Greetings Little One

Video Ari is still pretty good

You really love your cousin, little one.  Even if you can only see him via the computer.

Nani and Gramps take you for the day

Nani’s email, little one, sent to us while we were in New York for the day, meeting with my publisher and telling a story on The Moth:

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Well, perhaps it is because I'm the grandmother of this child - but this child is beyond amazing. It's almost hard to believe how darling and good she is.

when I picked her up at school she was so unhappy - she wanted her mommy - but that was OK - I knew that she would be fine. Her teacher felt so badly though and of course I hated having to take her out crying like that - not for me, but for her.

By the time I had her tucked into her car seat she was just fine. Reading the alphabet book. She is so smart - rhinoceros - she says - of course, it helps knowing what she is saying but really, she is smart!

When we got the to rainforest restaurant she was very happy. We parked the stroller and went inside after watching the fish for awhile. We didn't get too far - she said that she didn't want to go in. Again - how smart she is to be able to express her thoughts/fears - and that was that. Instead we bought a little bag of animals (a great investment) and went to California Pizza Kitchen. She played with the animals and waited for the pizza to cool off. She ate the entire thing! I have never seen that before. She played with the animals and colored - we had our dinner and she was beyond perfection. She was happy to ride in the stroller (I'm glad that we had it). We went over to Brookstone and then we had Gelato. I asked her if she wanted yogurt and she said "I don't need any." She was busy playing with her owl lunchbox while we had our treat.

We came home and talked about having a bath and putting the colored pills in the water. I don't know how many you let her put in - but we put in 3! Purple, blue and yellow making a nice muddy looking water. She loved the bath. I didn't wash her hair but she is nice and clean. When she came out I told her that she could pick out her pjs. I'm afraid that she picked out long sleeves and I thought that she would be warm, but it's nice and cool in her room. We read THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR twice and then I told her it was bedtime. No problem at all (oh, I just realized she didn't brush her teeth - I get a demerit) - I asked her if she wanted her blanket and she said "YES" but then she said that she wanted her babies under the blanket too and she had to settle in with a baby on each side and then wanted to be covered. How funny she is. I've been downstairs about an hour and she has been quiet - now she is singing or talking in her crib.

Either you guys have done an amazing job or she is beyond and amazing child. Perhaps it's just a fabulous combination.

Daddy and I have really enjoyed our afternoon with Clara. She is a special child. We love her so much.

Hope that your day went well and I am happy that you can go off feeling comfortable that Clara is in good loving hands.

LOVE U BOTH

ME/MA

Photogenic

We spent the day in the Berkshires, little one, at your Great Grandmother’s house.  Cousin Eric and Tammy were visiting from Virginia, and we had hoped to get a few photos of you with them.

You were especially cooperative. 

And that, little one, is sarcasm.

    

Ari duty

You spent three days in New York City with Mommy last week, little one, helping to take care of Ari while his nanny was on vacation. 

And not surprising, you were nearly perfect, sleeping on cue and generally being a good little girl.

There were some moments when you and Ai had difficultly sharing, perhaps giving you some insight as to how life might be like with a sibling someday.  And you even pushed him a couple times, necessitating a stern conversation between you and Mommy.   

But typical two-year old stuff.  Nothing terribly alarming.

A fun filled three day trip, and an exhausting one for Mommy! 

   

Generational gap

You spent the weekend in the Berkshires with Mommy, Nanni and Gramps and Great Nana. 

How great are these photos?  And especially the first two?  You and your great grandmother sitting together in an ice cream shop. 

I am so very happy that you and Great Nana have this time together.  I only hope to be so lucky!

  

Memorial Day weekend, 2011

As we head back home from our weekend in the Berkshires, little one, I can’t help but smile at how much fun we had. 

Listening to you say, “I love my cousin Ari” over and over again, and for the first time,  was wonderful.

Watching you spend hours on Great Nana’s porch, playing with the doll house that Nanni and Gramps bought for you and yelling at the dogs to stay away, was perfect.

Walking and playing and sharing meals with you throughout the weekend, and laughing for much of the time, was unforgettable. 

But what I marveled at most, and what I will probably remember most, is the love that you have for Nanni and Gramps. 

I knew my grandparents well, little one.  My mom’s parents were also my godparents, and they lived nearby, so  we saw them often. 

And though my father’s mother died very early in my life, his father, my grandfather, continued to live next door to me until I left home at eighteen.

Yet I was never nearly as close to them as you are to your grandparents. 

In fact, when I plucked you from the Pack and Play on Sunday morning and asked if you wanted to climb into bed with Mommy, you asked for your grandparents instead.

I know it makes your grandparents happy to know that you love them so much, but it also makes Mommy and me just as happy to know how much you love them.  

 

Dunking

You took a bath with your cousin, Ari, today, little one, and while I am not going to post any of your bath time photos here, suffice it to say we have a bunch, including the moment when you took a measuring cup full of water and dumped it over Ari’s head, sending him into a fit of coughing and choking. 

Six adults were squeezed into the bathroom, frozen as you lifted the cup over your cousin’s head and dump the water on top of him.

“I wash Ari’s hair,” you later explained. 

It might have been my favorite moment from the Memorial Day weekend. 

Ari’s first birthday!

Last weekend we went to Ari’s birthday party, little one.  The party was held at a pizza place in Manhattan, and many, many family members were in attendance.

What Mommy and I found most striking was your willingness and ability to simply walk around, absent of any supervision, and engage people in conversations. 

You were truly a social butterfly, little one.  

         

Happy birthday, Ari!

It was your cousin’s birthday yesterday, little one!  And we sent this video message to him in hopes that he will have a great day!

Loving baby Ari

This is you watching Ari on Mommy’s computer screen.

One of your favorite pastimes.

As you probably can tell by the look on your face, little one.