Reports from the Front
I have been using email - or a version of it - since 1989. It was an beloved campus-wide mode of communication at my college called Blitzmail. It was great for making dinner plans with a friend or communicating with a professor but in the ensuing years my love for it has only grown and never was it so pronounced as when we were on Isla Mujeres. It was such a pleasure to get an email from one of my parents knowing it would contain an update on how our little one was doing. Highlights from our correspondence follow. I think one day Stella will be glad to read about her first extended stay with the grandparents.
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Thu, Jan 4, 2007 9:10AM
Wow
You didn't really tell us the full extent of the waking up personality of your fabulous daughter.
That was fun
And ultra loving.
Up at 6:30 with a little call and Mom was there in two seconds
then we had an hour and a half, mostly in bed of laughing, talking, practicing new words, bottle of milk, picking out clothes -- she chose cat with a sparkly cat on it and black trousers
3 eggs and some bread -she fed herself with a spoon fairly adeptly, to applause
and a grin and giggle
Helped with the papa ablutions
tasted tooth paste
would not touch the shaving cream
wanted no part of the shower
and then
went to my drawers and closet to pick out clothes
Wound up with a striped shirt and clashing polka dot tie.
I hated leaving and stayed until 9;15.
Mom called to say your girl was on the swing for 45 minutes and had no intention of getting off--
"Higher, higher"
Score to date:
0 cries
0 falls
0 problems
3 "mamas" just before bed last night
From: Grandma
To: Us
Subject: Update
Thu, Jan 4, 2007 9:14AM
Hi Darlings,
I am having the best time imaginable today with your angel. Since the weather is so warm we spent the morning in the park, and Stella was quite sociable, and tons of toddlers were there. She traded the use of her bicycle for a little stroller containing a doll with eyes that opened and shut and she pushed that baby everywhere for at least 15 minutes. We then went on the swing where no one else was so after trying every swing because Stella asked to (Grandma is a pushover!) I realized that she has mastered the word "higher", and I pushed Stella for 45 minutes before she did not say, "no" when I suggested getting off the swing. Fortunately all the babysitters were socializing in the play area and there was no competition for the swings.
We came home when Stella started yawning and we read tons of books, and the new jungle book has a scary looking pop up tiger, so Stella kept saying no to the tiger, shutting the book, and then returning to that page over and over until she felt comfortable to touch the tiger. Then she put the book down much more "done" with that book for now. It was so adorable.
She is an angel, so lovable and easy to explain things to. This AM she got up at 6:45AM which sounds a lot later if I say almost 7AM which is how it felt. She is napping now, and after our busy morning outside she went to sleep easily.
Hope you are having a fabulous time. She is and we are so plan another trip!
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Thu, Jan 4, 2007 5:31PM
Dinner menu for the gourmet
Noodles and meatballs from home
Knickerbocker:
Caesar salad
steak
creamed spinach
onion rings(many)
Tonight's bath was brought to u by
chocolate covered cherry( no interest in the cherry)
hand fulls of shampoo
30 minutes of giggling and playing quietly with the rubber animals mostly under the water
bed at 7:27 and asleep in 9 seconds
Beauty loved walking curiously around the restaurant by herself staring at people.
They think she was named after the beer
mother's story of her kissing your picture is delightful
If you want to stay there and found a theater company, we will take care of Gentle One
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Fri, Jan 5, 2007 5:37AM
HI
HI
WOW
well maybe the onion rings were a mistake.
Miss Wonderful woke up at 3:30
and was a little grumpy.
H took her to our bed and she got playful for a half hour
the slept cozily until 7:30
She is such a nice person
Did u know she likes to read?
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Fri, Jan 5, 2007 11:10AM
this morning as I was leaving
H " do you want to change your diaper"
S " yah"
and she trots from the front door to the changing table.
Words are coming fast.
Sleep no problem
Last night was maybe a little missing mom and dad
will try french fries tonight
What fun
From: Grandma
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Fri, Jan 5, 2007 6:22PM
Hi Darlings,
Stella slept until 7:30AM this morning although she woke up briefly at 4AM. She went back to sleep quickly though and so did I. She is having a fabulous time with us, and she is incredibly enthusiastic about everything we suggest. I asked her today though when I came home if she wanted to play with me and with bright excited eyes she responded Pa Paul (a few hours before Dad came home). Stella understood that Dad was at work, and she and I played with puzzles, blocks, and books. We waited for Dad eventually in the lobby, and she was happy to do that in socks.... She has mastered this apartment, knows where everything is, and is never more than a foot from her ladder.
Clara came over tonight at 6:30 PM (after seeing Charlotte's Web with Steven) and the girls were precious together. Stella went into our bedroom and got her shirt that matched the one Clara was wearing and came back into the livingroom with it and asked to put it on. I followed her into the bedroom, but I did not help her, it was amazing. Stella was so cute at bedtime. She said, "no" to the pacifier! But after three books (she now loves our jungle book) she quietly went into the dark bedroom with me and let me sing to her. She was grumbly, refusing a bottle, asking about Clara, but she eventually understood that it was bedtime. It was 7:15PM. We have been sticking to her schedule very well.
So, how are you? Are you enjoying your vacation? Give us news from Mexico.......
I love you both, and we are madly in love with Stella.
From: Grandma
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Fri, Jan 5, 2007 6:26PM
Stella kisses you and David in the photographs....good idea to have brought them. She has not cried at all....except when I tried to buy her shoes! We rapidly left the store (she was right, no new shoes were in and the leftover winter shoes were ugly).
I love you and I am crazy about SQ.
From: Grandma
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sat, Jan 6, 2007 4:29AM
7:05AM straight through the night. We got up, about ten minutes ago, she and I, Dad is still sleeping, and it is exactly
7:28AM as you see on the computer.
So, very funny is that we have a new Maurice Sendak book called, "Mommy", and this morning we discovered that one of the adult monsters has a pacifier. Well, Stella laughs and laughs at that page, and loves it so much, and it does not make her ask for hers.
I love you. Hope you are still having a good time.
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sat, Jan 6, 2007 11:00AM
It must be in her blood but your smartie climbed up all the steps at the Metropolitan Museum
and then
up all the steps up to the second floor
the guards loved her
We think she clearly favored Cezanne over Van Gogh
Gauguin a bit racy
and would not spend a second in the stroller
destroyed grapes and avocado and then asked to go for her nap @ 11:40
asleep in ten seconds and still sleeping at 2 PM.
Two syllable words are coming easily
and the love for books extraordinary.
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sat, Jan 6, 2007 6:29PM
Triple Wow
Well treasure is in bed as of right now
about 9 PM
oops
two hour nap and then wakes up laughing
very little chicken soup and then "good grief" a whole sliced banana fed piece by piece by hand, by grandma:
now that is an act of love. The two of them are very bonded. A blessing-- because I think Stella is now missing her mom and dad. She gets a little cranky and teary on impulse with no apparent cause.
David. You got what you wanted. An athlete. Tough and daring and very coordinated. Rode her three wheeler all the way to Tompkins Square Park. Had an adventure on steep steps, sharp inclines and then that bridge that wobbles when you run on it. Tough East Village kids and she hung in there with poise and bravery.
Dinner was three hours short. Not a difficult minute with Treasure. Clara and she hung out together. Ate noodles galore. The highlight for Me---going shopping on Avenue A after appetizers-- with the two of them. It started as a break and ended as an adventure. In the window of a speciality shop hung a red shirt with the lettering, "kiss me its my birthday." So we went in to buy one each for Barry and Helaine. Then, Bingo.
Eyes light up. In the back, a whole section of kid shirts. The two of them went shuffling through the racks--
and picked out two identical pink tee shirts, with spangles--and wore them out. What a show.
Home to bath and bed.
What a girl.
From: Grandma
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sat, Jan 6, 2007 7:45PM
Hi Darlings,
We had the best time today and tonight, and we did not even miss you that much because if you had been here we would not have had the same amazing experience with Stella. We went to I Coppi tonight at 5:30PM with Barry's family, grandma, and Steven's family. Dinner went later than planned, past 7:30PM, but we had lots of food, courses, etc. so it did not seem that long. Stella ate up a storm, loving thin crust pizza, penne, and lamb shank (no vegetables I know, but during the day today she had avocado, carrots, raspberries, banana, sweet potato, and grapes. Clara was so caring of Stella tonight at dinner, and wanted to sit on my lap too but easily understood that Stella was doing that, and it would be hard for Stella to eat if she sat there too. Stella happily sat with Aunt Sonya for a while, and after a few minutes with Sonya, Sonya brought her to me saying that Stella needed a diaper change, and did she ever! We put towels on the floor in the ladies room (Stella and I)and Stella was so cooperative as I changed her (fortunately I was prepared). I got the feeling that Stella was so appreciative that she did not have to stay in poop. She LOVES me so much now, after these days of caring for her, and she and I have had a fabulous bonding experience (obviously I love her up to the sky too, although I thought I did before too. I guess the sky got higher). Dad and I keep telling Stella about both of you and she smiles with her beautiful loving eyes when we say Mommy and Daddy. She knows Mommy is Carolyn and Daddy is David. She is incredibly precious and gentle.
Before dinner Dad, Stella, and I went for two and a half hours to Tompkins Square Park to the playground, and Stella was an athletic dynamo. She climbed and climbed like a two year old. Other parents are amazed, and we were proud of her too. We laughed a lot because when she is about to fall with her daredevil attempts, as you catch her, she laughs, having fun, but we have lost a year of life. She still has little fear, but sadly we remain cautious and protective. We are thrilled to be returning Stella to you (so far! one day left) with NO BLACK AND BLUE MARKS, NO WOUNDS, she never fell or hurt herself, and she has NO COLD. We think she is 100%, and we know that Stella has had fun. We indulged her a bit since we are grandparents (but not with junk food; she had almost no junk food). We had summer-like weather on our side which helped us play so much outside and have amazing fun.
Glad to hear that you are having a good time on vacation. We miss you, although I guess that barely comes through in this e-mail! Honest, we DO miss you.
I guess Dad told you we went to the Met this AM with Stella because I really wanted to see the Ambrose Vollard show and it closes on Sunday. Stella was incredibly excited to climb the steps at the Met, and she was interested in the paintings for about half an hour which gave us enough time to see the show. Then she wanted to push her stroller, and we thought the Met was not the place for Stella to show off her athletic skills. She never sat in the stroller, not even for one second! I don't know how Ranny gets Stella in a stroller. With me she says no, as if I am trying to harm her painfully by even suggesting that she would consider doing something as passive as sitting in a stroller. No problem, after 30 minutes we had seen the show well enough for me to have gotten out of it much of what I wanted to....
We are glad that you are having a good vacation, and you can go away anytime because we are in love with our precious Stella....
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sun, Jan 7, 2007 4:02AM
Treasure got up at 6:15
we are reading so I have to go
but
she is asking for her mom
and we have been talking about you
jch ikcv khhhiiiiii j iijjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj ddDoDOoooooi g g iii i
if himom
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sun, Jan 7, 2007 4:04AM
AFT f Tk3. cvv
oo
[[ ppp , ppp ftpp
I guess the last one and a half were from Stella herself.
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Thu, Jan 4, 2007 9:10AM
Wow
You didn't really tell us the full extent of the waking up personality of your fabulous daughter.
That was fun
And ultra loving.
Up at 6:30 with a little call and Mom was there in two seconds
then we had an hour and a half, mostly in bed of laughing, talking, practicing new words, bottle of milk, picking out clothes -- she chose cat with a sparkly cat on it and black trousers
3 eggs and some bread -she fed herself with a spoon fairly adeptly, to applause
and a grin and giggle
Helped with the papa ablutions
tasted tooth paste
would not touch the shaving cream
wanted no part of the shower
and then
went to my drawers and closet to pick out clothes
Wound up with a striped shirt and clashing polka dot tie.
I hated leaving and stayed until 9;15.
Mom called to say your girl was on the swing for 45 minutes and had no intention of getting off--
"Higher, higher"
Score to date:
0 cries
0 falls
0 problems
3 "mamas" just before bed last night
From: Grandma
To: Us
Subject: Update
Thu, Jan 4, 2007 9:14AM
Hi Darlings,
I am having the best time imaginable today with your angel. Since the weather is so warm we spent the morning in the park, and Stella was quite sociable, and tons of toddlers were there. She traded the use of her bicycle for a little stroller containing a doll with eyes that opened and shut and she pushed that baby everywhere for at least 15 minutes. We then went on the swing where no one else was so after trying every swing because Stella asked to (Grandma is a pushover!) I realized that she has mastered the word "higher", and I pushed Stella for 45 minutes before she did not say, "no" when I suggested getting off the swing. Fortunately all the babysitters were socializing in the play area and there was no competition for the swings.
We came home when Stella started yawning and we read tons of books, and the new jungle book has a scary looking pop up tiger, so Stella kept saying no to the tiger, shutting the book, and then returning to that page over and over until she felt comfortable to touch the tiger. Then she put the book down much more "done" with that book for now. It was so adorable.
She is an angel, so lovable and easy to explain things to. This AM she got up at 6:45AM which sounds a lot later if I say almost 7AM which is how it felt. She is napping now, and after our busy morning outside she went to sleep easily.
Hope you are having a fabulous time. She is and we are so plan another trip!
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Thu, Jan 4, 2007 5:31PM
Dinner menu for the gourmet
Noodles and meatballs from home
Knickerbocker:
Caesar salad
steak
creamed spinach
onion rings(many)
Tonight's bath was brought to u by
chocolate covered cherry( no interest in the cherry)
hand fulls of shampoo
30 minutes of giggling and playing quietly with the rubber animals mostly under the water
bed at 7:27 and asleep in 9 seconds
Beauty loved walking curiously around the restaurant by herself staring at people.
They think she was named after the beer
mother's story of her kissing your picture is delightful
If you want to stay there and found a theater company, we will take care of Gentle One
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Fri, Jan 5, 2007 5:37AM
HI
HI
WOW
well maybe the onion rings were a mistake.
Miss Wonderful woke up at 3:30
and was a little grumpy.
H took her to our bed and she got playful for a half hour
the slept cozily until 7:30
She is such a nice person
Did u know she likes to read?
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Fri, Jan 5, 2007 11:10AM
this morning as I was leaving
H " do you want to change your diaper"
S " yah"
and she trots from the front door to the changing table.
Words are coming fast.
Sleep no problem
Last night was maybe a little missing mom and dad
will try french fries tonight
What fun
From: Grandma
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Fri, Jan 5, 2007 6:22PM
Hi Darlings,
Stella slept until 7:30AM this morning although she woke up briefly at 4AM. She went back to sleep quickly though and so did I. She is having a fabulous time with us, and she is incredibly enthusiastic about everything we suggest. I asked her today though when I came home if she wanted to play with me and with bright excited eyes she responded Pa Paul (a few hours before Dad came home). Stella understood that Dad was at work, and she and I played with puzzles, blocks, and books. We waited for Dad eventually in the lobby, and she was happy to do that in socks.... She has mastered this apartment, knows where everything is, and is never more than a foot from her ladder.
Clara came over tonight at 6:30 PM (after seeing Charlotte's Web with Steven) and the girls were precious together. Stella went into our bedroom and got her shirt that matched the one Clara was wearing and came back into the livingroom with it and asked to put it on. I followed her into the bedroom, but I did not help her, it was amazing. Stella was so cute at bedtime. She said, "no" to the pacifier! But after three books (she now loves our jungle book) she quietly went into the dark bedroom with me and let me sing to her. She was grumbly, refusing a bottle, asking about Clara, but she eventually understood that it was bedtime. It was 7:15PM. We have been sticking to her schedule very well.
So, how are you? Are you enjoying your vacation? Give us news from Mexico.......
I love you both, and we are madly in love with Stella.
From: Grandma
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Fri, Jan 5, 2007 6:26PM
Stella kisses you and David in the photographs....good idea to have brought them. She has not cried at all....except when I tried to buy her shoes! We rapidly left the store (she was right, no new shoes were in and the leftover winter shoes were ugly).
I love you and I am crazy about SQ.
From: Grandma
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sat, Jan 6, 2007 4:29AM
7:05AM straight through the night. We got up, about ten minutes ago, she and I, Dad is still sleeping, and it is exactly
7:28AM as you see on the computer.
So, very funny is that we have a new Maurice Sendak book called, "Mommy", and this morning we discovered that one of the adult monsters has a pacifier. Well, Stella laughs and laughs at that page, and loves it so much, and it does not make her ask for hers.
I love you. Hope you are still having a good time.
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sat, Jan 6, 2007 11:00AM
It must be in her blood but your smartie climbed up all the steps at the Metropolitan Museum
and then
up all the steps up to the second floor
the guards loved her
We think she clearly favored Cezanne over Van Gogh
Gauguin a bit racy
and would not spend a second in the stroller
destroyed grapes and avocado and then asked to go for her nap @ 11:40
asleep in ten seconds and still sleeping at 2 PM.
Two syllable words are coming easily
and the love for books extraordinary.
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sat, Jan 6, 2007 6:29PM
Triple Wow
Well treasure is in bed as of right now
about 9 PM
oops
two hour nap and then wakes up laughing
very little chicken soup and then "good grief" a whole sliced banana fed piece by piece by hand, by grandma:
now that is an act of love. The two of them are very bonded. A blessing-- because I think Stella is now missing her mom and dad. She gets a little cranky and teary on impulse with no apparent cause.
David. You got what you wanted. An athlete. Tough and daring and very coordinated. Rode her three wheeler all the way to Tompkins Square Park. Had an adventure on steep steps, sharp inclines and then that bridge that wobbles when you run on it. Tough East Village kids and she hung in there with poise and bravery.
Dinner was three hours short. Not a difficult minute with Treasure. Clara and she hung out together. Ate noodles galore. The highlight for Me---going shopping on Avenue A after appetizers-- with the two of them. It started as a break and ended as an adventure. In the window of a speciality shop hung a red shirt with the lettering, "kiss me its my birthday." So we went in to buy one each for Barry and Helaine. Then, Bingo.
Eyes light up. In the back, a whole section of kid shirts. The two of them went shuffling through the racks--
and picked out two identical pink tee shirts, with spangles--and wore them out. What a show.
Home to bath and bed.
What a girl.
From: Grandma
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sat, Jan 6, 2007 7:45PM
Hi Darlings,
We had the best time today and tonight, and we did not even miss you that much because if you had been here we would not have had the same amazing experience with Stella. We went to I Coppi tonight at 5:30PM with Barry's family, grandma, and Steven's family. Dinner went later than planned, past 7:30PM, but we had lots of food, courses, etc. so it did not seem that long. Stella ate up a storm, loving thin crust pizza, penne, and lamb shank (no vegetables I know, but during the day today she had avocado, carrots, raspberries, banana, sweet potato, and grapes. Clara was so caring of Stella tonight at dinner, and wanted to sit on my lap too but easily understood that Stella was doing that, and it would be hard for Stella to eat if she sat there too. Stella happily sat with Aunt Sonya for a while, and after a few minutes with Sonya, Sonya brought her to me saying that Stella needed a diaper change, and did she ever! We put towels on the floor in the ladies room (Stella and I)and Stella was so cooperative as I changed her (fortunately I was prepared). I got the feeling that Stella was so appreciative that she did not have to stay in poop. She LOVES me so much now, after these days of caring for her, and she and I have had a fabulous bonding experience (obviously I love her up to the sky too, although I thought I did before too. I guess the sky got higher). Dad and I keep telling Stella about both of you and she smiles with her beautiful loving eyes when we say Mommy and Daddy. She knows Mommy is Carolyn and Daddy is David. She is incredibly precious and gentle.
Before dinner Dad, Stella, and I went for two and a half hours to Tompkins Square Park to the playground, and Stella was an athletic dynamo. She climbed and climbed like a two year old. Other parents are amazed, and we were proud of her too. We laughed a lot because when she is about to fall with her daredevil attempts, as you catch her, she laughs, having fun, but we have lost a year of life. She still has little fear, but sadly we remain cautious and protective. We are thrilled to be returning Stella to you (so far! one day left) with NO BLACK AND BLUE MARKS, NO WOUNDS, she never fell or hurt herself, and she has NO COLD. We think she is 100%, and we know that Stella has had fun. We indulged her a bit since we are grandparents (but not with junk food; she had almost no junk food). We had summer-like weather on our side which helped us play so much outside and have amazing fun.
Glad to hear that you are having a good time on vacation. We miss you, although I guess that barely comes through in this e-mail! Honest, we DO miss you.
I guess Dad told you we went to the Met this AM with Stella because I really wanted to see the Ambrose Vollard show and it closes on Sunday. Stella was incredibly excited to climb the steps at the Met, and she was interested in the paintings for about half an hour which gave us enough time to see the show. Then she wanted to push her stroller, and we thought the Met was not the place for Stella to show off her athletic skills. She never sat in the stroller, not even for one second! I don't know how Ranny gets Stella in a stroller. With me she says no, as if I am trying to harm her painfully by even suggesting that she would consider doing something as passive as sitting in a stroller. No problem, after 30 minutes we had seen the show well enough for me to have gotten out of it much of what I wanted to....
We are glad that you are having a good vacation, and you can go away anytime because we are in love with our precious Stella....
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sun, Jan 7, 2007 4:02AM
Treasure got up at 6:15
we are reading so I have to go
but
she is asking for her mom
and we have been talking about you
jch ikcv khhhiiiiii j iijjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj ddDoDOoooooi g g iii i
if himom
From: Grandpa
To: Us
Subject: (no subject)
Sun, Jan 7, 2007 4:04AM
AFT f Tk3. cvv
oo
[[ ppp , ppp ftpp
I guess the last one and a half were from Stella herself.
posted by Carolyn, David & Stella at 1/11/2007 09:24:00 PM
1 Comments:
Okay. I am absolutely so thoroughly a mother now, that I was riveted by the emails your parents sent. The love they have for Stella just radiated off the page. You are SOOOOO lucky to have your folks in the same city. My parents are in Los Angeles, and my in-laws are in Florida. They crave any news about our Stella, and count the minutes to the next visit.
Your parenst letters also gave me faith that we will be able to leave our daughter at either grandparents house and everything will be FINE.
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