 3+ hour drive back to Sanford. And even the ones that did survive the trip were destroyed in 0.5 seconds of excitement.So that's my life lesson for today, I suppose; don't obsess so much on the outer trappings, whether in Christmas or just in life in general. It's what is inside that counts.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Frustrating But Fascinating Fours
Everyone talks about the 'terrible twos' and the 'trying threes'...now I've coined a new expression - the 'frustrating fours'. You really weren't that bad at two or three. A tantrum here and there, but overall nothing that overwhelming. Now I'm beginning to think you saved it all up until now.
In the past month you have become argumentative, defiant, irrational and often hysterical. It takes little to no provocation to send you right on over the deep end. The tantrums you had at 2 and 3 resemble mild spring showers compared to the hurricane force meltdowns you have now. You have mood swings like a pendulum - one minute it's "I love you so much mommy! You are my best friend!"....the next minute it's "Don't say that to me! Leave me alone! I'm going to my room!" I think a lot of it seems to be connected with how much down time you have at home. Days when we aren't home very much because of school and church responsibilities, you seem to do worse. Yesterday, when we were home all afternoon and evening, you did great and were as sweet as sugar all day. I guess I have to adjust to the fact that you are going to need more time at home to 'download' all that's going on in that little head of yours and the old break-neck paced schedule that worked when you were smaller may not be viable now.
That's not to say you haven't matured in some other areas. Your vocabulary continues to astound and you sound like a little adult in your conversation a lot of the time. I've been really proud of the way your grasp of spiritual concepts has been improving. You really seem to have a good hold on the concepts of 'sin' and why Jesus died on the cross to erase those sins. You have started apologizing on your own for bad behavior, without being prompted (some of the time anyway) and you even ask me to pray with you that God would forgive you too. I'm so proud of that. On your good days, you seem to be more considerate of other people's feelings than you used to be. I hope that's a sign that you are starting to grow out of the whole 'the world revolves around me' stage and start being more social and willing to share.
You are into so many things....you are a good artist; you draw pictures of people much better than I think I ever did at this age. You like to 'work' on things with your tool set and dance to music on the cd player. You also like to play your Leapster (Pet Pals mostly), Thomas the Train, and Polly Pocket and the Disney Princesses. And of course, you love to play with your "best friend" Madision at preschool and at church.
You watch Nick Jr. on television more than Disney Channel (though you are still fond of Handy Manny). Your favorite shows seem to be Yo Gabba Gabba (I call that show 'Seseme Street on drugs'....weeeeird...), Ni Hao Kai Lan, Dora the Explorer and The Upside Down Show.
You still love to play with "Pirate Pete" (the pirate puppet Daddy uses to tell you stories at night) and can't go anywhere without your blankie ("the pink one with the curly things on it"). Some days I look at you being so grown up and so loving and I wonder if that Miss Hyde I saw earlier in the week was just a figment of my imagination.
And then I hear a frustrated, angry scream from the other room....I roll my eyes, and say "Here we go again..."
In the past month you have become argumentative, defiant, irrational and often hysterical. It takes little to no provocation to send you right on over the deep end. The tantrums you had at 2 and 3 resemble mild spring showers compared to the hurricane force meltdowns you have now. You have mood swings like a pendulum - one minute it's "I love you so much mommy! You are my best friend!"....the next minute it's "Don't say that to me! Leave me alone! I'm going to my room!" I think a lot of it seems to be connected with how much down time you have at home. Days when we aren't home very much because of school and church responsibilities, you seem to do worse. Yesterday, when we were home all afternoon and evening, you did great and were as sweet as sugar all day. I guess I have to adjust to the fact that you are going to need more time at home to 'download' all that's going on in that little head of yours and the old break-neck paced schedule that worked when you were smaller may not be viable now.
That's not to say you haven't matured in some other areas. Your vocabulary continues to astound and you sound like a little adult in your conversation a lot of the time. I've been really proud of the way your grasp of spiritual concepts has been improving. You really seem to have a good hold on the concepts of 'sin' and why Jesus died on the cross to erase those sins. You have started apologizing on your own for bad behavior, without being prompted (some of the time anyway) and you even ask me to pray with you that God would forgive you too. I'm so proud of that. On your good days, you seem to be more considerate of other people's feelings than you used to be. I hope that's a sign that you are starting to grow out of the whole 'the world revolves around me' stage and start being more social and willing to share.
You are into so many things....you are a good artist; you draw pictures of people much better than I think I ever did at this age. You like to 'work' on things with your tool set and dance to music on the cd player. You also like to play your Leapster (Pet Pals mostly), Thomas the Train, and Polly Pocket and the Disney Princesses. And of course, you love to play with your "best friend" Madision at preschool and at church.
You watch Nick Jr. on television more than Disney Channel (though you are still fond of Handy Manny). Your favorite shows seem to be Yo Gabba Gabba (I call that show 'Seseme Street on drugs'....weeeeird...), Ni Hao Kai Lan, Dora the Explorer and The Upside Down Show.
You still love to play with "Pirate Pete" (the pirate puppet Daddy uses to tell you stories at night) and can't go anywhere without your blankie ("the pink one with the curly things on it"). Some days I look at you being so grown up and so loving and I wonder if that Miss Hyde I saw earlier in the week was just a figment of my imagination.
And then I hear a frustrated, angry scream from the other room....I roll my eyes, and say "Here we go again..."
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Broken Hearted
So it finally happened. I got a new job. I am the Granville County Schools transition teacher for Central Children's Home. It's part time - 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., but that still means you are now going to daycare. You are in the 'Older Threes' class at Greater Beginnings Childcare Center. Your teacher is named Ms. Tiwanda and she is a really great lady - she definitely has a heart for your age group. You seem to have a good group of kids in your class; your teacher says this group is really a lot mellower than the group she had last year.
You and I have been working our way into this for a little while. The whole month of September we went to your class a few hours at a time together so you could get used to the kids and your teacher and the schedule they keep (I told the school system I couldn't start working until the end of the month for this very reason). You seemed to gradually get accustomed to things, but that very first day that I had to leave you was a heartbreaker.
You seemed to sense that something was up and acted more clingy than usual, so there was no sneaking away from you. When I tried to leave, you started screaming and crying and wrapped your arms and legs around my leg begging me not to go. I was devestated...how was I supposed to let you go? Feeling like the worst mother who had ever lived, I pried you off of my leg and handed you to Tiwana. As I turned away and started walking down the hall, one of the workers looked at me and my expression of anguish and said sympathetically, "She's gonna be okay, Mama." That was the last thing I needed to hear. The dam broke and I sobbed...I sat down in Michelle's office and sobbed and sobbed. They tried their best to comfort me, and told me that within minutes you were fine and playing with blocks, but it didn't help me. I cried all the way to the school, only pulling it together at the last minute so my supervisor didn't think I was crazy.
Since then you've done really well. You seem to enjoy being around other kids, especially now that your friend Madision is in your class. You still have a few moments that you seem reluctant to go, and I still harbor some latent feelings of guilt, but I think it's been a good experience so far. A lot of the church people have observed you have started really coming out of your shell and I think a lot of that can be attributed to being at Great Beginnings.
Let's just pray God can heal your mommy's broken heart.
You and I have been working our way into this for a little while. The whole month of September we went to your class a few hours at a time together so you could get used to the kids and your teacher and the schedule they keep (I told the school system I couldn't start working until the end of the month for this very reason). You seemed to gradually get accustomed to things, but that very first day that I had to leave you was a heartbreaker.
You seemed to sense that something was up and acted more clingy than usual, so there was no sneaking away from you. When I tried to leave, you started screaming and crying and wrapped your arms and legs around my leg begging me not to go. I was devestated...how was I supposed to let you go? Feeling like the worst mother who had ever lived, I pried you off of my leg and handed you to Tiwana. As I turned away and started walking down the hall, one of the workers looked at me and my expression of anguish and said sympathetically, "She's gonna be okay, Mama." That was the last thing I needed to hear. The dam broke and I sobbed...I sat down in Michelle's office and sobbed and sobbed. They tried their best to comfort me, and told me that within minutes you were fine and playing with blocks, but it didn't help me. I cried all the way to the school, only pulling it together at the last minute so my supervisor didn't think I was crazy.
Since then you've done really well. You seem to enjoy being around other kids, especially now that your friend Madision is in your class. You still have a few moments that you seem reluctant to go, and I still harbor some latent feelings of guilt, but I think it's been a good experience so far. A lot of the church people have observed you have started really coming out of your shell and I think a lot of that can be attributed to being at Great Beginnings.
Let's just pray God can heal your mommy's broken heart.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
A Different Experience
I found out from a friend last night that the state has changed the rules this year concerning the cutoff date for children starting school. For many years the date was in fact your birthday - October 15. This year, they changed the date to August 25. So just because of this change, you won't be able to start pre-K this year. Not only that, but when you start kindergarten you will be nearly six years old.
What's the big deal? Basically, I think you are ready now. I started kindergarten when I was 4 (back in the days before there was a such thing as pre-K) and under the current rules, I wouldn't have been able to do so. I guess I had just always assumed you would follow in my footsteps in this respect. I graduated at 17; you will be nearly 19. I was one of the youngest kids in my classes, you'll be one of the oldest.
How will this affect you? I'm really not sure. Will elementary school be a little easier because you will be more emotionally mature? Will you get bored because you are intellectually ahead of some other kids? When you become a teen, will the comparative immaturity of guys in your grade lead you to wait on dating until college (I can always hope!) or will you want to date a senior when you're a sophomore? (YIKES)
I don't know. I can only pray that the differences between your school experience and mine are only positive ones. Mommy probably is just worrying about something you'll never give a second thought about, and really...that will be just fine.
What's the big deal? Basically, I think you are ready now. I started kindergarten when I was 4 (back in the days before there was a such thing as pre-K) and under the current rules, I wouldn't have been able to do so. I guess I had just always assumed you would follow in my footsteps in this respect. I graduated at 17; you will be nearly 19. I was one of the youngest kids in my classes, you'll be one of the oldest.
How will this affect you? I'm really not sure. Will elementary school be a little easier because you will be more emotionally mature? Will you get bored because you are intellectually ahead of some other kids? When you become a teen, will the comparative immaturity of guys in your grade lead you to wait on dating until college (I can always hope!) or will you want to date a senior when you're a sophomore? (YIKES)
I don't know. I can only pray that the differences between your school experience and mine are only positive ones. Mommy probably is just worrying about something you'll never give a second thought about, and really...that will be just fine.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Choices
Here we are...the summer is pretty much over and it's time to make some hard decisions.
You will turn four in October and will be old enough to go to preschool. At one time this face was a no brainer for me. I would go back to teaching, you would go to preschool, and we would start the 'school years' chapter of our lives together with a few tears, but relatively little angst.
Now....I'm not so sure.
This move has been a difficult one for you. I knew it would be, but I don't know that I really understood how you would respond. That coupled with the fact that we've been gone so much this summer, well, it's lead to you being extremely clingy to me. You don't want me out of your sight for a moment. No one else will satisfy you. You even choose me over Daddy or (gasp) Grammy and Grandma. And I can forget you going to your little classes on Sunday morning or Sunday night. You only go to Sunday School (a.k.a. "Scamper Class") and Rainbows on Wednesday nights very reluctantly. I can't imagine you going to preschool for hours everyday without me.
It saddens me to think how independent you were when we were at Higher Ground, and now you are so shy and reluctant to trust anyone. I guess this is a stage you'll grow past, and probably with time we'll barely remember you being this way. But right now, it's our whole world and I can't help but feel a bit guilt ridden. You can't imagine how hard it is to walk away from you and leave you in a class when you give me those 'don't-leave-me-mommy' looks as I turn to go. You'll probably never know how many times I've cried over it. If there's anything I regret about moving it's this change in your nature.
That's not to say it isn't frustrating for me too. There are a lot of responsibilities in our ministry at South Henderson that are very difficult to fulfill with a needy, emotional, three-year-old wrapped around my leg. Sometimes I get impatient with you and let my frustration show too much. Thank goodness you are so forgiving. I'll keep working on it though, remembering that it will just take time for you to come to know and love our new friends like I already do. I also try to remind myself that there will come a day that I would give anything for you to want to spend time with me....for you to be able to crawl up in my lap and fall asleep again. Sometimes we get stuck in the "now" and forget how temporary the "now" really is. Ecclesiastes calls it "chasing the wind" and I think that's a very accurate description.
So what do I do? Do I look for a job and go ahead making plans for you to become a preschooler? Do I stay home with you one more year, savoring this intimate time together that will never come again? I'm not sure. My heart is torn. More prayer and more soul searching will have to happen before I know just what to do. But above all I have to trust the ONE who gave you to me is able to keep you.
I love you, my little clingy girl.....
You will turn four in October and will be old enough to go to preschool. At one time this face was a no brainer for me. I would go back to teaching, you would go to preschool, and we would start the 'school years' chapter of our lives together with a few tears, but relatively little angst.
Now....I'm not so sure.
This move has been a difficult one for you. I knew it would be, but I don't know that I really understood how you would respond. That coupled with the fact that we've been gone so much this summer, well, it's lead to you being extremely clingy to me. You don't want me out of your sight for a moment. No one else will satisfy you. You even choose me over Daddy or (gasp) Grammy and Grandma. And I can forget you going to your little classes on Sunday morning or Sunday night. You only go to Sunday School (a.k.a. "Scamper Class") and Rainbows on Wednesday nights very reluctantly. I can't imagine you going to preschool for hours everyday without me.
It saddens me to think how independent you were when we were at Higher Ground, and now you are so shy and reluctant to trust anyone. I guess this is a stage you'll grow past, and probably with time we'll barely remember you being this way. But right now, it's our whole world and I can't help but feel a bit guilt ridden. You can't imagine how hard it is to walk away from you and leave you in a class when you give me those 'don't-leave-me-mommy' looks as I turn to go. You'll probably never know how many times I've cried over it. If there's anything I regret about moving it's this change in your nature.
That's not to say it isn't frustrating for me too. There are a lot of responsibilities in our ministry at South Henderson that are very difficult to fulfill with a needy, emotional, three-year-old wrapped around my leg. Sometimes I get impatient with you and let my frustration show too much. Thank goodness you are so forgiving. I'll keep working on it though, remembering that it will just take time for you to come to know and love our new friends like I already do. I also try to remind myself that there will come a day that I would give anything for you to want to spend time with me....for you to be able to crawl up in my lap and fall asleep again. Sometimes we get stuck in the "now" and forget how temporary the "now" really is. Ecclesiastes calls it "chasing the wind" and I think that's a very accurate description.
So what do I do? Do I look for a job and go ahead making plans for you to become a preschooler? Do I stay home with you one more year, savoring this intimate time together that will never come again? I'm not sure. My heart is torn. More prayer and more soul searching will have to happen before I know just what to do. But above all I have to trust the ONE who gave you to me is able to keep you.
I love you, my little clingy girl.....
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Too Much Time Away
My beautiful daughter....I miss you so. This summer, I have been away from you more than I have since you have been born. Two weeks of youth camp (not consecutively, thankfully), a week of mission trip, and now this weekend I am at Youth Quest. I struggle with regret that I am missing some of that amazing growing up that you're constantly doing right before my eyes. But I know the time you are getting to spend with your Grammy, Grandma, and Grandaddies is priceless. As much as I miss you, I know you are gaining so much more than just a couple of weeks of spoiling.
I spent nearly every afternoon and most of the summer with my cousins at my Grandma's (Mema) house. The close relationship I gained with all of my family is something that I could give nothing for...it shaped the person I became, my values, my humor, my goals, and my character. I don't want you to miss out on those life lessons just because we are in the ministry and probably won't ever live in the same town with them. Family should not be a victim of the pastorate.
Next year...you are DEFINITELY coming with us everywhere we go. You'll be a little older, and probably a lot more comfortable with the people at South Henderson PH. I know the transition the past several months has probably been harder for you because, not only have we left the only church and church family you have ever known, but we haven't been home very much at SHPHC for you to really get to know everyone. I want you to be a part of our ministry, not excluded from it. I want you to grow up loving every minute of serving the Lord and all the amazing, funny, talented and loving people who are a part of that service. Sooo...fingers crossed, next year, four-year-old in tow, will be a summer to remember!!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmas Time is Here
I can't believe another Christmas has come and gone so fast. After weeks and weeks of shopping, deocrating, wrapping, parties, cantata practice out the wazzu, etc... it came and went in a flurry of tearing paper, flashing camera bulbs, and thank yous. It happens every year, yet some how it always takes me by surprise. Shouldn't the space-time-continuum somehow slow down just a bit that we might savor it all just a tiny bit longer?
Firstly, I think you are beginning to get the whole 'Santa Claus' concept for the first time this year. Now that's not to say you're ready to sit in his lap or anything (you ran in hysterical screaming terror from the one at the mall after waiting in line in excitement to meet him - ah well...you're fickle). But you did talk about writing lists to him and enjoyed watching the claymation Christmas specials about Rudolph and Santa Claus. The line we all got the biggest kick out of was when you were standing there, hands on your hips, Christmas morning serveying all of your loot and you proclaimed, "Boy...he sure is nice." Yes he is.
You were spoiled beyond measure this year. You got at least six baby dolls (one as big as you), a doll playset (including a doll playpen, swing, and stroller), a giant three story dollhouse, a my little pony carnival with a working ferris wheel, the much requested cupcake machine (which Grammy and I both agree is highly overrated), and variously little dolls, animals, candies and junk that you loved. I think the best present has been a Fisher Price Digital Camera made with toddlers in mind. It's practically indestructable and it takes real pictures. You figured it out fairly quickly and have run around taking pictures of everything and everybody. I think I'll have to make a little scrapbook of your photography. You really don't do bad for a three year old.
We're all really enjoying spending time with family....eating way too much tasty food....and just relaxing after being so stressed out and busy for weeks.
I really love Christmas.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Our Thanksgiving Weekend
We all had an especially good Thanksgiving this year. We headed down to Sanford on Wednesday morning after Daddy visited one of our church ladies who had surgery that morning. Traffic was really bad, especially through Raleigh. We were very thankful to get home, and Daddy and I both crashed at Grandma and Grandaddy's house - especially Daddy who had only gotten about three hours sleep. You were so excited about knocking on their door when we arrived - such a grown up thing to do! You played and played with Grandma while Daddy snoozed on the couch and then we went and ate Japanese food that evening for supper (you love the salad, the rice, and the little peas and carrots in the rice). After that we went to see Grammy and Grandaddy and you enjoyed playing in their shower (you call it your 'house') and unrolling a bunch of toliet paper in the bottom of it - Grandaddy will let you get away with ANYTHING!
Thanksgiving day we got up really early so we could drive to Fayettville to meet Grandpa, Uncle Jesse, Steve, Lisa, and your cousins Trinity, Katey, and Sam at the Sandpiper Restaurant. You didn't eat very much - hush puppies mostly - but you had a good time playing with Sam and Katey.
After we ate we all headed to do some Thanksgiving Day shopping in the few stores that were open. We went to KMart and Hammricks and then hit the Super Wal-Mart in Spring Lake on the way home. You are quite a trooper when it comes to shopping. When we would leave a store you would say, "Where are we going now?" You had the most fun playing with Sam. He's used to little girls since he has two sisters, and he kept you giggling the whole time we were in KMart.
After we got back to Sanford, we headed to Grammy's house. You had fallen asleep in the car on the way back so we took Grandaddy Elton's car so you could stay in your car seat and sleep a little longer. Grandaddy Ronnie had cooked steaks on the grill and Mema, Emily and Uncle Joe all came over to eat with us. You ate macaroni and cheese and salad, with ranch of course! We all got to see Uncle Joe's new car - a black 2007 Acura. Emily went ahead and gave us our Christmas gifts from her...she gave you a little pink stocking with a princess crown ornament in it. She gave Mommy penguin salt and pepper shakers (which was pretty cool since Mommy collects Christmas shakers!) and a Christmas hand towel.
The next morning Mommy and Daddy got up at 4:30 a.m. so they could be at Super Wal-Mart when the big sales started. It was INSANE!! People putting two 50-inch flat-screen plasma televisions in their cart at a time....lines a hundred people long for an XBox 360 game system....the whole store so packed that at times no one could even move in the aisles....We managed to get quite a few good deals though. The cupcake maker you have asked for constantly for Christmas was on
sale for $20.00 and Mommy managed to get the very last one. We went to a few more stores after we got everything we wanted at Wal-mart. We actually got to see the sun rise for the first time in a long time - Mommy and Daddy are NOT morning people! - while Mommy ate a McGriddle Sausage Sandwich from McDonalds and Daddy stood in line at Game Stop.
We got a lot of great deals....probably saved nearly $200 all total. We went back to Grandma and Grandaddy's house and you were still asleep, so we went back to bed too! That night we went to Mema's house and had Thanksgiving Dinner with all of Mommy's family. There were 23 of us in that little house, but I think there was enough food to feed 60 people! We all ate until we thought we would explode and Mema still said, "Ya'll just don't eat like you used to....look at all this leftover food!" It felt really good to be with all my family. Everyone actually took time to stick around and spend time together after
we ate. Grammy brought a bunch of old pictures from when Mommy was little and we all spent a lot of time reminiscing. Mommy helped Jason tune his new guitar and played a little and showed him a few chords. You played with "Little Boy Cameron" and Aleigha and Drew in front of Mema's Christmas tree most of the evening. Jason and I talked about how all of us had grown up spending so much time together as kids and how we wished the next generation of cousins could actually see each other more than a couple of times a year. Maybe someday...
Happily it will only be a few more weeks before we get to head back down that long road to Sanford once again and spend some more time with the family we love.
Thanksgiving day we got up really early so we could drive to Fayettville to meet Grandpa, Uncle Jesse, Steve, Lisa, and your cousins Trinity, Katey, and Sam at the Sandpiper Restaurant. You didn't eat very much - hush puppies mostly - but you had a good time playing with Sam and Katey.
After we ate we all headed to do some Thanksgiving Day shopping in the few stores that were open. We went to KMart and Hammricks and then hit the Super Wal-Mart in Spring Lake on the way home. You are quite a trooper when it comes to shopping. When we would leave a store you would say, "Where are we going now?" You had the most fun playing with Sam. He's used to little girls since he has two sisters, and he kept you giggling the whole time we were in KMart.
After we got back to Sanford, we headed to Grammy's house. You had fallen asleep in the car on the way back so we took Grandaddy Elton's car so you could stay in your car seat and sleep a little longer. Grandaddy Ronnie had cooked steaks on the grill and Mema, Emily and Uncle Joe all came over to eat with us. You ate macaroni and cheese and salad, with ranch of course! We all got to see Uncle Joe's new car - a black 2007 Acura. Emily went ahead and gave us our Christmas gifts from her...she gave you a little pink stocking with a princess crown ornament in it. She gave Mommy penguin salt and pepper shakers (which was pretty cool since Mommy collects Christmas shakers!) and a Christmas hand towel.
The next morning Mommy and Daddy got up at 4:30 a.m. so they could be at Super Wal-Mart when the big sales started. It was INSANE!! People putting two 50-inch flat-screen plasma televisions in their cart at a time....lines a hundred people long for an XBox 360 game system....the whole store so packed that at times no one could even move in the aisles....We managed to get quite a few good deals though. The cupcake maker you have asked for constantly for Christmas was on
sale for $20.00 and Mommy managed to get the very last one. We went to a few more stores after we got everything we wanted at Wal-mart. We actually got to see the sun rise for the first time in a long time - Mommy and Daddy are NOT morning people! - while Mommy ate a McGriddle Sausage Sandwich from McDonalds and Daddy stood in line at Game Stop.We got a lot of great deals....probably saved nearly $200 all total. We went back to Grandma and Grandaddy's house and you were still asleep, so we went back to bed too! That night we went to Mema's house and had Thanksgiving Dinner with all of Mommy's family. There were 23 of us in that little house, but I think there was enough food to feed 60 people! We all ate until we thought we would explode and Mema still said, "Ya'll just don't eat like you used to....look at all this leftover food!" It felt really good to be with all my family. Everyone actually took time to stick around and spend time together after
we ate. Grammy brought a bunch of old pictures from when Mommy was little and we all spent a lot of time reminiscing. Mommy helped Jason tune his new guitar and played a little and showed him a few chords. You played with "Little Boy Cameron" and Aleigha and Drew in front of Mema's Christmas tree most of the evening. Jason and I talked about how all of us had grown up spending so much time together as kids and how we wished the next generation of cousins could actually see each other more than a couple of times a year. Maybe someday...Happily it will only be a few more weeks before we get to head back down that long road to Sanford once again and spend some more time with the family we love.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Haul Out the Holly
We've been putting up our Christmas decorations this week and you've been totally enthralled with everything. This is the first year you've really been a part of the decorating process, and you've really enjoyed every minute. Utterances of "Oooooh...", "Wow!", and "Oh Mommy, it's SOOO pretty!" have been frequent. The tree seems to have a bit more decorations on the bottom half than the top, and I've tried my best to curb my perfectionist tendencies and have only moved a few of your interesting ornament placements. Some ornaments didn't make it to the tree - the 'Sleeping Beauty' ornament that plays Once Upon a Dream would be one of those for obvious reasons. I have to keep reminding you that ornaments belong on the tree, and you need to leave them alone.
This morning you put on your pouty face and I asked you what was wrong. You said, "We didn't decorate my room!" So we picked out a few decorations - a snowman family, a christmas bell, and the singing Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch on a sled - and decorated you room. You seem satisfied with the results.
We're really getting in the Christmas spirit around here. Between all the holiday displays at the different stores, to practicing for the Christmas Cantata (we've sung those songs so much you are learning to sing them!) we can't help ourselves. I've bought a few gifts already, and even wore my candy cane shirt once. We've watched the DVD of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer several times, and of course, Daddy insisted on playing all the Christmas music CDs while we were decorating. A lot of folks can't believe we're already doing all this, but we've always had a tradition of putting up our Christmas decorations as early as possible. Daddy and I actually went out and bought a Christmas tree on Halloween night the first year we were married and put it up that very night....the tradidtion has continued ever since. We always try to put up the tree and decorations as early in November as possible. Of course, with being in the pastorate now, it seems a little harder to get the time to "haul out the holly" as the song goes. Daddy hasn't gotten to the yard decorations yet, and the angel still needs to be put on the tree. Maybe tomorrow night.
This morning you put on your pouty face and I asked you what was wrong. You said, "We didn't decorate my room!" So we picked out a few decorations - a snowman family, a christmas bell, and the singing Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch on a sled - and decorated you room. You seem satisfied with the results.
We're really getting in the Christmas spirit around here. Between all the holiday displays at the different stores, to practicing for the Christmas Cantata (we've sung those songs so much you are learning to sing them!) we can't help ourselves. I've bought a few gifts already, and even wore my candy cane shirt once. We've watched the DVD of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer several times, and of course, Daddy insisted on playing all the Christmas music CDs while we were decorating. A lot of folks can't believe we're already doing all this, but we've always had a tradition of putting up our Christmas decorations as early as possible. Daddy and I actually went out and bought a Christmas tree on Halloween night the first year we were married and put it up that very night....the tradidtion has continued ever since. We always try to put up the tree and decorations as early in November as possible. Of course, with being in the pastorate now, it seems a little harder to get the time to "haul out the holly" as the song goes. Daddy hasn't gotten to the yard decorations yet, and the angel still needs to be put on the tree. Maybe tomorrow night.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Jesus With a Sword
This was your funny/sweet story tonight as we were getting ready for bed.
Petra: I don't like yellow, Mommy. (said in reference to your yellow Dora the Explorer pajamas)
Me: You don't like yellow, huh?
Petra: Nope. Do you like yellow, Mommy?
Me: Yes, I like yellow. It's like a sunshine.
Petra: Oh. (pause) Belle (from 'Beauty and the Beast') wears yellow.
Me: Yes, she does.
Petra: Why does Belle have the Beast and not the prince like Cinderella?
Me: Well, the Beast is a prince, but an evil witch turned him into a beast....
Petra: OHHHH! What happened next?
Me: Well....Belle met the Beast and fell in love with him and kissed him and he turned back into the handsome prince.
Petra: And then what?
Me: Well...um....they got married and lived happily ever after in the castle.
Petra: That's a good story, Mommy. The witch tried to get me too.
Me: Oh, don't you worry, sweetheart. No witch can get you because Jesus keeps you safe.
Petra: Yeah. (pause) Jesus has a long sharp thing?
Me: A sword?
Petra: Yeah! A sword. Jesus use the sword to fight the witch.
Me: I guess that's one way of putting it.
Petra: Okay, Mommy. Maybe we can see Jesus in the morning.
Me: Sounds good to me.
Petra: I don't like yellow, Mommy. (said in reference to your yellow Dora the Explorer pajamas)
Me: You don't like yellow, huh?
Petra: Nope. Do you like yellow, Mommy?
Me: Yes, I like yellow. It's like a sunshine.
Petra: Oh. (pause) Belle (from 'Beauty and the Beast') wears yellow.
Me: Yes, she does.
Petra: Why does Belle have the Beast and not the prince like Cinderella?
Me: Well, the Beast is a prince, but an evil witch turned him into a beast....
Petra: OHHHH! What happened next?
Me: Well....Belle met the Beast and fell in love with him and kissed him and he turned back into the handsome prince.
Petra: And then what?
Me: Well...um....they got married and lived happily ever after in the castle.
Petra: That's a good story, Mommy. The witch tried to get me too.
Me: Oh, don't you worry, sweetheart. No witch can get you because Jesus keeps you safe.
Petra: Yeah. (pause) Jesus has a long sharp thing?
Me: A sword?
Petra: Yeah! A sword. Jesus use the sword to fight the witch.
Me: I guess that's one way of putting it.
Petra: Okay, Mommy. Maybe we can see Jesus in the morning.
Me: Sounds good to me.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Sometimes You Scare Me!
You know, it wouldn't exactly be an accurate story if I only talked about your sweet moments, or cute mannerisms... Sometimes, little girl of mine, you scare the bejeezus out of me!
Take this weekend for example. First you started having a fever on Thursday - 101 degrees...not TOO serious, but enough to make me take notice. You were acting pitiful - not playing, sitting in my lap a lot, even falling asleep in Daddy's lap when he was holding you in the recliner. We gave you infant tylenol (which you didn't like much, but you took it better than you did the 'pink stuff' - a.k.a. amoxacylin) and the fever went away the next day.
Then you get this rash all over your body. Little pink spots on your arms, face, legs, butt.... Daddy immediately says "chicken pox" but I've had chicken pox, he hasn't and I don't think that's what it is. Plus you aren't scratching them, and they don't look as awful as chicken pox. I went through a gambit of possibilities. Measles? But your fever had gone away... Heat rash? But it didn't go away like heat rash normally would. I wondered if it was some of your umpteen-million new clothes that Grammy had bought you causing an allergic reaction of some sort because your bad mommy hadn't washed everything first (I ususally do, but there were just SO many new outfits!) before letting you wear it.
So we went to church Sunday night and you were walking around in the sanctuary like you always do when I'm tuning the guitars for praise and worship before service starts. And I look up, and you've vanished. I didn't really panic at first. After all, the church is like a second home to you and you often go get a toy from the nursery and come right back. But you weren't in the nursery or children's church or the fellowship hall, or Daddy's office or any place else that I could find. Cue panic....
After frantically searching every hiding place I could think of and enlisting some help from your adopted grandpa Monte.... we finally found you. One of the children's staff had taken you and a couple other kids out to the playground without bothering to tell me!! Needless to say, they were very apologetic, (especially after I told them if they ever did that again, I'd kill them!) and you were fine. I think I have a few more gray hairs after that and it took my heart a little while to get back in a normal rhythm again.
After church that night, one of the church ladies who is a nurse told me your rash was most likely just the residual effects of a minor viral infection - which was probably what had caused your fever a few days prior. She said her son had had something very similar before. That relieved my mind and we went home a little more at ease.
Of course, you had to pull one more heart stopping stunt before the day was through. After laying you down for the night, Daddy and I stayed up a little longer to have some time to ourselves to play on the internet and such. We were heading down the hall to go to bed ourselves when we heard you screaming. We both dashed into your room and you were crying and calling for me saying your head hurt. You said you had bumped it. Well, you had bumped it slightly several hours before when you were playing with Daddy, but not enough to cause this kind of hysteria. There wasn't even a mark on you. We soothed you and rocked you for a bit and you feel back to sleep, so we put you back to bed.
Not even an hour later it happened again - you crying out for us saying your head hurt. And of course, my 'mommy brain' starts running through scenerios....what if Jennifer was wrong and the rash and fever were something serious? What if you hit your head harder than we thought and you have a concussion and we let you go to sleep?!?!
We put you in the bed with us to observe you - something we never do - and you contentedly went right back to sleep. Eventually we got you back in your own bed and you slept the rest of the night, waking up this morning perky and cheerful and apparently having no rememberence of anything that had occured. Your head is fine and you act fine. All that scaring for nothing!
I know you can't help any of these things. But the saying is true, "Having children is like ripping your heart out of your body and letting it walk around in this dangerous world on tiny little legs."
Take this weekend for example. First you started having a fever on Thursday - 101 degrees...not TOO serious, but enough to make me take notice. You were acting pitiful - not playing, sitting in my lap a lot, even falling asleep in Daddy's lap when he was holding you in the recliner. We gave you infant tylenol (which you didn't like much, but you took it better than you did the 'pink stuff' - a.k.a. amoxacylin) and the fever went away the next day.
Then you get this rash all over your body. Little pink spots on your arms, face, legs, butt.... Daddy immediately says "chicken pox" but I've had chicken pox, he hasn't and I don't think that's what it is. Plus you aren't scratching them, and they don't look as awful as chicken pox. I went through a gambit of possibilities. Measles? But your fever had gone away... Heat rash? But it didn't go away like heat rash normally would. I wondered if it was some of your umpteen-million new clothes that Grammy had bought you causing an allergic reaction of some sort because your bad mommy hadn't washed everything first (I ususally do, but there were just SO many new outfits!) before letting you wear it.
So we went to church Sunday night and you were walking around in the sanctuary like you always do when I'm tuning the guitars for praise and worship before service starts. And I look up, and you've vanished. I didn't really panic at first. After all, the church is like a second home to you and you often go get a toy from the nursery and come right back. But you weren't in the nursery or children's church or the fellowship hall, or Daddy's office or any place else that I could find. Cue panic....
After frantically searching every hiding place I could think of and enlisting some help from your adopted grandpa Monte.... we finally found you. One of the children's staff had taken you and a couple other kids out to the playground without bothering to tell me!! Needless to say, they were very apologetic, (especially after I told them if they ever did that again, I'd kill them!) and you were fine. I think I have a few more gray hairs after that and it took my heart a little while to get back in a normal rhythm again.
After church that night, one of the church ladies who is a nurse told me your rash was most likely just the residual effects of a minor viral infection - which was probably what had caused your fever a few days prior. She said her son had had something very similar before. That relieved my mind and we went home a little more at ease.
Of course, you had to pull one more heart stopping stunt before the day was through. After laying you down for the night, Daddy and I stayed up a little longer to have some time to ourselves to play on the internet and such. We were heading down the hall to go to bed ourselves when we heard you screaming. We both dashed into your room and you were crying and calling for me saying your head hurt. You said you had bumped it. Well, you had bumped it slightly several hours before when you were playing with Daddy, but not enough to cause this kind of hysteria. There wasn't even a mark on you. We soothed you and rocked you for a bit and you feel back to sleep, so we put you back to bed.
Not even an hour later it happened again - you crying out for us saying your head hurt. And of course, my 'mommy brain' starts running through scenerios....what if Jennifer was wrong and the rash and fever were something serious? What if you hit your head harder than we thought and you have a concussion and we let you go to sleep?!?!
We put you in the bed with us to observe you - something we never do - and you contentedly went right back to sleep. Eventually we got you back in your own bed and you slept the rest of the night, waking up this morning perky and cheerful and apparently having no rememberence of anything that had occured. Your head is fine and you act fine. All that scaring for nothing!
I know you can't help any of these things. But the saying is true, "Having children is like ripping your heart out of your body and letting it walk around in this dangerous world on tiny little legs."
Friday, October 24, 2008
Things I love about you, Petra Sky....
Your vivid imagination..
Your funny facial expressions...
The way you call Daddy a "prince" and me and you, "princesses"....
Your lengthy explanations of things...
Your announcements of "I can do it myself" about the funniest things...
You love Mexican Food like me....
Your tenderheartedness....
Your singing....
Your spontaneous outbursts of "I love you, Mommy"....
The way you clean up your own spills....
Your love of all things 'girlie' while at the same time being such a risk-taking tomboy....
Your sweet tooth.... (M&Ms for breakfast? I think not!)
Your cuddliness....and the fact you say I'm "cuddlyful" too....
Your big blue eyes....
Your gorgeous hair that always seems to curl just so...
That you miss me when I'm away from you...
That you love me so....
Your funny facial expressions...
The way you call Daddy a "prince" and me and you, "princesses"....
Your lengthy explanations of things...
Your announcements of "I can do it myself" about the funniest things...
You love Mexican Food like me....
Your tenderheartedness....
Your singing....
Your spontaneous outbursts of "I love you, Mommy"....
The way you clean up your own spills....
Your love of all things 'girlie' while at the same time being such a risk-taking tomboy....
Your sweet tooth.... (M&Ms for breakfast? I think not!)
Your cuddliness....and the fact you say I'm "cuddlyful" too....
Your big blue eyes....
Your gorgeous hair that always seems to curl just so...
That you miss me when I'm away from you...
That you love me so....
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Almost Three
I can hardly believe you are about to turn three.... you should still be my baby! But you are growing up so fast. Everyone says it goes by faster than you can blink - and it's really true. You amaze me, your Daddy, and your grandparents with your vocabulary and the concepts you seem to grasp at such a young age. Some of your phrases that either astonish or set us to peals of laughter (or both) include:
"Oh, yes, mommy, that's a really good idea."
"Look both ways, mommy!"
"Don't tell me that..." (that one gets you in trouble every time)
"Oh mommy, you're a good finder."
"Just a little bit, Mommy, just a little bit more?"
(said with your fingers pinched together to illustrate how much a little bit is...)
"I know, Mommy, I know..." (Then follows a long drawn out explanation of your 'master plan')
"Mommy, I will never use the potty, never ever. I like my diapers. I will wear them forever."
"No, Mommy! No helping....I will do it myself!"
You are so polite! You nearly always say "please" and "thank you". You will say "excuse me" if you're trying to get by. You're still working on sharing....but I've read in different books that your brain hasn't completely developed the 'sharing synapses' yet....so I'll cut you some slack on that one.
You are very obsessed with Strawberry Shortcake (the updated version, not the ones that were around when I was a kid!) at the moment - it has taken first place in your loves. Just the other day you insisted I buy you a Strawberry Shortcake balloon you saw in the grocery store. I'm afraid I'm pretty much a pushover when it comes to buying you little nonsensical things like balloons or stickers or such. So I'm staring at it now as it floats above my head in the living room. You watch the Strawberry Shortcake videos over and over again on your DVD player in the car, and can sing a lot of the songs by heart. You also play with the Strawberry Shortcake dolls a lot. Of course, their clothes don't stay on for very long. You're in that "naked baby doll" stage right now. Between your 'oh-okay' Mommy and your spoiling Grammy and Grandma, you've got about every Strawberry Shortcake figure that has been released in NC (and VA for that matter!). I think Grammy is going on Ebay hunting for the elusive 'Blueberrry Muffin'. You said you want a Strawberry Shortcake birthday party this year, and I think Grammy is going to make sure that happens.
You still love Mickey Mouse and all the Clubhouse figures, and you watch it first thing when you get up every morning while you're eating breakfast (a strawberry-bannana cereal bar and chocolate milk every morning!). You still love to play with the Clubhouse we got you for your birthday last year. You've started really loving tools - which we attribute to one of your other favorite shows Handy Manny. It's about a Spanish-speaking handyman and his talking tools who live in 'Sheetrock Hills' and fix things for their neighbors. You have three tool sets now - a wooden one, and a "baby" set (small Handy Manny tools that go with the Handy Manny talking doll!) and a "mommy" set (bigger tools made for your size). So you go around the house "fixing" things all day. It's very cute.
You've really started making deeper friendships with the kids at church. Your "best" friend is Cameron (not to be confused with "Little Boy Cameron - your cousin) but you also love Destiny, Courtney, Haley and Joeb very much. In one of your little children's books there is a picture of a group of children on a beach and whenever we get to that page you name off who everyone is: "That's me, and Courtney, and Destiny, and Cameron, and Joeb, and Little Boy Cameron, and Baby Gabby, and Haley!" you say with confidence.
You are starting to grow a little in the foundations of your faith too, and that is a very exciting thing to behold. You not only say your prayers at night and meals, but you remind others if they forget, and you're starting to put some crucial concepts together - God as creator, Jesus loves us all, and stuff like that. The other day you were making waves in the bathtub and I said "You're making some big waves there." You replied, "Like the ocean." So I asked you who makes the waves in the ocean. And without hesitation you said, "Jesus." It was a thrilling moment for me, even if you did have that 'duh, mommy' expression on your face.
Almost three....where did the time go?
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Christmas 2007
We just celebrated your third Christmas with us and your little two-year-old personality really shone through this year. Despite some health problems threatening to keep your Mommy out of commission, the Lord came through and we were able to enjoy all the festivities with our family.
On Christmas Eve we went to your Great-grandma's (MeMa's) house to open presents with all your cousins. Your favorite presents that evening were a stuffed Daisy Duck (from Mommy and Daddy), a toy guitar and Thomas Train from Aunt Joy Joy, and a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse activity pad from MeMa. You had a great time playing with your cousin Cameron and your Daddy got some great footage of you two playing and dancing with your guitars. I think the most special moment for me had to be when you sat in my lap and listened to MeMa sing "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" like she has done for all the children every year as long as I can remember. That is a tradition I hope you can enjoy for many more years yet...
After we left MeMa's house we went to your Grammy's house and opened more presents. Your Uncle Joe and his girlfriend Emily gave you a book that was very special to her when she was a child: The Very Hungry Caterpillar. She and Uncle Joe also gave you a stuffed caterpillar toy that matched the book (thus far you've liked the toy better than the book, but I think you'll like the book more when you get older.) Your Daddy and I gave you your stuffed Goofy which you really loved. Now your collection is complete, well almost. We got all the 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse' characters except Pluto. We'll have to get him later.... funny you, you asked about Pluto as soon as you realized it was the only one you didn't have. Grammy gave me, Daddy, and Uncle Joe all of our presents next....lots of new clothes for Mommy! Yay! Video games and other neat things for Daddy! Finally we all went to sleep....you didn't want to, of course, but you were really tired so it didn't take too long.
The next morning, we celebrated Christmas Day first at Grammy's house where Santa brought you TONS more toys - way too many to list. I'm not sure who was more overwhelmed you or us! After getting ready as fast as we could, we headed over to Grandma and Grandaddy's house where we opened even more presents! I got a Christmas Cookie Yankee Candle from your Grandma and Grandaddy, and an ornament, and some more clothes. Daddy got lots of clothes from them, and Mommy and Daddy gave each other mostly toys! GI Joes...Video Games and such... :-) We're still kids at heart!
Uncle Jesse came over and we all ate lunch together. Your Grandma is one amazing cook. I always say she would put Betty Crocker to shame! She fixes everything from scratch - and I do mean everything! Your Grandaddy fixed his famous chocolate eclair - oh it was SOOO yummy. Even though I still wasn't feeling great and didn't have much of an appetite, I managed to eat a small bowl of eclair - some things are too good to pass up!
Christmas is full of so many wonderful traditions. I can't wait to see all the new ones that develop as you grow older.
On Christmas Eve we went to your Great-grandma's (MeMa's) house to open presents with all your cousins. Your favorite presents that evening were a stuffed Daisy Duck (from Mommy and Daddy), a toy guitar and Thomas Train from Aunt Joy Joy, and a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse activity pad from MeMa. You had a great time playing with your cousin Cameron and your Daddy got some great footage of you two playing and dancing with your guitars. I think the most special moment for me had to be when you sat in my lap and listened to MeMa sing "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" like she has done for all the children every year as long as I can remember. That is a tradition I hope you can enjoy for many more years yet...
After we left MeMa's house we went to your Grammy's house and opened more presents. Your Uncle Joe and his girlfriend Emily gave you a book that was very special to her when she was a child: The Very Hungry Caterpillar. She and Uncle Joe also gave you a stuffed caterpillar toy that matched the book (thus far you've liked the toy better than the book, but I think you'll like the book more when you get older.) Your Daddy and I gave you your stuffed Goofy which you really loved. Now your collection is complete, well almost. We got all the 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse' characters except Pluto. We'll have to get him later.... funny you, you asked about Pluto as soon as you realized it was the only one you didn't have. Grammy gave me, Daddy, and Uncle Joe all of our presents next....lots of new clothes for Mommy! Yay! Video games and other neat things for Daddy! Finally we all went to sleep....you didn't want to, of course, but you were really tired so it didn't take too long.
The next morning, we celebrated Christmas Day first at Grammy's house where Santa brought you TONS more toys - way too many to list. I'm not sure who was more overwhelmed you or us! After getting ready as fast as we could, we headed over to Grandma and Grandaddy's house where we opened even more presents! I got a Christmas Cookie Yankee Candle from your Grandma and Grandaddy, and an ornament, and some more clothes. Daddy got lots of clothes from them, and Mommy and Daddy gave each other mostly toys! GI Joes...Video Games and such... :-) We're still kids at heart!
Uncle Jesse came over and we all ate lunch together. Your Grandma is one amazing cook. I always say she would put Betty Crocker to shame! She fixes everything from scratch - and I do mean everything! Your Grandaddy fixed his famous chocolate eclair - oh it was SOOO yummy. Even though I still wasn't feeling great and didn't have much of an appetite, I managed to eat a small bowl of eclair - some things are too good to pass up!
Christmas is full of so many wonderful traditions. I can't wait to see all the new ones that develop as you grow older.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Obsessions: Part Two
Earlier I posted about your obsession with the Doodlebops. Interestingly enough, that obsession has waned in it's intensity quite a bit over the past few months. You still request Doodlebops videos from time to time, but it's much more managable.
I've observed several other obsessions this week that got me thinking. Number one has to be your blankie(s). I put plural on the end of that because one is never enough. Two is a bare minimum and the more the better. You are picky about your blankies - they aren't really blankets at all but those little hooded terrycloth towels that they sell at Wal-Mart. Pink is the color of choice, but pattern doesn't seem to matter so much. Sometimes you tote around so many of them at once that you can barely walk. They are your comfort when you get a boo boo or get upset, they are a requirement for going to sleep. You use them to clean things, wipe your face (whether that means chocolate or tears), swaddle baby dolls, and you are known to ball them up into a makeshift pillow when riding in the car seat. Not having a blanket has caused many trips to be cut short, as we returned home to fetch one, and once we even made an emergency Super Wal-Mart trip just to get a blankie.
Another obsession is with rubber bouncy balls. Unfortunately every restaurant seems to have a quarter operated machine that vends these pesky toys right at the entrance, so I have little hope of escaping without either buying yet another ball, or facing a tantrum. I'm afraid I'm often just too much of a softy on that point. In any case, any time mommy doesn't give in, there's usually some church person who can't resist adding to the collection. Our favorite Mexican restaurant in Ahoskie, Los Amigos, has such a ball machine, and I think as I type this I can spot at least 5 balls from that particular machine scattered across the living room floor. You just love them - throwing them and yelling "catch!" Using them in your shape sorter or the ball shoot on your Fisher Price play house...
Other obsessions that come to mind include:
I've observed several other obsessions this week that got me thinking. Number one has to be your blankie(s). I put plural on the end of that because one is never enough. Two is a bare minimum and the more the better. You are picky about your blankies - they aren't really blankets at all but those little hooded terrycloth towels that they sell at Wal-Mart. Pink is the color of choice, but pattern doesn't seem to matter so much. Sometimes you tote around so many of them at once that you can barely walk. They are your comfort when you get a boo boo or get upset, they are a requirement for going to sleep. You use them to clean things, wipe your face (whether that means chocolate or tears), swaddle baby dolls, and you are known to ball them up into a makeshift pillow when riding in the car seat. Not having a blanket has caused many trips to be cut short, as we returned home to fetch one, and once we even made an emergency Super Wal-Mart trip just to get a blankie.
Another obsession is with rubber bouncy balls. Unfortunately every restaurant seems to have a quarter operated machine that vends these pesky toys right at the entrance, so I have little hope of escaping without either buying yet another ball, or facing a tantrum. I'm afraid I'm often just too much of a softy on that point. In any case, any time mommy doesn't give in, there's usually some church person who can't resist adding to the collection. Our favorite Mexican restaurant in Ahoskie, Los Amigos, has such a ball machine, and I think as I type this I can spot at least 5 balls from that particular machine scattered across the living room floor. You just love them - throwing them and yelling "catch!" Using them in your shape sorter or the ball shoot on your Fisher Price play house...
Other obsessions that come to mind include:
- cleanliness - you can't stand to have anything on your hands or face
- shoes - you love to put them on, whether yours or other peoples'
- ice - if anyone crunches on a piece of ice, watch out! You'll be begging for some in no time.
- Elmo - what two-year-old ISN'T obsessed with Elmo?
- water - especially splashing in it, whether in the sink, the tub, or the pool
- swinging - it is the ONLY thing you want to do when we go to the park
- Jessica - your "DeDa" as you call her takes priority over everyone else
- action figures - specifically your Daddy's old 1980's figures, some of which he lets you play with in the "Man-man" closet.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Obsession
Obsessions are interesting things. Case in point: your current obsession with the Doodlebops has become a family obsession by proxy. For those who may not be "in the know" with what is "hip" in the world of preschool educational/entertainment television, the Doodlebops are a musical band consisting of three memebers - Dedee Doodle, Rooney Doodle, and Moe Doodle. These characters although played by human actors, wear make up and costumes that make them resemble puppets [including full body paint to make them more colorful and puppet-like hands (gloves) and cartoonish hair (wigs)]. They sing a variety of songs about topics such as getting along, the importance of exercise, how to deal with your temper, trying new things, dealing with impatience about growing up, the value of asking questions, and a myriad of other topics. Like most preschool shows it has a lot of repetative elements from show to show that the children learn about and come to expect. Your two favorites at the moment are "Where's Moe?" which is the question asked at the beginning of every show as the other two characters search around the house for him. The other is "Don't pull the rope!" which is what all the character say to Moe right before he pulls a red rope which causes water to dump on his head. You tickle me and your daddy to death when you stand there and pump your arm up and down and say "Don't pull the rope!"
So just how obsessed are you? We bought you a Doodlebops t-shirt at the beach on a whim because we knew you loved the show. As soon as you saw it you immediately wanted to put it on and wore it all day; you even cried when we took it off to put on your pajamas. It's now your favorite shirt and you would wear it every day if I gave you the option. You gasp with sheer delight when the show comes on and begin dancing around the room singing the opening song. It holds your attention from beginning to end. You find the remote and begin saying "T.V. .... Bops!" while pointing at the DVD case with the familiar trio on the front. You would watch the videos all day long I think (of course, we don't let you - for our sanity as much as your need to get outside and exercise!) And what to you want to listen to in the car? Doodlbops, of course.
So now your obssession has become our obsession. We look for the Doodlebops stuff everywhere and I think we've bought four DVDs so far (aren't we gluttons for punishment?) We know all the words to all the songs and can sing them whenever requested. We've read the forums online discusing who was a better manager "Mazz" or "Jazzmine" and which format is better, season 1 or season 2 - and those discussions have carried over to the dinner table. We check regularly to see when the Doodlebops Live tour is coming to our area. It's nuts! I don't know if we'll be sad or glad when you grow out of this Doodlebops phase... I think sad.... but till then we'll keep singing "Get on the Bus" and enjoy every minute.
So just how obsessed are you? We bought you a Doodlebops t-shirt at the beach on a whim because we knew you loved the show. As soon as you saw it you immediately wanted to put it on and wore it all day; you even cried when we took it off to put on your pajamas. It's now your favorite shirt and you would wear it every day if I gave you the option. You gasp with sheer delight when the show comes on and begin dancing around the room singing the opening song. It holds your attention from beginning to end. You find the remote and begin saying "T.V. .... Bops!" while pointing at the DVD case with the familiar trio on the front. You would watch the videos all day long I think (of course, we don't let you - for our sanity as much as your need to get outside and exercise!) And what to you want to listen to in the car? Doodlbops, of course.
So now your obssession has become our obsession. We look for the Doodlebops stuff everywhere and I think we've bought four DVDs so far (aren't we gluttons for punishment?) We know all the words to all the songs and can sing them whenever requested. We've read the forums online discusing who was a better manager "Mazz" or "Jazzmine" and which format is better, season 1 or season 2 - and those discussions have carried over to the dinner table. We check regularly to see when the Doodlebops Live tour is coming to our area. It's nuts! I don't know if we'll be sad or glad when you grow out of this Doodlebops phase... I think sad.... but till then we'll keep singing "Get on the Bus" and enjoy every minute.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Food Favorites
Food has always been an interesting subject for you. Since you first started eating baby food you’ve always had a taste for the unexpected. For months you were a veggie only girl – peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes were your standard fare. You weren’t interested in fruits at all and completely despised bananas and applesauce which made you a very atypical baby in the eyes of everyone I shared this fact with.
As you’ve gotten older and eat table food you still lean more toward veggies than sweets, like carrots, corn and peas. You are a chocoholic like me; thanks to Michelle Harrell at church introducing you to the wonder of M&Ms, you beg for those anytime you see a familiar looking package. And like most children, you love ice cream. You went through a McDonald’s chicken nuggets phase for a while, though you’ve gotten away from that recently. I guess just like the rest of us, you got tired of the same-old-same-old. You love apples, and that’s one of your favorite words. If someone opens the fridge you immediately ask, “Apple?” no matter what time of day or night. You also love rice, just like your daddy. Whether it’s fried rice from the Japanese or Chinese restaurant, or dirty rice from Bojangles, you’ve never met a grain you didn’t like. Macaroni and cheese has become a staple – sometimes it’s the only form of protein I can get you to eat. Hot dogs? Forget it… Chicken? Only if Mommy hides it in some rice… Hamburger? You gag… You love bread most of time, and green beans when the mood suits you. You’ll eat your Grandma Bryan’s spaghetti (who wouldn’t?) but no one elses.
You won’t touch cow’s milk in any form (you even turn your nose up at chocolate milk!) so I still give you the stage-two formula at night and I mix it in with your rice and fruit cereal in the mornings. I always worry you don’t get enough protein or calcium. Hopefully you’ll grow out of this milk aversion eventually. Fortunately, you are usually willing to try most anything once. This has resulted in you acquiring a taste for a lot of strange things – dill pickles, sour cream and onion/BBQ potato chips, Doritos, ranch dressing, popcorn… I guess like everything else, Petra, you are unique.
As you’ve gotten older and eat table food you still lean more toward veggies than sweets, like carrots, corn and peas. You are a chocoholic like me; thanks to Michelle Harrell at church introducing you to the wonder of M&Ms, you beg for those anytime you see a familiar looking package. And like most children, you love ice cream. You went through a McDonald’s chicken nuggets phase for a while, though you’ve gotten away from that recently. I guess just like the rest of us, you got tired of the same-old-same-old. You love apples, and that’s one of your favorite words. If someone opens the fridge you immediately ask, “Apple?” no matter what time of day or night. You also love rice, just like your daddy. Whether it’s fried rice from the Japanese or Chinese restaurant, or dirty rice from Bojangles, you’ve never met a grain you didn’t like. Macaroni and cheese has become a staple – sometimes it’s the only form of protein I can get you to eat. Hot dogs? Forget it… Chicken? Only if Mommy hides it in some rice… Hamburger? You gag… You love bread most of time, and green beans when the mood suits you. You’ll eat your Grandma Bryan’s spaghetti (who wouldn’t?) but no one elses.
You won’t touch cow’s milk in any form (you even turn your nose up at chocolate milk!) so I still give you the stage-two formula at night and I mix it in with your rice and fruit cereal in the mornings. I always worry you don’t get enough protein or calcium. Hopefully you’ll grow out of this milk aversion eventually. Fortunately, you are usually willing to try most anything once. This has resulted in you acquiring a taste for a lot of strange things – dill pickles, sour cream and onion/BBQ potato chips, Doritos, ranch dressing, popcorn… I guess like everything else, Petra, you are unique.
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