Celebrating 365 Days of Poop
February 7th, 2009She’s one! Everyone keeps saying, “Can you believe she’s one already? Don’t they grow up so fast?” And I have to say in response: No, I can’t believe it … JUST ONE??? Wait. She’s only been around for a year? I can’t remember life before her.
She took a couple of steps last night. Do they count as walking? Not really. But they were steps nonetheless. She has also said “Mom” a few times. Does it count as talking? Not exactly. But it’s a word. It’s clear now she understands a lot of what we say—when she wants to. I am a broken record: “Sit down, Violet.” She’s quite the Houdini with any stroller or high-chair seat-belt, and keeping her from standing up in the bathtub is futile.
She waves goodbye and says “Ba.” When you say, “Hooray!” she claps her hands. And smiling, ALWAYS SMILING. It really gets us a lot of attention when we go places. No cashier, waiter, or fellow diner fails to comment and talk to us. She is always making new friends.
I say she is always smiling, but that’s not entirely accurate. Her scream-volume continues to increase, and she now has little tantrums when I take something away from her (where does she FIND all of these life-threatening objects!). Her tantrums often begin with her grabbing the pacifier from her mouth and throwing it forcefully to express her anger. Step two usually involves the quick retrieval and replacement of said pacifier. She HATES to have her diaper and clothes changed. It is always an ordeal. She’s whiny and squirmy about it, and she often wails the whole time.
And the dancing! I’ve seen little ones dance, and it’s awesome, and this kid has been moving to the music since day one. She cannot help herself. Her head starts to bob, her shoulders start to shake, and if she’s on the floor, she is up on her knees with her hands in the air bouncing up and down.
Her favorite things to do right now … climbing the stairs! She LOVES to go up the stairs and giggles the whole time. Every few steps, she turns around to see if we are there, points a finger at us, and continues on. She also still loves to unpack things. Drawers, bags, boxes, trash cans, laundry baskets. The other day she helped herself to an entire container of bread crumbs from the pantry and got it open, spreading bread crumbs across the entire kitchen and all over herself. My day now involves going in circles, cleaning up one thing while she undoes something behind me.
She also loves to hang out with me while I take a bath, play in the water, and throw things into the bathtub. She enjoys her many noise-making toys, and honestly, we don’t mind them. Maybe she is musically gifted, because every time she plays her “piano,” I feel serenaded. She likes to “read” books now and while I wish it wasn’t so, this kid LOVES TV. Oh man. When I turn on the upstairs TV, which she can reach, she literally makes out with it.
But nothing pleases her more than snuggling. If she could hug my arm all day, she would.
She’s gotten very long, but her waist doesn’t quite match her length, so her pants are always sliding down. She eats a lot of vegetables, a lot of various foods in general. She’s a good eater. Often while she eats, she makes loud sounds of pleasure the entire time: “Mmm. Nmm. Mm mm.” Hilarious.
She loves to see older kids playing and talking. We just joined the Y, and I can’t wait to get her into some of the programs. I’ll keep you posted.
Meanwhile, we’ll be celebrating tonight with friends at a local restaurant. She’ll have pizza and cake and all the attention she could ever want. She deserves it, she’s very special.
February 7th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Dude, the Mmm mmm mmm noises totally validated me as a good cook and that time she followed me up the stairs? Priceless.
One! Holy crap! I can’t remember my life without her either.
Okay, I’m starting to get a little mushy now.
February 7th, 2009 at 4:32 am
There is a picture somewhere of me sitting in a diaper in our kitchen with one arm around a bright yellow box, my other fist half shovelled into my mouth and Cheerios everywhere. I guess that event was less shocking than the time my mom found me in the middle of the living room, baby and carpet covered in Vaseline or there’d be pictures of that too. It’s amazing how fast babies turn into little people and absolutely fascinating watching them learn and grow. Thank you for making us a part of that, we look forward to many more years of Vibble fun.
February 7th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
It takes me back almost 38 years to baby number one, then on to two and then three. I know it is embarrassing to adult children for their parents to talk about them as babies but I am going to do it anyway. Stephen must have been about 18 months old. He was waling around the living room. My friend Jean was there and stepped into the living room and said “no,no” to something Steve must’ve ben doing. Down he threw himself onto the floor, wailing. Jean asked me if that was the first time he had been told “no”.
The unpacking and packing–favorite pastime for all kids. How cute and especially cute that I don’t have to pick the stuff up.
February 10th, 2009 at 5:18 am
I’ve never met her but I love her. Happy Birthday Violet, if that is indeed still your real name (Vibble).
February 10th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Solution for future breadcrumb-like incidents:
http://tinyurl.com/d7uyu3
February 17th, 2009 at 12:15 am
As a parent, and grandparent, we can find the greatest pleasure in the time spent with our children and grandchildren. And the why is really very simple. We have had the opportunity to see you grow up before our very eyes. Each new stage was a an adventure, and we learned a lot about life and Living.
The times before children are war stories. The time with children are priceless memories.
And I can not remember ali I have done in my life, but I can tell you the first time the girls called me Daddy. Or the day when Krissy, a Shirley Temmple clone, with curly Auburn hair came running/toddling across her first snow covered yard, in a red checkered snow suit, with multiple layers of socks covered in sandwich bags, because the snow was early, unexpevted and we had not thought to buy her boots yet. But there she was speeding towrds me screamin, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy at the top of her lungs. The joy I felt almost burst my heart. And I can also tell you wheh Cheri put that same snow suit on for her first time and rolled, fell, played and ate snow (it was whiter back then). And I can also remember times that that same snow suit was passed on to other neices in our own family. And each time always brought me back to the first time.
I am not sure there is life before your own children come in to your world. The joys far outweigh the poop.
And as for Granddaughters, you do not even want me to go there. Suffice it say that the journey is always fun. I am still scratching my head to this day wondering where do they come up with the things they think of and say?