Thursday, June 15, 2006

girl time rocks!

I was feeling slightly down about my time of blissful "aloneness" coming to an end. It seemed like I had a lot of obligations encroaching on my time yesterday and today, and I was harking back fondly to the complete and utter freedom earlier in the week. So when Eva woke from her afternoon nap, I decided to take a break and just have fun with her. I took her outside, since that is her absolute favorite place to be. I brought Jack and my camera along. In the very brief time it took me to take off my lens cap and turn on the camera, this is where they were in comparison to me:

Apparently they both think they can go to the park without me! They are partners in crime for sure, but that may be the subject of another post... When we came back home, Eva found The Puddle. We live on a corner, and this puddle seems to be ever-present. (Lucas used to gravitate towards it when he was a toddler, usually splashing about in his socks. Of course, that was back in the days when he actually liked socks.) Sure enough, before I knew what was happening, she was running through it with her white shoes on! I told her no, but not before I snapped some photos. So glad I had my camera. Then she perched on the very edge of the sidewalk and just touched her finger to the water, then looked over to make sure I was watching. What a goofball.



But I digress. The real point I'm trying to make here is that I realized how much I have enjoyed this time alone with Eva. Being the third-born, she really hasn't had that much time one-on-one with me, at least nothing this extended. With all of the sickness we've had and my own emotional ups and downs, I don't think I've enjoyed her all that much recently. But when I think of all the fun things she did just today, it makes me smile.

Here's what I love about Eva right now:

  • she constantly brings me books to read and has started walking backwards to sit down on my lap
  • she looks through her books by herself too (I wonder if she loves books as much as I do? oh the joy.)
  • she just started making a hilarious rooster sound today
  • she is very independent
  • she loves to explore
  • even though she doesn't talk much yet, she sure knows how to communicate what she wants!
  • she lets Jack know who's boss
  • she says uh-oh
  • she gives me pats (a lot of pats, since that's the new substitute for pinching!)

I do realize that you probably don't care about this and in all probability are not even reading this far into the post, but that's OK because I'm doing it for ME! So I can remember that I adore my baby girl again. That I can't resist picking her up and "vacuuming her head with kisses", as Denise says. Because I will inevitably forget... maybe it's a good thing that I wasn't entirely alone after all.

15 comments:

Jill said...

I am so thrilled that this week has gone so well for you. It's one of the rare times when reality exceeds expectation.

The photos of Eva are so cute. She looks so tiny walking down the sidewalk like that, yet so sure of herself. I'm glad you enjoyed your time with her and that you got to have it at all.

Tarts, tarts, everywhere tarts.

Anonymous said...

I can just picture Eva gliding down the street in her sure-footed, confident way. What a darling! I want to vaccuum her head with kisses, too. I love those times with my children that remind me of how much I love them. We all need those now and then.

Jana said...

I'm glad that you had a great week. I can barely remember just having one child. That would be nice for every child to have one week's worth of one-on-one time with you. I don't know how that is even possible.

Anonymous said...

Eva is so darling! Sometimes I have to remember how much I love John and Sarah (because you know how they can be. Ah!) Like today for instance, Emily is up at Youth Conference and Sarah went with Mom and Grandma to JCPenney's, so it was just me and John home this morning. We went up to the kitchen to make lunch and we turned on one of my favorite CDs and danced crazy all around the kitchen for almost an hour. We had so much fun! I love it when those random moments come when you can just laugh and have fun without worrying about much else.

jenn said...

I love how far they made it in the time it took to prep your camera! LOL

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the week! I am glad you had such a good time with Eva...what a cutie!! I get a kick out of her and Jack together. Quite an independent little person. Yes indeed...a week of many tarts!

Amy said...

What a timely post. Yesterday Kaitlin and I had a great day. I realized that I had forgotten to enjoy her lately. I get so wrapped up in what I want to do that I forget that I chose to bring her here, and that she's here as much for my enjoyment as for my growth. Way to go--taking her outside, enjoying her, and not getting too stressed when she decided to take her white shoes into a muddy puddle!

I'm glad that your week went well! Here's to more such weeks (or at least weekends!)

Julie said...

I'm glad you got to have some girl time with your little cutie. What fun, I love when I get time one-on-one with my kids. It makes me appreciate them all the more. She sounds like a fun little girl, and a little bit of a handful. Good of you to make sure to take pictures before telling her no, you have to be sure to enjoy the fun in life. I agree.
P.S. I left a comment on your cub scout post, check it out.

Anonymous said...

Eva is too cute! I love the picture of her and Jack together... it looks so beautiful and warm there right now (as you remember we don't get summer here in Seattle until mid-July!). It is so nice that you've had this week to enjoy each other and have your "girl time". I think we always tend to forget all the things we love about the people we see everyday, so I think list-making is a perfect way to remember!

jenny said...

I actually had some one on one with my daughter Friday (for her dress rehearsal) my husband stayed home with the boys. It was nice just to do some "girl" things that day for a change.

Tasha said...

Evie does that too, scooting back to sit in my lap, I love it! If we are at an unfamiliar place and I am squatting down next to her she will do the same thing, just try to sit on my squatted leg or something.

I fear that Evie will HATE to read. Dave and I both love it so much. Lately she can't get enough of being read to. The other day I literally read her 17 books. I made a committment to read to her whenever she asked, she doesn't talk much, so I thought I would at least read in hopes she would pick up some words that way. 17 books! I think she might like it!

I loved that post, those pictures were priceless!
Tasha

collette said...

Michelle - how blessed you are. I am so glad you got some alone time with Eva and it sounds so peaceful and pleasant which you needed.

How important it is to write the things that you love about her at this point in time. She will one day be grateful to read your words.

TX Girl said...

Your photos are adorable. I especially love her timid touching of the puddle. What is in the puddle?

I also think it is aborable what made your list. I love reading to Lulu and I get so excited to tell her to pick out a book and we can read.

Anonymous said...

What sweet sentiment about your baby girl. How fun to have the alone time with Eva, she is such a beautiful baby and I love the picture of her just barely touching the water.

amy gretchen said...

the photos are fantastic. She is so adorable. I'm glad you were able to have some time alone with her. It is nice and it seems they are more pleasant when you have them to yourself.

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