to be frank

Dear Della,

We have been hanging out on our own this week as Daddy has been at his bike repair class in Ashland this week. Here is an excerpt from our conversation tonight:

"Tomorrow is going to be Mama's day,"

"Yeah! Now, I won't hate you!"

Thanks my dear. I aim to please.

I love you,

Mama

what else?

Dear Della,

Yesterday, we had a fun afternoon on Uncle Benny's boat on Lacamas Lake. I don't think you really knew what to expect when I told you where we were going.

Once we were all in the boat with pfd's on the kids, we went puttering away from the dock. Then, Uncle Benny opened it up and you started screaming. With joy! You were so happy to be going fast. You asked for your sunglasses. Once you had them on, you sat in the chair smiling, shaking your hair a little in the wind and screaming. " THIS IS SO MUCH FUNNNNN!", you yelled.

You weren't as excited when we stopped and through the anchors down as you liked "going fast". But, Aunt Jen inflated the "Island Oasis" which is a hug raft that has a section cut out and a net at the bottom for little people to swim in it. You played on that and in the lake with me and on the ladder at the back of the boat. You cried for awhile "acuz my wife jacket is toooo tiiiggghhht". But, my operation Ignore It worked out well and you stopped.

It was very relaxing, and I was able to enjoy playing with cousin Sammy as well. When we got back, Ben treated us to dinner at the Moose Lodge. It was too bad that I forgot my camera though.

Here is an excerpt from our conversation on the way home:

"Why we onwy do two fings today?"

"What do you mean?"

"We onwy go on the boat an' go to dinnaw. Why"?

I love you,

Mama

introductions

Dear Della,

This morning on the way into school you were BERY hungy. "What do you have for me?", you inquired. "Goldfiss, almonds, raisins, milk?", you continued. I gave you some goldfish but mentioned that we should save the rest until after school as you are always hungry then. I also added that they should be having snack when we get to school and you could eat then. That didn't seem to pacify you.

Once we got to school, the other kids were eating bagels and cream cheese. I pointed it out to you, but you immediately turned your nose up at that and ran off to play.

I heard you talking to Kennedy and mentioning how you both have flowers on. I went over there to say goodbye to you. Here is what you said:

"Kennedy, Kennedy, meet my mom." You gestured with your hands just like adults do and made it seem like a true introduction.
"Here is Cailan. He is so funny."

I love you and the entertaining way you speak,

Mama

sophisticated nose

Dear Della,

Yesterday, we had a nice day lounging around the house and cuddling. It was kinda cold and raining all day plus, I have to admit, Mama will more than a little hung over. Thanks JennRenn! For once, Della, you were more than willing to sit on the couch with me most of the day! How lovely for me.

Anyway, you came into the bathroom after I had been in there for sometime. I see you cover up your nose and you announce, "It stinks in he-uh! Spray somefing!". It did but I found it funny that you were commenting on it. See, you just learned how to breath in through your nose when asked to smell something. We have been working on this concept since you were about 1 and you learned the sign for flower which is sniffing through your nose. Only for you, it has always been exhaling.

You also should not caste stones about bathroom etiquette. You see, my dear daughter, you have taken to wiping your nether regions on the bathmat or shower current if you do not properly wipe. Which is most of the time. This reminds me of story by David Sedaris, but in his tale they had brown towels. We have white, white bathmat, white shower curtain, white washcloths. Some of the aforementioned linens now have mysterious brown marks on them. I am trying to alleviate the use of bleach in our household but it will make an appearance when I wash these tainted items. Your dad may never be able to use them again.

I love you anyway,

Mama

PS - I should also mention here since this post is about the potty that you have spontaneously stopped using your "seat" on the toilet. You now sit on it like a big girl without any prompting by us. This is perhaps why you have been having trouble with the whole wiping thing as you have to balance yourself on the toilet with both hands.

the wine-o

Dear Della,

Here is a snipit from our conversation on the way home from school today:

"I can't drink wine anymore."

"Why?"

"Acuz I have babies in my belly. Two babies."

"You do?"

"Yes, they are crawling in my belly. A boy and a girl. Their names are Henry and Della. So, I can't drink any wine with you."

Some time passes as we drive then,

"I don't have babies anymo'ah. Let's go inside and have some wine."

So, I am sitting here typing this having to fight you over how much of my wine you are drinking. "Just a couple of sips", I say as you try to gulp it then blow as hard as possible on my new soprano recorder.

a day in the life

Dear Della,

So , right after I put you to bed tonight, I expected to sit down to jot out a quick letter to you about the several funny things you did tonight. It was way layed by the fact that I tried to turn on the TV to have a little background action while I wrote to you and the volume didn't come on the set. Fast forward twenty five minutes later and here I sit. Tired.

You sat on my lap tonight while at dinner and made a grumpy face out of the blue. While looking at a flower on the table. "What", I asked and you. "I am angy at you for breaking my delphinum."

The other day, while at Portland Nursery, you picked out a pretty blue Delphinium that we planted. I rolled up the hose that we had used to fill your pool but did it the lazy way. Over the top of the plants instead of around. If it had been you doing this, I would have been upset. But, I was tired and in a hurry. Of course, it broke of the flowering stock. I apologized to you and put it in a glass on the dining room table. You are still peeved.

I love you,

Mama

PS - I just finished this post today, 6/6/08, as I guess I was too tired to finish it the night I started. Yesterday, you saw that your Delphinium has some new buds on it. Just like I tried to explain to you that it would but to no avail. You just kept asking, "Why?". Because of gravity, Della. (Thanks Scott)

marry her off early

Dear Della,

Last night while we were eating dinner, I asked about your day at school. You said that you played wedding with Brock and Henry. I inquired about details but following you sometimes is a little difficult.

This morning, when we went into your classroom, you immediately went and got a piece of pink, tulle-like material. While you busied yourself with that, Teacher Brittany asked me if I heard about your wedding yesterday.

Brittany told me that she saw you with the material over your head and playing with Henry. She also saw something under the material and gestured to her midriff area. She asked what you guys were doing. You informed her that "Henwy and me awe gettin' mawwied and havin' a baby!". She also said that you were asking people to be your bridesmaid.

I laughed out loud at that story! After hearing it, you said "I gonna get mawwied when I get bigga!". When is that? Next year, 7, 10? Let me know 'cause I want to know when I can start sleeping in again.

I love you,

Mama