To Stella, Two and A Half
Dear Stella,
Unlike previous months when I have combined two months into one because I somehow couldn’t find the time to adequately sit down and write this letter, this time around, I’ve had all the time in the world and actually neglected my motherly duties because there is simply too much to write. I was overwhelmed and had to wait until Daddy (who has been very busy with his Broadway musical debut, Passing Strange) had time to help me remember all the amazing things that you have said and done. I realize that this defies any and all logic whatsoever but so does much of your behavior so what can I say? Like mother, like daughter.
Recapping is not easy, particularly when a month in your young life is so jam packed with changes and amazingness. But here we go…
Back in December, we went to see the Big Apple Circus. You were really excited to go and had a great time. I think the clowns were your favorite (big surprise), especially one who fell down at one point and then was looking for his mama in the audience. He found her sitting in the row directly behind us which was quite shocking and exciting to you.
Last week we went to Sesame Street Live. Once again, you were so excited to go, you knew that you were going to see Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster and, your favorite, I think, Grover. I believe he has been your favorite ever since we discovered an episode of the show entitled “A Streetcar Named Monster” in which Grover, a la Brando, yelled, “Stellahhhh!” over and over. You loved watching this (until our DVR erased it) and were only disappointed that Grover would never say, “Mommmy!” It upsets you, sometimes, that you can't change the outcome of a tv show or alter what is happening in a book illustration.
We didn’t make it to the end of Sesame Street Live but it was well worth it and we have had a great time talking about how Grover lost his super and fell down.
Last weekend, you had a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa’s. There was a dinner party including Steven, Sonya, Clara, Grandma Roz, and Clay. Just as the last guest stepped into the elevator, you turned to Grandma Helaine and Papa Paul and declared, “Well, I guess it is just us three.” You have a great time at their house and often ask if we can go there. I know you love your grandma and grandpa so much but I think you often want to go because that's where the tic tacs are!
Also, sometime in these past months, Grandma and Grandpa introduced you to the joys of watching movies on dvd and you became instantly obsessed with Shrek. You don’t do anything as insane as watch a movie from beginning to end, though. Rather, you fixate on one part – anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes in duration – and we watch that part over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Generally in the morning, the very first thing you will say is “Wanna watch The Wizard of Oz”. Dorothy, the Tin Man, Glinda and the munchkins are your current favorite. And every morning you get really close to my face so that we are basically touching noses and pose this very question as though it is a completely original thought, a brand new idea you’ve come up with. If Daddy or I try to deter you by suggesting some other morning activity, you will ask, can we watch just one mud" as the part where Shrek takes a mud shower is a particular favorite.
We were recently at Poppyseed and everyone was getting ready to leave, putting on socks and shoes, etc. Tobey was running around the room and his mother was trying to get him to come to her and put on his shoes. You noticed this and said, “Look, Mommy. Tobey isn’t cooperating.” You are familiar with this word because these days sometimes you don’t want to cooperate and your mommy gets a little frustrated. For about a week, you basically refused to listen to me about anything. Finally, Daddy stepped in and declared himself the boss and started really laying down the law. You listened to him a little bit more than to me but life was still pretty lawless. Then one day you were with Grandma, not listening, and Grandma asked you if you listen to Mommy to which you answered honestly, “No.” You then added, “I don’t like to listen to nobody.” A truer statement was never spoken.
I am working on a show now and the designer (who isn’t Daddy) sent the model home. Everyday that that big black box was in our house, you asked, “Can I see your set?” and we would take it out and look at it. You would assure me that you weren’t going to break it, that you only wanted to look and you would point out all the little details. Now whenever Daddy has one of his models here, you ask if you can see it. I guess they are like little dollhouses to you and you are very gentle and respectful of them. This month Daddy has been working on Passing Strange and one day you and I went to tech. You had a great time meeting people from the show including Tall Man (Coleman), Eisa and Too (Stew). The first time you asked “Where too go?” we had no idea what you were talking about. We finally realized who Too was! There are Passing Strange posters all over the city and whenever you see one you say, “Look! There’s Daddy’s show.”
We are in the midst of the insanity that is the pre-school admissions process but, for the most part, you have had a great time visiting new schools. We only had one disastrous one but that was not your fault. It was the day after Grandma Helaine’s birthday and we were out late at her birthday party. You had chocolate cake at about 9pm so really, how could we have expected you to be a superstar at 10am the next morning. But other than that one, you were pretty great. You are definitely not interested in separating from me and, while many other kids are happy to run off, you tend to hold onto my leg or insist on my following you around the room. But I don't mind and am happy to tag along on your adventures. Soon enough you will be closing your door, insisting on privacy and finding me embarrassing and annoying. So I am relishing this time of being your favorite, a necessary comfort and security.
Whenever Daddy or I leave in the morning, you will always come running up "I forgot to kiss you on your leg." You will then kiss and hug each of our legs. You have also begun using the "I forgot" tactic at night. While we are reading books -- the last step of the bedtime ritual before songs -- you will say with tremendous, urgent inflection, "We forgot to play with my dollhouse!" "We forgot to have strawberries!" "We forgot to draw!" and on and on trying to find a way to stall the inevitable moment when you have to go in your crib and go to sleep.
Daddy and I talk all the time about how much we love you and what a great kid you are. I know we are supposed to feel that way since you are ours. And there have been a couple times these past few months – times when you were illustrating the fact that you don’t like listening to nobody – in which I thought about giving you back, but for the most part, being your mom is the most gratifying, rewarding, joyful experience imaginable. You have a great sense of humor and a love of life that is infectious. A few weeks ago I told you that when people ask you how old you are, you could tell them “two and a half” instead of “two” and you have been doing just that ever since. It certainly feels like I've known you at least two and a half years but, at the same time, I kind of can't believe it. Two and three quarter years ago, you were in my belly known only as Passenger. That was amazing but this is better than that!
Happy half birthday, Little Girl.
Love,
Mommy
Unlike previous months when I have combined two months into one because I somehow couldn’t find the time to adequately sit down and write this letter, this time around, I’ve had all the time in the world and actually neglected my motherly duties because there is simply too much to write. I was overwhelmed and had to wait until Daddy (who has been very busy with his Broadway musical debut, Passing Strange) had time to help me remember all the amazing things that you have said and done. I realize that this defies any and all logic whatsoever but so does much of your behavior so what can I say? Like mother, like daughter.
Recapping is not easy, particularly when a month in your young life is so jam packed with changes and amazingness. But here we go…
Back in December, we went to see the Big Apple Circus. You were really excited to go and had a great time. I think the clowns were your favorite (big surprise), especially one who fell down at one point and then was looking for his mama in the audience. He found her sitting in the row directly behind us which was quite shocking and exciting to you.
Last week we went to Sesame Street Live. Once again, you were so excited to go, you knew that you were going to see Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster and, your favorite, I think, Grover. I believe he has been your favorite ever since we discovered an episode of the show entitled “A Streetcar Named Monster” in which Grover, a la Brando, yelled, “Stellahhhh!” over and over. You loved watching this (until our DVR erased it) and were only disappointed that Grover would never say, “Mommmy!” It upsets you, sometimes, that you can't change the outcome of a tv show or alter what is happening in a book illustration.
We didn’t make it to the end of Sesame Street Live but it was well worth it and we have had a great time talking about how Grover lost his super and fell down.
Last weekend, you had a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa’s. There was a dinner party including Steven, Sonya, Clara, Grandma Roz, and Clay. Just as the last guest stepped into the elevator, you turned to Grandma Helaine and Papa Paul and declared, “Well, I guess it is just us three.” You have a great time at their house and often ask if we can go there. I know you love your grandma and grandpa so much but I think you often want to go because that's where the tic tacs are!
Also, sometime in these past months, Grandma and Grandpa introduced you to the joys of watching movies on dvd and you became instantly obsessed with Shrek. You don’t do anything as insane as watch a movie from beginning to end, though. Rather, you fixate on one part – anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes in duration – and we watch that part over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Generally in the morning, the very first thing you will say is “Wanna watch The Wizard of Oz”. Dorothy, the Tin Man, Glinda and the munchkins are your current favorite. And every morning you get really close to my face so that we are basically touching noses and pose this very question as though it is a completely original thought, a brand new idea you’ve come up with. If Daddy or I try to deter you by suggesting some other morning activity, you will ask, can we watch just one mud" as the part where Shrek takes a mud shower is a particular favorite.
We were recently at Poppyseed and everyone was getting ready to leave, putting on socks and shoes, etc. Tobey was running around the room and his mother was trying to get him to come to her and put on his shoes. You noticed this and said, “Look, Mommy. Tobey isn’t cooperating.” You are familiar with this word because these days sometimes you don’t want to cooperate and your mommy gets a little frustrated. For about a week, you basically refused to listen to me about anything. Finally, Daddy stepped in and declared himself the boss and started really laying down the law. You listened to him a little bit more than to me but life was still pretty lawless. Then one day you were with Grandma, not listening, and Grandma asked you if you listen to Mommy to which you answered honestly, “No.” You then added, “I don’t like to listen to nobody.” A truer statement was never spoken.
I am working on a show now and the designer (who isn’t Daddy) sent the model home. Everyday that that big black box was in our house, you asked, “Can I see your set?” and we would take it out and look at it. You would assure me that you weren’t going to break it, that you only wanted to look and you would point out all the little details. Now whenever Daddy has one of his models here, you ask if you can see it. I guess they are like little dollhouses to you and you are very gentle and respectful of them. This month Daddy has been working on Passing Strange and one day you and I went to tech. You had a great time meeting people from the show including Tall Man (Coleman), Eisa and Too (Stew). The first time you asked “Where too go?” we had no idea what you were talking about. We finally realized who Too was! There are Passing Strange posters all over the city and whenever you see one you say, “Look! There’s Daddy’s show.”
We are in the midst of the insanity that is the pre-school admissions process but, for the most part, you have had a great time visiting new schools. We only had one disastrous one but that was not your fault. It was the day after Grandma Helaine’s birthday and we were out late at her birthday party. You had chocolate cake at about 9pm so really, how could we have expected you to be a superstar at 10am the next morning. But other than that one, you were pretty great. You are definitely not interested in separating from me and, while many other kids are happy to run off, you tend to hold onto my leg or insist on my following you around the room. But I don't mind and am happy to tag along on your adventures. Soon enough you will be closing your door, insisting on privacy and finding me embarrassing and annoying. So I am relishing this time of being your favorite, a necessary comfort and security.
Whenever Daddy or I leave in the morning, you will always come running up "I forgot to kiss you on your leg." You will then kiss and hug each of our legs. You have also begun using the "I forgot" tactic at night. While we are reading books -- the last step of the bedtime ritual before songs -- you will say with tremendous, urgent inflection, "We forgot to play with my dollhouse!" "We forgot to have strawberries!" "We forgot to draw!" and on and on trying to find a way to stall the inevitable moment when you have to go in your crib and go to sleep.
Daddy and I talk all the time about how much we love you and what a great kid you are. I know we are supposed to feel that way since you are ours. And there have been a couple times these past few months – times when you were illustrating the fact that you don’t like listening to nobody – in which I thought about giving you back, but for the most part, being your mom is the most gratifying, rewarding, joyful experience imaginable. You have a great sense of humor and a love of life that is infectious. A few weeks ago I told you that when people ask you how old you are, you could tell them “two and a half” instead of “two” and you have been doing just that ever since. It certainly feels like I've known you at least two and a half years but, at the same time, I kind of can't believe it. Two and three quarter years ago, you were in my belly known only as Passenger. That was amazing but this is better than that!
Happy half birthday, Little Girl.
Love,
Mommy
posted by Carolyn, David & Stella at 2/27/2008 08:41:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home