I'm not sure if Sarina had even been born at the time, or if I was still pregnant, but I remember thinking how toddlerhood was a far way off.
Tonight I had one of those sorts of firsts.
I had cleverly hidden her Christmas gifts in my closet-- which I do a good job of keeping closed-- but my parents came over today to help me install a ceiling fan, and apparently they left the closet door open. Later, when I was cleaning up dinner, Sarina walked off for a moment... and returned with three items: Mr. Potato Head, a Doodlebops book, and her "big" gift: the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse play set. I ain't exactly rich this year (I know, who is?), so it's not like I can just go out and buy more toys to replace the ones she discovered. So I briefly tried to just take them away and hide them again. Maybe she'd forget that she saw them?
Yeah. No.
"Open it, Mommy! Open it," she begged. I finally gave up and opened the Clubhouse. She was thrilled. Thrilled. The annoyance I had about her opening it before Christmas wilted away. It was too much fun watching how happy she was.
And that's when the "first" happened. She recently began playing with figurines and arranging them on shelves, pretending to feed them, telling me what they wanted, etc., but this was the first time she actually made up a story and had them interacting with one another.
"Minnie, let's go to the bakery and get some happy birthday cake," she said, posing as Minnie's pet elephant. Then she picked up Minnie and said, "Okay, but first, let's do the Mousekedance. Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dooooog!" Back to the elephant. "Let's go to the bakery in the big red car." And she put them in the car.
I flashed back to the days when I used to play The Littles with my mom. I always wanted her to be Daphne. She made up good stories. And here was my little girl, 21 months old now, so smart and so sweet, giving me a glimpse into what's ahead for us.
The other first came yesterday: "I need to be held, Mommy." I'm glad she knows what she needs. And I'm glad she's such a snuggly girl. Otherwise, she'd be so sick of me by now.
Do you remember any sentimental sorts of firsts that aren't pre-printed in any baby books?
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I’d placed my Si on my bed with a book and went to shower; she was about 3 yr. I finished my shower, walked into the bed area, and found her holding the phone and crying uncontrollably. After calming her down she finally explained: she’d answered the phone call. And with that lyrical voice of hers, perhaps the caller couldn’t understand her; ‘mommy is in the shower’ statement and hung up on her. But Si hung on the line until the robotic operator interrupted and said, “if you’d like to make a call, please hang up and try again.” Si kept trying to interrupt the robot but to no avail.
ReplyDeleteSi kept blubbering, “Mommy that lady was MEAN,SCARY, she wouldn’t let me hang up: she kept saying hang up try again, hang up… and every time I’d try she would say it again.” Lol, that was too sweet! It took her a year to get brave enough to pick up a phone after that. Here she was trying her best to obey the adult voice but kept getting the repeated recording.
ETA: We finally bought one of those cheap storage armoir storage type cabinets that lock specifiaclly for children's gifts.
ReplyDeleteAnd another friend had a 'secret closet' built in her home for such.
Jenna, it may be a secret blessing to have given her a gift early. I find xmas morning to be a little overwhelming for the small ones. They'll enjoy the gifts more I think if we dribble them out. Last year I saved lots of things back so that my son had "new" toys through about Feb or March.
ReplyDeleteOh the first time your child catches you in a lie is great. How do you talk yourself out of something you demand not be done to you?
ReplyDeleteThis particular time wasn't the first, but it may have been the second time I was caught. Just yesterday I kept my son home from school (1st grade) because it was raining and it was my day off, so why not.
This morning as we hurried off to school I told him if his teacher asks him how he feels today to just say he was sick but he's ok now.
"I wasn't sick, mom."
"I know. Just say that and you'll be fine."
"Mom, it sounds like you're telling a story."
"Ok, tell them your mommy was sick."
"Mom, that's another story."
I had a first this wknd...My son stayed at his Nanas house overnight. When I was about to leave, my son told me that Nana and him would be going to the donut shop in the morning, and would I like one. I said sure - positive it wouldn't happen. He asked what kind of donut I'd like. I told him a maple bar.
The next morning when I picked him up, there on the table was the donut box. What was inside? A maple bar waiting for me - with one small bite taken...my son brought me a donut.
The firsts never stop coming - enjoy them all!
My son is Sarina's age. On Christmas Eve he got his first lego set and was taking them apart. The first time he did it, he said, "IT BROOOOOOKE!" in the saddest little voice! I've never told him something broke... Not that no one has, because who knows what he hears from others :o But it was so cute.
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