Some grandparents reportedly felt deprived of this little girl. So, here she swings....
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Claire the loudspeaker
Been a long time, I know. I could write post after post about why. How figuring out what to do about work consumed more of my time than it should have. How I likely ignored opportunities to go hiking in great weather with Paige, like I did when Claire was 6 months old, to instead research graduate schools and language immersion programs.
But I won't. It's almost Halloween. I've got two weeks of leave left before returning to work for good as long as work as I know it lasts. Two weeks to enjoy these girls as they will only exist now and never more.
Yesterday I took Claire and Paige to story hour at the library. Claire settled herself on one of the risers while I sat a step behind with Paige between my legs. The room was nearly full -- maybe 20 kids about Claire's age and their caretakers took their seats around us.
Near the end of the half-hour, the librarian wrapped up another Halloween story with a description of kids opening their bags of candy. Claire's voice shot up over the narrator's. "But... but .... but... candy is not good for you!" Claire yelled. The librarian looked annoyed but every parent laughed aloud. I buried my head in Paige's hood. One mother leaned over to me: "You've taught your daughter well."
This was Claire to a T: Bold. Interactive. Earnest. Wanting to help.
Later that day we went to the park a block from home. Claire was thrilled to see it peopled with other boys and girls. "Oh!" she yelled. "There are lots of people there!" She ran toward the crowd at the jungle gym. She eventually persuaded a girl to give up her scooter so she could ride it and made friends with an older girl on the slide.
Eventually, of course, everyone left, leaving just me, Claire and Paige. Claire wondered aloud, "Who else is coming, daddy?"
"I don't know," I said.
A minute later, a mom rounded the corner with a toddler in tow. Claire, standing on the top of a knee-high wall, quickly found them and sounded the cry. "Oh, here comes a little boy!"
Then she turned to the other side of the park and spotted someone else. "Oh, here comes another person." Joy overtook her, I kid you not. "Everyone is coming!" she yelled. "Hooray! Hooray!"
I find I can hide behind my kid, let her do all the talking and just sit back and enjoy the show. Field credit without doing anything. That's how my girls make me feel. Pretty proud and humbled.
But I won't. It's almost Halloween. I've got two weeks of leave left before returning to work for good as long as work as I know it lasts. Two weeks to enjoy these girls as they will only exist now and never more.
Yesterday I took Claire and Paige to story hour at the library. Claire settled herself on one of the risers while I sat a step behind with Paige between my legs. The room was nearly full -- maybe 20 kids about Claire's age and their caretakers took their seats around us.
Near the end of the half-hour, the librarian wrapped up another Halloween story with a description of kids opening their bags of candy. Claire's voice shot up over the narrator's. "But... but .... but... candy is not good for you!" Claire yelled. The librarian looked annoyed but every parent laughed aloud. I buried my head in Paige's hood. One mother leaned over to me: "You've taught your daughter well."
This was Claire to a T: Bold. Interactive. Earnest. Wanting to help.
Later that day we went to the park a block from home. Claire was thrilled to see it peopled with other boys and girls. "Oh!" she yelled. "There are lots of people there!" She ran toward the crowd at the jungle gym. She eventually persuaded a girl to give up her scooter so she could ride it and made friends with an older girl on the slide.
Eventually, of course, everyone left, leaving just me, Claire and Paige. Claire wondered aloud, "Who else is coming, daddy?"
"I don't know," I said.
A minute later, a mom rounded the corner with a toddler in tow. Claire, standing on the top of a knee-high wall, quickly found them and sounded the cry. "Oh, here comes a little boy!"
Then she turned to the other side of the park and spotted someone else. "Oh, here comes another person." Joy overtook her, I kid you not. "Everyone is coming!" she yelled. "Hooray! Hooray!"
I find I can hide behind my kid, let her do all the talking and just sit back and enjoy the show. Field credit without doing anything. That's how my girls make me feel. Pretty proud and humbled.
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