To Vivian 2 years old
We are all having the best time with you and are very excited (as are you) to celebrate the day you were born. When you woke up on Saturday (your birthday), we were all awake already and the three of us went into your room together and sang "Happy Birthday" to you. Then we brought you into the living room where you wondered what the hell those streamers were doing all over the apartment. You also got your great new orange scooter which you were so excited about. In fact, you loved it so much that we decided not to give you all your other presents. So you still have a whole slew of things to open in the coming days. A few days ago, you and I went shopping for a helmet in anticipation of your new scooter. As soon as you got it on your head, you just kept saying how much you wanted to go bicycle ("bike-oowa") riding. You loved being on the back of Dad's bike in Nantucket and you obviously long, once again, to feel the wind rushing at your face as you fly downhill at top speed. You were so great on the bike. Unlike your sister who always fell asleep on the back of the bike, you would just sing songs giving Dad the most fabulous concert as he pedaled around.
You love tigers, a passion spawned by your love of the face painting book that we have. Therefore, we decided (with your full agreement) to get a tiger on your birthday cake. Saturday morning after Chelsea Piers, you and I went to pick up your cake at the bakery while Daddy and Stella took off for other supplies (hats and balloons). We got to Billy's Bakery where you got very excited about the cupcakes ("Mommy, I want tak-oo-ah", etc.). I was holding you as the man came out with a big box in which hid what I anticipated to be your fabulous birthday cake. He opened the box and you took one look at the cake and buried your face in my shoulder. It was a pretty scary looking tiger. My heart sank. You had been so excited for your tiger cake and I just didn't know how I was ever going to win you over. I sat down on the floor of the bakery with the cake and opened the box again. You refused to look. I petted the tiger. I played peek-a-boo with the tiger. I said, "Oh look, the tiger is saying 'Happy Birthday Vivian.' The tiger isn't scary", etc. etc. until finally you peeked at the cake and watched intently. I stuck my finger in the icing and tried to give it to you but you wouldn't taste the scary tiger! After awhile you did finally lick a little frosting and were immediately won over. "Tiger not 'cary", you said over and over. The cake was delicious.
You, me, Daddy and Stella had a very fun party at Back Forty with Grandma Helaine, Grandpa Paul, Steven, Sonya and Clara. You were so excited for it and enthusiastic. After brunch, we went back to Grandma and Grandpa's house so you could nap. It was pretty hard to get you down -- you really do not like to nap these days but eventually I got you to sleep and I fell asleep too. When you woke up, you opened a present from Grandma and Grandpa. Your very own "Amackoowa Girl Doll". You love brushing her hair and carrying her around and now you have another thing to sleep with bringing the grand total of friends in your crib to 657.
You have told me time and again that you want to be a tiger for Halloween however, the other day I found the most perfect tiger Halloween costume and you said, "No, I don't like it. Too 'cary." and now I think you want to be a clown. I fear that you will want to be a pink fairy when you see Stella in her costume but I love that you are not really into pink or princesses. Your favorite colors are orange and yellow, when we went to the shoe store you were totally attracted to the blue sneakers and the orange ones with black flames rather than all the sparkly pink ones. Maisy (in one of your books) has an orange shirt and you really want one too (kind of hard to find). And you are very jealous of kids with orange crocs (you are between sizes and can't wear them yet).
You talk a lot which is a never ending source of joy and fun for the grownups you are with. For example, the other day on the subway there was a guy with big huge earphones on. You asked me "what guy doin'?" and I thought you were talking about the Wynton Marsalis poster hanging on the wall. You said, "No no no. Guy with headband." I looked across the subway train and saw the guy you were talking about and started laughing which made you laugh which is one of my very favorite things to witness. I explained to you that he was wearing headphones not a headband and you then kept repeating the joke, "Not headband. Earphones" and laughing.
We thought it was going to be really hard for you to adjust to being back home from Nantucket but you seemed happy to be reunited with your room and your toys. You definitely had an amazing time in Nantucket, though. You loved swimming and doing running jumps into the water and playing ring-around-the-rosy in the pool. You loved bicycle riding. You even seemed pretty happy to be sleeping in a closet. You loved the cornbread that Uncle Steven made. In fact, you loved it so much that you kept a piece of it in your mouth for about thirty minutes and refused to talk. Eventually, I took you to change your diaper and you sneezed and mushed up cornbread went all over Grandma and Grandpa's bed. You loved it when Grandma would say, "Vivian isn't talking. Vivian is saying nothing" and then you would say, "Nothing" and smile. You loved it when Ickoo Demin tried to teach you to say his name by going "Uuunncle Sssssssteven" and you started to call him "Sssss Ickoo Demin never mind."
You love to reminisce and will frequently say something like "Ombumber when Vivian's toe was bleeding?" Or "Ombumber Joseph?" I think you really miss watching "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" now that Stella has moved on to "Tangled."
One night after we got home, the sky was filled with this incredible pink light. I'm sure that the sunset was phenomenal although we face east so could only see the light that was being cast from it. I commented that the light was amazing and then a few minutes later I asked you to come and put on pajamas or something. You answered that you couldn't come and I asked what you were doing. You replied, "I looking at amazing light" as you stared out the window.
We had a fun family Olympics on September 12. You really enjoy seeing our extended family. It was also a big day for you for another reason. As you were eating dinner, I poured you a cup of water from a Poland Spring bottle. I put it on the table near you and after awhile you took a sip. Grandma Roz got nervous that maybe you picked up the cup with her wine in it. I replied, "No, that's Vivian's water" just as you began drinking. Immediately you handed me the cup and said, "I want different water." Grandma Helaine tasted your water and gave me a look. I then tasted it as well. It was straight vodka. Apparently Uncle Barry stores vodka in water bottles when he goes out on his friend's boat. Yikes. So you had your first shot at not yet 2.
You insist on giving "Kiss. Hug" to any family member who is leaving you, to everyone who is around if you are leaving. And now after the kiss and hug you say, "I love you." Bliss.
You love the swimming lessons that we are taking and are really into blowing bubbles and going under now. You sing a lot, pretty much all the time. Frere Jacques is a new favorite. Most of the time before you go to sleep, you ask me to sing "Puff Dragon" though you rarely sing that one yourself. You also love to read and take care of your babies. Today one of your babies was crying and you were holding her and then jumping with her on the trampoline and making her feel better. You told me she was crying because she misses her mommy. I know that you cry sometimes when you miss your mommy and I wish that I never had to leave you even for a second. Your separation anxiety (or your love for being with me?) has grown quite a bit recently and you do tend to cry really hard when I have to go. The one thing that sometimes gets you out of it is a promise that I will wave to you from the sidewalk. You wait by the window and I look up and wave madly when I can see you from the street.
Grandmpa Paul has been agonizing over finding a good nickname for you. Daddy and I like "Button" but Stella has not been won over by it and, to tell you the truth, I don't think Grandpa feels like it is really right either. It does suit you but I guess I can see why he feels like it doesn't quite match "Wonder Girl" (Stella) and "Good Heart" (Clara). This weekend at dinner, Grandpa asked what we thought of Tiger for you and we all sort of laughed at it. Then Grandma told you, "Grandpa thinks Tiger is a good nickname for you. What do you think?" You put your hands up like paws and said, "Roar." Then you said, "Tiger is a good nickname." So Tiger it is.
Happy Happy Birthday, Tiger. Thank you for the very best two years ever. You are the greatest addition to our family and we all love you so much. I really have loved every single minute of being your mother for the past two years. I am so grateful to have been able to slow down enough to appreciate even the more challenging moments (of which there have been remarkably few). You are a treasure and we all know it.
Love,
Mama
You love tigers, a passion spawned by your love of the face painting book that we have. Therefore, we decided (with your full agreement) to get a tiger on your birthday cake. Saturday morning after Chelsea Piers, you and I went to pick up your cake at the bakery while Daddy and Stella took off for other supplies (hats and balloons). We got to Billy's Bakery where you got very excited about the cupcakes ("Mommy, I want tak-oo-ah", etc.). I was holding you as the man came out with a big box in which hid what I anticipated to be your fabulous birthday cake. He opened the box and you took one look at the cake and buried your face in my shoulder. It was a pretty scary looking tiger. My heart sank. You had been so excited for your tiger cake and I just didn't know how I was ever going to win you over. I sat down on the floor of the bakery with the cake and opened the box again. You refused to look. I petted the tiger. I played peek-a-boo with the tiger. I said, "Oh look, the tiger is saying 'Happy Birthday Vivian.' The tiger isn't scary", etc. etc. until finally you peeked at the cake and watched intently. I stuck my finger in the icing and tried to give it to you but you wouldn't taste the scary tiger! After awhile you did finally lick a little frosting and were immediately won over. "Tiger not 'cary", you said over and over. The cake was delicious.
You, me, Daddy and Stella had a very fun party at Back Forty with Grandma Helaine, Grandpa Paul, Steven, Sonya and Clara. You were so excited for it and enthusiastic. After brunch, we went back to Grandma and Grandpa's house so you could nap. It was pretty hard to get you down -- you really do not like to nap these days but eventually I got you to sleep and I fell asleep too. When you woke up, you opened a present from Grandma and Grandpa. Your very own "Amackoowa Girl Doll". You love brushing her hair and carrying her around and now you have another thing to sleep with bringing the grand total of friends in your crib to 657.
You have told me time and again that you want to be a tiger for Halloween however, the other day I found the most perfect tiger Halloween costume and you said, "No, I don't like it. Too 'cary." and now I think you want to be a clown. I fear that you will want to be a pink fairy when you see Stella in her costume but I love that you are not really into pink or princesses. Your favorite colors are orange and yellow, when we went to the shoe store you were totally attracted to the blue sneakers and the orange ones with black flames rather than all the sparkly pink ones. Maisy (in one of your books) has an orange shirt and you really want one too (kind of hard to find). And you are very jealous of kids with orange crocs (you are between sizes and can't wear them yet).
You talk a lot which is a never ending source of joy and fun for the grownups you are with. For example, the other day on the subway there was a guy with big huge earphones on. You asked me "what guy doin'?" and I thought you were talking about the Wynton Marsalis poster hanging on the wall. You said, "No no no. Guy with headband." I looked across the subway train and saw the guy you were talking about and started laughing which made you laugh which is one of my very favorite things to witness. I explained to you that he was wearing headphones not a headband and you then kept repeating the joke, "Not headband. Earphones" and laughing.
We thought it was going to be really hard for you to adjust to being back home from Nantucket but you seemed happy to be reunited with your room and your toys. You definitely had an amazing time in Nantucket, though. You loved swimming and doing running jumps into the water and playing ring-around-the-rosy in the pool. You loved bicycle riding. You even seemed pretty happy to be sleeping in a closet. You loved the cornbread that Uncle Steven made. In fact, you loved it so much that you kept a piece of it in your mouth for about thirty minutes and refused to talk. Eventually, I took you to change your diaper and you sneezed and mushed up cornbread went all over Grandma and Grandpa's bed. You loved it when Grandma would say, "Vivian isn't talking. Vivian is saying nothing" and then you would say, "Nothing" and smile. You loved it when Ickoo Demin tried to teach you to say his name by going "Uuunncle Sssssssteven" and you started to call him "Sssss Ickoo Demin never mind."
You love to reminisce and will frequently say something like "Ombumber when Vivian's toe was bleeding?" Or "Ombumber Joseph?" I think you really miss watching "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" now that Stella has moved on to "Tangled."
One night after we got home, the sky was filled with this incredible pink light. I'm sure that the sunset was phenomenal although we face east so could only see the light that was being cast from it. I commented that the light was amazing and then a few minutes later I asked you to come and put on pajamas or something. You answered that you couldn't come and I asked what you were doing. You replied, "I looking at amazing light" as you stared out the window.
We had a fun family Olympics on September 12. You really enjoy seeing our extended family. It was also a big day for you for another reason. As you were eating dinner, I poured you a cup of water from a Poland Spring bottle. I put it on the table near you and after awhile you took a sip. Grandma Roz got nervous that maybe you picked up the cup with her wine in it. I replied, "No, that's Vivian's water" just as you began drinking. Immediately you handed me the cup and said, "I want different water." Grandma Helaine tasted your water and gave me a look. I then tasted it as well. It was straight vodka. Apparently Uncle Barry stores vodka in water bottles when he goes out on his friend's boat. Yikes. So you had your first shot at not yet 2.
You insist on giving "Kiss. Hug" to any family member who is leaving you, to everyone who is around if you are leaving. And now after the kiss and hug you say, "I love you." Bliss.
You love the swimming lessons that we are taking and are really into blowing bubbles and going under now. You sing a lot, pretty much all the time. Frere Jacques is a new favorite. Most of the time before you go to sleep, you ask me to sing "Puff Dragon" though you rarely sing that one yourself. You also love to read and take care of your babies. Today one of your babies was crying and you were holding her and then jumping with her on the trampoline and making her feel better. You told me she was crying because she misses her mommy. I know that you cry sometimes when you miss your mommy and I wish that I never had to leave you even for a second. Your separation anxiety (or your love for being with me?) has grown quite a bit recently and you do tend to cry really hard when I have to go. The one thing that sometimes gets you out of it is a promise that I will wave to you from the sidewalk. You wait by the window and I look up and wave madly when I can see you from the street.
Grandmpa Paul has been agonizing over finding a good nickname for you. Daddy and I like "Button" but Stella has not been won over by it and, to tell you the truth, I don't think Grandpa feels like it is really right either. It does suit you but I guess I can see why he feels like it doesn't quite match "Wonder Girl" (Stella) and "Good Heart" (Clara). This weekend at dinner, Grandpa asked what we thought of Tiger for you and we all sort of laughed at it. Then Grandma told you, "Grandpa thinks Tiger is a good nickname for you. What do you think?" You put your hands up like paws and said, "Roar." Then you said, "Tiger is a good nickname." So Tiger it is.
Happy Happy Birthday, Tiger. Thank you for the very best two years ever. You are the greatest addition to our family and we all love you so much. I really have loved every single minute of being your mother for the past two years. I am so grateful to have been able to slow down enough to appreciate even the more challenging moments (of which there have been remarkably few). You are a treasure and we all know it.
Love,
Mama
posted by Carolyn at 9/28/2011 09:15:00 PM
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