Monday, March 29, 2010

The Boy with Two Dolls


He was a round cheeked child
soft of face and form
a mass of brown waves
covering the top of his head.

He carried two dolls
a boy and a girl,
clutched tightly in
his small hands.

It was show-and-tell
and what he wanted
was to share the two dolls
that he loved most.

His mother standing near,
a hand resting gently
on his shoulder,
saying, this is my son.

She, honoring him
who he is
his very essence
so safe in her love.



***Note: The inspiration for this poem came from seeing a little boy and his mom last yearat GIRL's preschool. (This was first posted on 1/17/09)

****"Iron Essence 2" Painting by Chuck Gumpert.


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Monday, March 22, 2010

tucked away into The Forever File

It was a pitiful, yet defining, moment in my life as a mom with two babies. One evening, I found myself feeling high in the grocery store, merely because I was alone... unencumbered by stroller, diaper bag, and a smaller person with LARGE needs. There's a funny thing about little babies, their vital needs are always expressed at the exact moment when you have finally gotten a shower, managed to travel five minutes away to the store, gotten out of the car, and entered a public establishment.

Although the early years of being a mother blur together like fleeting bits of sand caught in a vortex, there are some memories that stay in the forever file.


A couple of weeks after GIRL was born, I bravely ventured out to the store with two babies in tow. We turned heads. There I was with GIRL, a newborn, tucked into the infant car seat, perched on the top of a stroller cart, and 10 month old BOY sitting illegally in the cart. About every two feet we would have to stop, as BOY was standing and leaning over the cart, intently pursuing whether landing on his head was an adventurous option.

When that scenario didn't play out too well, I tried putting BOY in the seat of the cart, and had GIRL nestled into a sling. Nestling is such a cozy concept, except that she HATED the sling! With a passion well documented by her shrill screams and people parting before us as if I was Moses himself. We finally found an arrangement that suited all of us. GIRL dangled in a front facing baby carrier, snug against my chest, and BOY sat in the seat of the cart. On good days, GIRL's sweet tiny body, and BOY's blonde, touseled hair and impossibly blue eyes elicited smiles and comments.

Now that my children are 5 and 6, it is a bit easier. However, the best scenario for braving a 2 page grocery list, on very little sleep, is having one child with you. One child creates a special bonding experience in which they can actually help, and you get out of the store with everyone commenting on how absolutely adorable your child is, and how they remember fondly when their children were that age.

With two children, you chance embarking on a Grocery Game from Hell or...let's drive mom crazy. The game requires very little. A store, 2 children, and 1 tired mom who tends to zone out in the chocolate aisle. It goes something like this... Two children sneak off to the other side of the store, and come tearing around the corner, SHRIEKING with joy over spotting their mom. It's tag, and she's the safe zone. The mother in question smiles grimly, avoiding eye contact with the customers in proximity. The two children then GIGGLE, and go for the gusto with round two. This includes throwing unacceptable items into the grocery cart, while playing tag down the frozen food aisle. Yes, two can create a tag team bent on unsettling vengeance.

Sometimes I miss early years, fleeting as they were. When days were never ending, and the weeks fly by. Yet, feeling the full weight of my 5 and 6 year old, snug in my lap, digging in for a good read together...the delicious smell of sun kissed skin and traces of lunch left on their faces, these memories I clutch tightly, also tucked away into the forever file...


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The photo above is the first one taken of JCK's family of 4. BOY is 10 months old, and GIRL is a newborn. It also marks the phasing out of JCK's blonde period...


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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Jury duty calls...

JCK is off having gads of fun. She's been plucked from the multitudes to serve as a good citizen on a jury. JCK hopes to return soon. After she catches up on laundry and dishes and life with a 5 and 6 year old.

BOY & GIRL have been a bit confused. They believed that JCK was on trial.

But, Mommy! It's not fair if they're asking you if you've been bad or good.

Why did they pick you?

Why...why indeed??


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Thursday, March 11, 2010

I felt like Odysseus, without all the death and bad marriage karma...

I drove in tonight after a long, but successful day in Long Beach at a job fair on a college campus. The company that I work for had a booth, and we were there marketing the company as a possible employer, answering questions, and building brand recognition with college students.

As soon as I turned in the driveway, I could see a spinning top through the living room window. GIRL threw open the door and ran out into the dark to greet me...


MOMMY, MOMMY!!! I made a welcome home card for you!!

I felt like Odysseus, without all the death and bad marriage karma...

The card said: Welcome home, Mommy. She had drawn a picture of us together in matching outfits. Accented with big purple hearts....

I turned to mush.

I was gone for 9 hours. An eternity in my 5 year old girl's life. It is a blessing to be so loved...


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Friday, March 5, 2010

...it's strep

It's been a bumpy week. BOY came home with a bad headache on Wednesday, and by Wednesday night was vomiting. This continued into yesterday, he couldn't even keep down water. He had been complaining of a sore throat, but I didn't think too much of it since GIRL has a bad cold right now. Then he was actually lethargic, which if you know BOY could never be ascribed to him... His cheeks looked oddly flushed to me, so I checked his torso and he was developing a rash. So, I got him in to see the pediatrician yesterday and...it's strep. They had to give him an anti-nausea injection to stop the vomiting. Lovely. Poor little guy - a shot in the butt. I had to hold him down. Sometimes these things we have to do to keep our children healthy are exhausting... He was such a good sport. Last night he spiked a high temperature, but during the night things turned and he woke up his usual noisy self this morning. Thank GOD for antibiotics when we need them. His full energy isn't back quite yet, but he's definitely on the mend. Two nights of BOY in the bed with us + Momma & Poppa's worry = not much sleep for all. I'm hoping tonight will be restful....


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Image courtesy of Google Images.


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