Stilts

My back occasionally gives me grief.  I'm fine most of the time and then without warning it'll give out and I'll find myself stiffly and slowly walking about, and unable to lift anything.  Today is one of those days.  E looked up at me from her lunch and said solemnly, "Kate and Anna (our neighbors) have some stilts you could borrow."

Thanks anyway.

The Truth About Mosquito's

"Mosquito's aren't good for anything, except a shorter life.  'Cause they suck out all your blood."

-E

NDB words

The lexicon of NDB:

Mama: mom or dad
Dada: dad or mom
Eh-Nuh: Ellanor
Papa: Papa
Buh: book, ball or balloon
Boo-Tah or Tuh: Please, I want that, More
Uh-oh: oops
Uhm: Yes
Duh: duck
hi-ya: hi
Up: up & down
Aht: help
Tt: Train

More often than not we have to look for contextual clues to point us to what he's talking/humming/verbalizing about.

Vacationing Quote

"I like vacationing better than homing."
-E

Jump Rope

E looked up at me from the floor where she was sitting and said:

"It's not that easy for Grandma's and Grandpa's to jump rope."

Sister For Sale

"If I get too sing-y and you put me up for sale, and no one wants me, just let me go for free."

-E

Coffee Breath

I worked hard today: laundry, gardening & landscaping, and keeping up with old N.  I needed another cup of coffee before I made the drive over to pick up E from school.  I poured my mug, placed it in the cup holder, strapped N in and made the 4 minute drive to pick up his big sis.  She greeted us like always with a big smile and her large backpack bumping behind her.  When she opened the van door her words were not, "Whew, I need a snack," or "Can I watch a movie when I get home?" as per usual.   It was instead, "Why does it smell like 'Mommy Morning Breath' in here?"  Hmm.

What's Your Favorite Part of Christmas?

E: I love Christmastime.

Me: What's one of your favorite parts of Christmas?

E: Well, my favorite part is the presents. And my next favorite is praying around the Christmas tree.

Me: Have we done that before?

E: No, but I would like to. When the children gather around the Christmas tree to pray, they're praying for the presents. And then they gather and have the Christmas Feast, or Christmas Dinner.

(hmmmm...seems a little bit like the animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas...)

20 Wrong Answers

E: "Mom, what's that game where you try and guess an animal and if you have 20 wrong answers then you loose?"

Me: "Uh, 20 Questions?"

Beach Baby

E remarked that today would be a good day to visit the beach, and under normal circumstances I would have agreed with her; the mercury is hovering just above 70, we just came home with our new tablecloth for the first outside meal of the season, we've been sucking on popsicles, and she's decked out in her new Saltwater's. Perfect day for the beach. Except my belly currently is the size of a beach ball, and with all the Braxton Hicks I've been having, toting all our shovels, umbrella and folding chairs down to the shore on my own isn't exactly my definition of sane.

So my response to her was, "Y'know it does sound good, but I really can't do anything without Daddy right now. What if 'Buddy' decided to come out and we were all the way down there on our own?" "Oh yeah," she said "He'd get shells in his ears, sand in his eyes, and fish in his mouth."

Many giggles ensued.

Shel Silverstein

(from Something Missing from A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein)

D "Y'know that Shel Silverstein poem that has that illustration of a man with his belly out to here (gestures way out in front of himself)? And he's forgotten to put on his pants?"

me "I don't know."

D "Well, you're reminding me of that poem these days."

Girl Talk

So, this morning I got my 30 week update from babycenter.com, they send a weekly e-mail with information on how the baby is developing, and other pregnancy related issues. I read bits of it to E occasionally, and she really enjoys seeing the sketch of the developing baby. This morning I enlarged the sketch and was pointing out a few points of interest: "Here's my uterus, it keeps our 'Buddy' safe (still haven't come up with a name), here's the placenta it helps make 'food' for him, here's the umbilical cord and that's how he gets his food," etc. Then I quickly summarized how he'll travel when he's ready to come out. The end. I really want to be careful about how much information she really needs, and don't want to make anything scary for her.


Well, nearly 12 hours later as she's sitting on the potty for the last time before going to bed she yells to me in the other room; "Mom?! Do I have a uterus?"

Deep breath.

"Yes," I answered as she rounded the corner. "But it's not ready to be a house for a baby yet." "Yeah," she replied, "Mines just medium sized." She then proceeded to think of many of the girls she knows and confidently listed them off as owners of a uterus; "Mabel has one, Hazel has one, even Inger (her 5-week-old cousin) has one." Then I patted my big belly and reminded her that when we visit our midwife the part she get's to help with is measuring my uterus.

These types of conversations come up without warning sometimes, and I didn't think we were ready to delve into them so soon, but I guess with a baby brother coming it makes sense and I'm happy to provide her with the appropriate words.

Hendrix

Last night we were in the van and on our way to meet up with a friend for dinner. For the last few days we'd been rockin' out to the latest Spoon album, and once again it was whirlin' in the player. Here's the short and slightly comical conversation that ensued:

Me: Could we listen to something else?

D: Sure (settling on the first track of Axis: Bold as Love)

Me: (listening for a bit) What is this?

D: Jimi Hendrix.

Me: (in a playfully sarcastic tone) This'll be enjoyable.

D: You don't like Hendrix?

Me: (sarcastically again) Oh yeah, all this feedback and pompous guitar solos...

E: What's that? Spaceships?

D: That's what he's trying to make his guitar sound like.

E: (gazing out the window) Sounds like it's broken.

She Made Me A Mama

I love you as BRILLIANT
as each sparkling star,
and as WAY OUT as space,
I love you THAT far.

I love you as GIGANTIC
as a great lion's roar,
and as DEEP as the ocean,
I love you MUCH more.

"That is a lot," you say,
"but HOW did it start?
WHERE did love come from
to be in your heart?"

YOU put it there, really,
when you and I met.
And I knew for certain
WITHOUT you I'd fret.

From MY HEAD to my TOES,
I was feeling inside
a devotion for you
SO DEEP and SO WIDE.

And now it's ENORMOUS
and wonderfully real
and hard to describe
HOW MUCH I feel!

I love you as AWESOME
as a thundery sky,
and as SOARING as mountains,
I love you THAT high.

I love you as SILLY
as a puppy dog's kiss,
and as QUIET as midnight,
I love you like THIS.

"Do you love me EVERY day?"
you ask with doubting awe,
"or does love go UP 'N DOWN
like a teetering see saw?"

I love you as STEADY
as the earth rounds the sun,
though SOME days of life
are the FARTHEST from fun.

"Like when you feel MAD?"
you ask with distress,
"cause I've BROKEN the rules
or made a big mess?

Or, when I'm UNKIND,
and your feelings are BLUE,
do you love me ALTHOUGH
I do what I do?"

I love you being NICE,
and when you're CRANKY, too.
I love you without liking
the NAUGHTY things you do.

My 'love you' DOESN'T change
like the temper of days.
It's a CERTAIN kind of thing
in many DIFFERENT ways.

You're me SWEETIE, my dear,
my SMILE and laughter.

You're my PLAYMATE for always,
and my JOY ever after.

Hanging out WITH YOU
is where I want to be...
eating ice cream sundaes
or watching the TV.

UNDER your umbrella,
behind you on a bike.
BY you and BESIDE you
is what I REALLY like.

"Do you love me just AS MUCH
when I'm FAR from home?
Is your loving still THE SAME
in distant lands I roam?"

I love you NEAR or FAR.
I love you HIGH or LOW.
My love is there with you
WHEREVER you may go.

"Even when I'm SICK...
and I can't get out of bed?
Do you love me better HEALTHY
than with a fever in my head?"

I love you sick or able.
You're ALWAYS you to me,
the ONE I LOVE forevermore.
Undeniably.

I CAN'T IMAGINE life
before YOU came along...
me there singing senseless,
no MEANING to my song.

Call it MEANT TO BE
or simply blessed fate,
you fill my heart WITH LOVE...
and for THAT I celebrate.

* This (not so) little poem says it so well, it comes from the book I Love You So... by Marianne Richmond.

Donald Duck

E started describing a character earlier yesterday as "a naughty goose in a policeman's shirt." It took me a second to figure out what in the world she was talking about and then realized she meant Donald Duck. A flood of fond memories of the persnickety fella came flooding back, and looked up a few favorites on YouTube for her to watch. We had so much fun watching these episodes, and the theme song (on the 2nd and 3rd) is a crack-up!

"Who’s got the sweetest disposition?
One guess, that’s who?
Who’d never, ever start an argument?
Who never shows a bit of temperament?
Who's never wrong but always right?
Who'd never dream of starting a fight?
Who get stuck with all the bad luck?
No one but Donald Duck!"

Angels

We went to the beach this morning and as if the ferry rolling in and out, and the trains whizzing by weren't enough excitement, there were a pair of acrobatic airplanes showing off their tricks across the sound. At first we weren't sure about what could be making such terrific circling plumes of smoke. At one point I mentioned that maybe it was the Blue Angels as it's Seafair time here in the Seattle area. Upon closer inspection we realized that they in fact were not, but none the less pulling off some incredible loops and dives. As E stared out over the waves, she nudged her buddy and said pointing, "Look, there's angels in the sky!"

A Reindeer Mountian

(photo is public domain)

The other morning while driving south on I-5 I noticed Mount Rainier (pronounced rain-near) was gleaming against the bright blue sky. Us natives were taught at a relatively young age to keep a look out for this looming mascot of sorts. It's what makes this little bit of the country so beautiful; the water, trees and mountains all in the same spot! It is a finicky view though, as some days like today it's as clear as day, others it's only partially visible circled with mist and clouds, and still others it's just raining too darn much right where you're standing to get a good view of anything. But Tuesday it was out in all it's splendor, and I commented to E "Oh look, our mountain's out."

And she casually questioned, "Which one is it?

I said, "Mount Rainier, right there. Sometimes we see it from the airplane too."

"Mama," she started in "it's not just mount, you have to say mountain (pronouncing very emphatically)."

"Well, there's different words for the same thing, lots of mountain's are called mount," I gently reminded her.

She looked concerned for a bit and then asked "Does Santa like the mountain?"

I was puzzled, "What do you mean?"

As she casually looked out the window she said very seriously, "because it's Mountain Reindeer."

hinting

I dropped a lot of hints about wanting a birdbath for my garden for Mother's Day. But because Dave and I were apart for the holiday we decided to celebrate at a later time. Today, as E crawled up on her stool to wash her hands after using the potty and before nap, she exclaims "A birdbath is a secret, Mama." "Oh, well, not anymore it isn't," I reply. "Yes, when we get it, it's a secret." she retorted. "Alright," I say beaming. Don't you just love it when your husband actually hears all those hints we drop?

Mama's and the Papa's

This evening E and I made multiple stops around the city. Running errands is one of my least favorite part about my day, but our cheerful conversations usually perk me up, and the time passes quickly. One such conversation started in the parking lot of our local Fred Meyer (kind of like a Target only with actual groceries). On our way out of the store I noticed one of the employee's rounding up the carts near our car, and looking upward into the tree that we had parked next to. As we reached the car it was obvious as to what had captured his attention, a beautiful bird song. There was the most beautiful song coming from the branches, enchanting. It almost sounded fake. I put our bags in the car and brought E over to see if we could spot it. Nope. As I strapped her into her car seat, I told her that I would look again and describe it to her if I found it. As I approached my side of the car I did see it, small like a sparrow and gray with black spots and a pink belly. As I climbed in this is the conversation that ensued:

me "I did see it, it's gray and black with a pink belly, and it's just singing away!"
E "Oh, because she found her mama!"
me "Oh, that's a nice thought, I guess I like to sing when I see my mama too"
E "Yeah"
me "Do you remember who my mama and daddy are?"
E thinking for a bit "Who are they?"
me "Gram and Papa, right? and who are Daddy's mama and daddy?"
E "Who are those guys?"
me "Grandma and Grandpa."
E "Oh, I love all those guys!"

Daddy's home

On the way to the airport a very giddy little 2 year-old and I had a sweet little discussion about her dad.
E: "Where we goin' mom?"
me: "Don't you remember?"
E: "TO GET DADDY!!!"
me: "Yup, we'll pick him up then go eat at the 5 Spot , ok?"
E: "Yeah, and when I see him, I will kiss him all over! And he will be sooo happy to see me!"
me: "He'll like that."
E: "And I'm so happy that we can bring him home. Let's call him, Mom."
me: "Well he's still up in the air in the airplane, it's not safe for him to talk on the phone yet. He'll call me when he's getting off the plane and then you can talk to him."
E: "Yeah, because he wants to talk to me, I'll put him on speaker (phone)."

jawin' on the phone