Dear Sophie,
We went to McDonalds for dinner tonight. You don't really care about the food, but you like to watch the kids playing on the gymnasium and the slides. You don't yet participate in the playing yourself because I suspect that you may be intimidated by all the other kids - they are much bigger than you. As we were eating our dinner and people watching, two little girls (about nine years old) came over to our table. Fully engrossed in play time, they hopped up on the chair and then stepped up onto our table so that they could reach up and jump onto one of the bars of the gymnasium. In a bossy little voice, you said to those girls, "Off table! Get down!" You repeated it a second time when the little girls did it again. Eventually, an adult from their party came over and told the girls not to get on the table.
I wonder where you learned to be so bossy? *wink wink* This was the first time I've seen you be bossy to anyone else besides Lucy, Blue, and Junior.
Love you,
Mommy
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
FaceTime
Dear Sophie,
Thank goodness for FaceTime - this nifty Applie iPhone application that allows me to "video call" you. I can see your cute little face even though I am far away in Washington D.C. at a conference. And you can see my face too. "Hi, Mommy!" is such a nice greeting. You can hear me and interact with me on FaceTime. You even mimicked me sticking my tongue out. And when I asked for a "high five," you did it - unfortunately, your high five disconnected our call, but we got right back online together with a touch of a button.
What a darling little girl you are!
I'm so glad this is only a 3 day trip. I miss your face! I miss Daddy too, but his face is not nearly as sweet as yours. Wink wink!
Love,
Mommy
Thank goodness for FaceTime - this nifty Applie iPhone application that allows me to "video call" you. I can see your cute little face even though I am far away in Washington D.C. at a conference. And you can see my face too. "Hi, Mommy!" is such a nice greeting. You can hear me and interact with me on FaceTime. You even mimicked me sticking my tongue out. And when I asked for a "high five," you did it - unfortunately, your high five disconnected our call, but we got right back online together with a touch of a button.
What a darling little girl you are!
I'm so glad this is only a 3 day trip. I miss your face! I miss Daddy too, but his face is not nearly as sweet as yours. Wink wink!
Love,
Mommy
Sunday, October 7, 2012
First K-State Game
P.S.
Daddy and I took you to the K-State vs. KU game in Manhattan yesterday. It was your first college football game. KU lost to K-State with a horrendous score of 56 to 16!
Daddy and I took you to the K-State vs. KU game in Manhattan yesterday. It was your first college football game. KU lost to K-State with a horrendous score of 56 to 16!
Oh sh*t!
Dear Sophie,
Who would have ever guessed that you would learn your first naughty word from Mommy? I've been lecturing your dad for two years that he should start modifying his language in preparation for little ears. As it turns out, it was I who needed the lecturing.
Here's how it happened. Daddy was out of town. It was just you and me, which means that Mommy was probably on the "worn out" side. I placed you on the changing table so that I could give you a fresh diaper. You were being your usual squirmy self - anything left on the dresser is vulnerable to being kicked or knocked off. This isn't usually a problem, because most of the time, what's on your dresser is plush or plastic (like your animals or your comb). This time, though, it was a sizeable bottle of lotion.
With a wave of your arm, the lotion container went crashing to the flower ending with a big splat! Lotion was everywhere! "Oh shit," I said. "It's broken." Not dwelling on the mishap (yours or mine), I finished changing your diaper, and then proceeded with the cleanup. We went on with the day.
Later that day, it was time for another diaper change. I took you back to your room and placed you on the dresser. You noticed the broken lotion bottle still on the dresser, and then turned to me and said with all innocence, "Shit. Boken." I asked you, uncertain I heard you correctly, "What did you say?" You repeated, "Shit. Boken."
And if that wasn't confirmation enough for me, two days later, when I was changing your clothes, you said it again after accidentally dropping your shoes on to the floor: "Oh shit."
I can hardly believe that it was me who taught you a bad word. Of course you don't know that it's a bad word, but everyone else will know, when your repeat it in public, that someone taught you a bad word. Everyone will suspect your Daddy, but he will be free of blame and point his finger squarely at me.
Love you!
Your Imperfect but Loving Mommy
Who would have ever guessed that you would learn your first naughty word from Mommy? I've been lecturing your dad for two years that he should start modifying his language in preparation for little ears. As it turns out, it was I who needed the lecturing.
Here's how it happened. Daddy was out of town. It was just you and me, which means that Mommy was probably on the "worn out" side. I placed you on the changing table so that I could give you a fresh diaper. You were being your usual squirmy self - anything left on the dresser is vulnerable to being kicked or knocked off. This isn't usually a problem, because most of the time, what's on your dresser is plush or plastic (like your animals or your comb). This time, though, it was a sizeable bottle of lotion.
With a wave of your arm, the lotion container went crashing to the flower ending with a big splat! Lotion was everywhere! "Oh shit," I said. "It's broken." Not dwelling on the mishap (yours or mine), I finished changing your diaper, and then proceeded with the cleanup. We went on with the day.
Later that day, it was time for another diaper change. I took you back to your room and placed you on the dresser. You noticed the broken lotion bottle still on the dresser, and then turned to me and said with all innocence, "Shit. Boken." I asked you, uncertain I heard you correctly, "What did you say?" You repeated, "Shit. Boken."
And if that wasn't confirmation enough for me, two days later, when I was changing your clothes, you said it again after accidentally dropping your shoes on to the floor: "Oh shit."
I can hardly believe that it was me who taught you a bad word. Of course you don't know that it's a bad word, but everyone else will know, when your repeat it in public, that someone taught you a bad word. Everyone will suspect your Daddy, but he will be free of blame and point his finger squarely at me.
Love you!
Your Imperfect but Loving Mommy
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
No bite!
Dear Sophie,
We are still trying to figure out how to move you on past this biting stage. Yesterday, one of the other children in your class pushed you and, in retaliation, you bit him or her on the arm. This morning, your teacher Ms. Robin told me how you reacted when you were put in a time out after yesterday's incident. You were crying, and you pointed with a crooked index finger to some nearby blocks and repeated, "No biting, Block! No biting!" Ms. Robin said she struggled not to laugh.
I relayed this story to Daddy. He laughed too and said he was glad that you seemed to be "getting it." I, however, felt broken-hearted to hear it. You and I have had some talks about biting on the way home from school, and I wondered if I had been too stern with you. After all, you're a one year-old. Still just a baby.
Instead of the stern talks on the way home after you've had an "incident", I'm going to praise you with lots of hugs, kisses, and positive words every day that you don't have an "incident."
I sure hope that works!
I'll always love you,
Mommy
We are still trying to figure out how to move you on past this biting stage. Yesterday, one of the other children in your class pushed you and, in retaliation, you bit him or her on the arm. This morning, your teacher Ms. Robin told me how you reacted when you were put in a time out after yesterday's incident. You were crying, and you pointed with a crooked index finger to some nearby blocks and repeated, "No biting, Block! No biting!" Ms. Robin said she struggled not to laugh.
I relayed this story to Daddy. He laughed too and said he was glad that you seemed to be "getting it." I, however, felt broken-hearted to hear it. You and I have had some talks about biting on the way home from school, and I wondered if I had been too stern with you. After all, you're a one year-old. Still just a baby.
Instead of the stern talks on the way home after you've had an "incident", I'm going to praise you with lots of hugs, kisses, and positive words every day that you don't have an "incident."
I sure hope that works!
I'll always love you,
Mommy
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Hug?
Dear Sophie,
Today, you walked into the room where I was working, stretched out your arms, and said, "Hug?"
I love you!
Mommy
Today, you walked into the room where I was working, stretched out your arms, and said, "Hug?"
I love you!
Mommy
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Come on, Mom!
Dear Sophie,
Yesterday, I ran in the 4-mile Kansas City Zoo Run, a charity run benefiting the zoo's Sumatran tiger. You'll know someday that I love animals, especially our dog Lucy and cats Blue and Junior, and one of my favorite channels to watch on TV is the Animal Planet. I hope someday you, too, will share my love for animals. So, I registered for the race.
Needless to say, with only a few 3-mile jog/walks in the few weeks leading up to the race, I was ill-prepared. I started the race with three co-workers from the Federal Reserve. Two quickly separated from the group about one mile into the run. The other stayed with me for another mile and half or so. She kept me encouraged with positive words along the way, but at approximately two and a half miles, I suggested she could go on without me. I just couldn't keep up with her! So, I found myself running without a companion.
It just so happens that right about then I had caught up with two young girls. I soon learned that they were running with their mom. The oldest girl, perhaps about fifteen or sixteen, yelled back at her mom every few yards or so, "Come on, Mom! Keep running! You can do it!" She repeated this numerous times. The effect on me was inspiring.
I thought about you and how you sometimes grab my shirt or my hand and pull me in the direction of something you want to do. You say, "Mon, Mommy," which translates to, "Come on, Mommy!"
I loved seeing the relationship between the teenage daughter and her mom during the Zoo run. This was something they did together. I imagine that you and I will do many things together, and I hope someday that when you're a teenager we maintain that togetherness.
Love you, Sweetie!
Mommy
Yesterday, I ran in the 4-mile Kansas City Zoo Run, a charity run benefiting the zoo's Sumatran tiger. You'll know someday that I love animals, especially our dog Lucy and cats Blue and Junior, and one of my favorite channels to watch on TV is the Animal Planet. I hope someday you, too, will share my love for animals. So, I registered for the race.
Needless to say, with only a few 3-mile jog/walks in the few weeks leading up to the race, I was ill-prepared. I started the race with three co-workers from the Federal Reserve. Two quickly separated from the group about one mile into the run. The other stayed with me for another mile and half or so. She kept me encouraged with positive words along the way, but at approximately two and a half miles, I suggested she could go on without me. I just couldn't keep up with her! So, I found myself running without a companion.
It just so happens that right about then I had caught up with two young girls. I soon learned that they were running with their mom. The oldest girl, perhaps about fifteen or sixteen, yelled back at her mom every few yards or so, "Come on, Mom! Keep running! You can do it!" She repeated this numerous times. The effect on me was inspiring.
I thought about you and how you sometimes grab my shirt or my hand and pull me in the direction of something you want to do. You say, "Mon, Mommy," which translates to, "Come on, Mommy!"
I loved seeing the relationship between the teenage daughter and her mom during the Zoo run. This was something they did together. I imagine that you and I will do many things together, and I hope someday that when you're a teenager we maintain that togetherness.
Love you, Sweetie!
Mommy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)