June 20, 2009
· Filed under Imagination, Learning, Love, Stories
Yesterday we went to an end-of-the-year celebration at the principal’s house. It was a fun party. At one point, Coco had to use the bathroom and needed me to go with her. Once we got the door closed I said, “I wish there were some sweets at this party.”
“You know what I wish?” Coco asked.
“What?”
“I wish the world was made of marshmellows.”
Earlier in the day, in the 5th grade, Coco was like a celebrity. The children are batty for her. Kids in other classes even knew who she was, mostly because I had passed on advice from her the night before as part of my speech at graduation. Graducation includes “yearbooks” and they hold an ice cream social so that students can sign one anothers books. Well, kid after kid asked Coco to sign!
In the end, I think she signed more books than I did.
February 23, 2009
· Filed under Love, Stories
After a long nap this afternoon, the Minkster is having trouble getting to sleep. I am not making it an easier by standing outside her door, attempting to see if she’s nodded off.
Ten minutes ago it looked like she might have–each night I go into her room to kiss her and whisper “mummy loves you” once she’s asleep–so I ventured in. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw her eyelids twitching. I watched this for upwards of a minute and then leaned over and asked, “are you pretend sleeping?”
Her eyes opened and we both started laughing. “I was waiting for you or daddy to come in,” she replied. “I was really hoping for you.”
More curious than that, as I leaned over to hug her, I felt the 2lb. weights I just bought right next to her.
“Why are these in your bed?” I asked. “I was hiding them from you until morning,” she explained.
December 23, 2006
· Filed under Love
Last night, I got into bed with Coco because she was having a hard time getting to sleep. I said I would stay only if she kept her eyes closed. This worked for ten minutes. Then, she began wriggling. Wriggling turned into playing. She tried to squish my lips together. This went on for some minutes. I gently reminded her that I was going to leave if she didn’t settle down. She threw an arm around my neck and hugged me tight, nestling into the pillow. When she looked at me again, she said, “best friends.”
February 18, 2005
· Filed under Holidays, Love
All of my diabolical plans came together last night! Layr had a pretty fun birthday. Here we are after eating dinner.
January 20, 2005
· Filed under Imagination, Love
Coco got some fabulous things for Christmas but strangely the thing she likes best of all is her Mr Potatohead. Mr Potatohead was purchased for her by her older siblings at Disney World. He’s got all sorts of theme park gear like a Mickey Mouse sorcerer’s hat and an ice cream in the shape of Mickey with a bite taken out of it. From the moment he was opened, it was love.
I myself have never understood the charm of the Mr Potatohead. As a kid I thought it was weird. As a parent I think it’s weird.
Layr, a much more accepting and nonjudgmental person, made Coco really laugh once when he took Mr Potatohead’s ear off and put it on top of his head, replacing his hat. She thought that was hysterical.
Mr Potatohead sits on a shelf in Coco’s room, adjacent to her crib. Each morning when I go into her she scampers right up and looks quite glad to see me for a brief moment. Then she points her little fat finger at the Mr Potatohead and says “dah?” Together we walk to the shelf to say good morning. She smiles like crazy at him, reaches out both arms, pulls him off the shelf and hugs him tight. (I have yet to receive one of these bear hugs.) Then the three of us all head into my bedroom where the changing table is.
Last night Layr went in to get the girl just before eleven for one last nurse. That is part of our nightly routine, the hope being that this last feeding will prevent dead-of-night wakefulness. It’s not always successful. Anyway, I heard him chuckling in there. When he came back into our bedroom he explained that when he picked Coco up, she was half asleep and a bit disoriented, but she pointed her finger at Mr Potatohead, and said, “dah?”
January 16, 2005
· Filed under Love
This morning Layr made the three of us pancakes. It was a great treat for me mostly because I had an awful stomach virus this week and have eaten almost nothing since Thursday. Anyway, Minky hadn’t eaten pancakes before and of course loved them instantly. In fact, she’s still clutching one right now in her while in the same hand she’s clutching the remote control.
Anyway, Mink ate up the pancake like crazy. After the initial thrill of seeing her enjoying her breakfast I turned my attention to the paper. A bit later Layr said, “look.” There was Coco leaning over the side of her high chair feeding blueberry pancake to Rocky. He patiently licked at her fingers until she opened them up enough to release the pancake – so much more polite than when I feed him.
Ah, a match made in heaven.
