Bits 'N' Pieces

Several interesting stories from the weekend.

1. Jenna overheard my mom and I discussing my last post about my mother's dislike of Chutes and Ladders. This has apparently made a HUGE impression on her and has told at least three people:"Guess what? My grandma HATES Chutes and Ladders!" She says it with a sense of wonder and amazement as if she's saying, "My grandma HATES breathing!". I mean, who could be against Chutes and Ladders?? or breathing??
Being three, she also has not provided a whole lot of context about the story so the people she's told have really no idea what she's talking about. Or why my mom HATES a simple board game.

2. Michaela brought me to my knees in frustration this morning while getting ready for church. Literally. She was carrying on, whining and crying about the shoes Jenna was wearing... "I want a pair like them! I want to go right now to Target and get them!" and I was trying to reason with her and finally fell to my knees in front of her and said, "WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO??? TELL ME PLEASE! I have to work in the nursery at church in ten minutes and I am not ready and I cannot take you this moment to the store!!" and we both just whimpered and tried to calm down. She and I are locking into this terrible dynamic and I am just freaking out because she has in the last six weeks turned into an eye rolling, arms crossing, door slamming 16 year old. At six and a half. I am desperately trying to stay on top of this roller coaster ride she and I are on and hold on to my girl... I am calmly correcting her behavior, pointing out what is and is not allowed behavior-wise, and spending lots of time with her. But whatever I do it is never enough: never enough time, enough stuff, enough treats, enough clothing, enough love, enough kisses. She is a terrific manipulator and knows at six exactly which buttons to push with me. She is just so whip-smart and so first-born.
Stay tuned on that one.

3. Jenna has recovered beautifully from her dental work and I am just tickled pink by looking at her shiny white front teeth. I swear she started talking clearer and thought it was just my imagination until my very smart friend Angel pointed out that maybe her tooth was hurting her when she pressed her tongue against it to make a sound so she improvised. I asked Jenna if her tooth used to hurt when she talked and she said yes, but I'm not putting any money on how accurate a medical historian my three year old is. I'm just glad she's talking better. And her teeth are beautiful.

4. We are a huge nickname family. Dan and I have called each other many names over the years and have settled on Friend for each other. (You know, because we're best friends...) Jenna christened Michaela to be Mimi which has spawned all kinds of derivatives: Miminator, Meemster, Meem. Jenna called herself Nenna for the longest time and we call her that and ran with it, too: Nen, Nenster, Nensterama, and Jennadiski. My dad, who often coins new nicknames for people, came up with a new one for Jenna this weekend and it makes me smile each time I say it: Jennarator. Like generator.

5. Michaela has shown to various playdates and dinner guests we've had over videos of herself when she was a baby. It is amazing to see these pictures from five and six years ago and I am struck by how I remember almost every moment so clearly and yet it feels like another lifetime away (see #2 above).
I am consistently amazed at how looking at pictures of her is so familiar to me: it is as comfortable as looking at pictures of my own face. I can't even guess how many hours I have stared at her gorgeous chocolate brown eyes , wide set and huge, and looked at her broad face. She is so foreign to me- her rich, dark coloring and most of her facial features are nothing like mine- yet achingly familiar at the same time. She is an exotic being in my heart and in my home, and I am amazed by her. She is my baby, my life, my love.
It is different with Jenna because looking at her is like looking in the mirror: same coloring, same face, same behaviors. I know my parents are tickled to watch Jenna grow up because to them it is like raising their daughter all over again. She is familiar, I get her, and for all of her moments of difficulty, she is remarkably easy.

Such an interesting process, having kids and raising them the best you can.

As my very wise mother says: Kids will kill ya.