the orange peeler

Dear Della,

From about the time your started on solids (around 7 months), you have loved clementine oranges. We use to cut each segment in half trying to prevent you from choking. Though one time you did appear to choke while in your high chair and I had you out with your chest on my thigh and pounding on your back in .75 seconds. In hind sight, I am not sure if you were really choking, but nonetheless, it scared me.

You always asked for oranges using the sign (see picture) but have not been as interested in them for the past couple months.

I bought some clementines the other day and when you saw them, you anxiously pointed at them. You asked for one like you do most things when you don't know the word, "uuh, uuh, uuh". So, we sat down together so that I could peel it for you. You began to help me with it and eventually took over the whole job. How cute is that? You are now old enough to peel your own oranges! Then, I discovered that is all you wanted to do. You began to rip off each segment and stuff it in my mouth. Repeatedly. I didn't know that I wanted 5 segments in my mouth at once. Apparently, I did.


Your love of oranges was replaced with apples (eaten whole and the skin bitten off and put in my hand or a bowl) but now has been replaced by strawberries. Last week, you saw a picture of some strawberries in a book and kept pointing at them. "Uuh, uuh, uuh. Lella, Lella, Lella." I don't recall you liking strawberries too much so I don't buy them. I am not sure where the interest came from. We have some now and that is mostly what you want to eat. That and "O", of course.


Since I don't really like giving you positive reinforcement for your grunting, I looked up the sign for strawberries last night. Here it is:



You picked up on it like a pro and have used it very frequently. I hesitate to give you too many because everyone knows what fruit does to number two. When you use to eat oranges all the time, you would get diaper rash which actually looked more like a sun burn all over your bottom. Too much acid I guess.


But, speaking of number two, this morning we had an interesting incident with it. You have been using the potty a lot and like to go into the bathroom, take your diaper off and use the potty. You have gotten very good at it. This time, I heard you go in there and call for me. So, I went in and found you in your room standing on the rug. Naked. With poop falling to the ground.

"Yuck", you said. I did too. Good thing for sanitizing wipes.


I love you (even if you poop on the floor),


Mama

git yur butt back in here, Della, now!

Dear Della,

In this blog, I normally write about YOUR fun and follies and leave subjects out that relate only to me. However, this subject matter has been the impetuous to this blog from the beginning so it is only fitting to air my feelings on this venue.

The other night, your Dada and I were trying to get you back into the kitchen to help clean up the mess you made and the phrase, "git yur butt back in here, Della, now!" slipped out of Dada's mouth. I thought it appropriate to use that as the subject line for what is to be a post about my dear friend, Jen, who will no longer be working with me at LAIKA.

You see, what I write in here and how it is written is as much for you in the future as it is for the amusement of Jen because I know she reads it. I love making her laugh as much as she enjoys laughing at what I say! She and I have used that phrase (taken from the movie Thelma and Louise) a lot over the years, and I know she would find it entertaining to know I was using it on your little heiney!

Jen and I have worked together at LAIKA for the past 2.5 years and worked together before that at a CPA firm for 2 years. Since she has been at LAIKA, she has seen me through a lot, and I can only hope I have been there for her.

We began working together while I was pregnant with you. She was as excited for you to be born as I was. She listened to me everyday when I talked about how swollen my ankles were getting or bitched about how much I hated those women who were so taken with the whole pregnancy/mother thing. She knows how much "tender" things bother me. She also took walks with me uphills in order to prepare for your birth and came to the hospital the day after you were born to hold you.

I visited her when she was in the hospital and made her do laps around the floor. As a thank you, she donated money to the Good Sam Baby Foundation in "Baby Baldwin's" name as you had yet to have a name at that time.

Jen has watched you several times at the Studio when I have come in to go to a meeting. Usually you cried which Jen managed but secretly like to frowny face you wore, and she carried you for blocks in the baby bjorn until her back hurt.

Jen is the most compassionate and passionate friend I have. She is also very generous with her thoughtful words and praises. Over the past several years, she started making artwork using images and cut words/phrases from all sorts of media, magazines, books, old pictures. It began as homemade envelops from magazine pages but blossomed into cards, pictures and even poster boards. I have been graced by being the recipient of many of these wonderful creations. The one above is very typical of the many cards I received. She always makes me smile in what she wrote and I especially like the large collage she gave me that describes me as robust.

About 5 or 6 years ago, I began to receive emails from her that always ended like this:

I remain,

~listening to Will Smith

~enjoying a vanilla latte

~happy I just got my haircut

Of course, they were always different and gave insight into what was happening with her right at that moment. I responded in kind and always thought she just did it for my benefit. When she started working at the Studio, I discovered she did on every email. She began to collect all the remainings she received back from our coworkers and even outside clients. Everyone benefited from this small gesture of taking time to think about how and what you are doing at the very moment of the email. Staying present is something she constantly strives for and therefore brings that out in others. She had an art show at the Studio that contained a poster full of our coworkers remainings. They were very fun to try to figure who said what. I had several in there myself. On her last day, she gave me a print out of my remainings she had saved and noted her favorites. What a gift to receive those back.

After you were born, Jen listened to me describe all that was going on with you. I would also tell her how much I wanted to write you a monthly letter that was well written and witty. I wrote a few of those but always felt overwhelmed by the task of it. She suggested that we start a blog and that way I could write brief items without overwhelming myself. Hence, the conception of Lil D!

I know in my heart that her leaving is the best thing for her. Accounting is not her passion (not that it is mine either) but she has another path to follow. I loved our lunches together and all the conversations we had about Della stories and our self explorations. Shortly after she told me she was leaving, I realized that our journey of being together every day was coming to a close for a reason. She was with me through my life change of becoming a mother and processing who I am now. I was with her during a life change for her. It is time for us to stand on our own.

Here are some phrases or words that are my friend, Jen and our memories:

ORIGINAL
Funky jewelry
Magazines
Chicken and Rabbit
Sparkles
Pink
Orange
Eating lunch together
Processing
Listening to all she learned about self acceptance and bettering your situation
Silently judging you
Chakras
Yoga
Blogs
Justa Pasta
Girl Scouts
Canadian bacon pizza and ho ho's
St. Paul
Staying present
Recognizing the world around you
Charmed lists
Ann Taylor Loft
Thin skin
Hunkering
Warm smiles
A shoulder to cry on
Curly hair

I could go on but these don't make any sense to others but Jen and me. I wish her luck and steadfastness on her new adventure. I thank her for touching so many people. Above all, I am happy to have her as my friend.

I remain,

~listening to Dixie Chicks
~a little teary
~hoping Jen is having fun with her sister in Iowa
~hoping Jen leaves me comments on this Blog!

Mama

PS-Insight into Jen at http://www.completejoy.blogspot.com/ and here http://farcycreations.typepad.com/

your first hair cut

Dear Della,

Dada and I have been talking for awhile about how to cut your hair and where to go. Bangs or not bangs was the biggest question. We went with no bangs and the hair dresser concurred with that thought. She said since your hair is still growing in having bangs would make the grow out even harder. SOLD!

Today we finally decided to take the plunge and went all the way to Lake Oswego. There is a cute little place called Little Clippers complete with toys, a playhouse and cars as haircutting stools! This place definitely cateres to the small child. You were able to sit in a red car, watch Clifford (wooh, wah), chew on a plastic Nemo, get a red balloon, sparkle hairspray, a sticker and a little certificate with your hair on it!

You did such a great job and were not freaked out at all!

You were so cute and I think you enjoyed it! I may even have gotten the tiniest bit emotional!

I love you,

Mama

a fun day

Dear Della,

This past Thursday, we had a fun day together. You are definitely becoming more playful with me.

Several times during the day, you enjoyed the fun of hide and seek. It is really the first time you really hid somewhere other than behind a blanket or coat. You really had fun behind Dada's pants in the closet and the little closet door in your room (that leads to a heating duct) provided a good five minutes of giggles!

We enjoyed being cool in Mama's green sunglasses which wasn't the first time you have worn them. One picture is from when you were only 2 weeks old! What a difference 2 years make.

You have found that acting like a cat is fun. You were crawling on all fours and meowing. You said, "Gow Gow, Mama" for me to join in which I did. We crawled from your room to the living room and while crossing the dining room floor, I hoped it wouldn't go on for too long for my knees sake. The next time we crossed, I stood up and walked while you crawled. Then the time after that, you ran across too to get to the rug. I guess your little knees are as sensitive as mine!

We also enjoyed drawing outlines of your body while you laid on your drawing table. We would then make eyes, nose and a mouth for you. Even a few days later, you are still requesting that one.

Thanks for making our day so nice!

I love you,

Mama

bob, bob nummies

Dear Della,

For some time, I have been giving you breakfast during the week in a bowl with several options. It usually contains a protein (eggs, cheese or sausage), carbs (toast. dry cereal or bagel) and a piece of fruit (grapes, banana or apples). You like to have the different options.

After making cupcakes for you for your birthday:

I realized I had the cupcake tins that only hold six. They were my grandma's. And, they are perfect for putting an assortment of foods in the holes. You love the concept and especially like it if each one has somehting in it even if it is a repeat. You have started requesting the tins and refer to them as "Bob Bob Nummies".

The other night, we had dinner and per your request, yours was in the tins. One even contained ranch sauce. You love to dip your fork into sauces and just eat the sauce, especially ketchup. Why can't you have a whole meal that is ketchup, you probably are asking. Well, it just doesn't work that way. Maybe at Grammy's, although she would probably insist that it was ice cream and not ketchup. It has more nutrients, right?

Instead of using your fork for shoveling in the ranch, you used a plastic hairbrush from one of your news dolls. Nice touch Della.

I love you,

Mama