Looks as if Rachel has picked up on my impatience with traffic. This morning I was waiting to turn left from Broadway onto the highway and there were a bunch of cars ahead of me. (Keep in mind that I had to get to work by 9:15 to meet a photographer for a magazine interview at 9:30. So, I was a little anxious).
"C'mon, people," I said under my breath.
And then from the back seat, a little voice piped up:
"C'mon, people! I gotta get to school!"
I almost doubled over with laughter.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
More Rachel soundbites
Folks, our modem is broken so I have no Internet connection at home. We're researching whether to stick with Qwest or try to get a better deal with Comcast, so these posts will be brief until I can spend more time with the blog at home.
Until then:
Yesterday while we were in the car, I tried to tell Rachel that I was little once, too.
"No, you big!" she said.
"Yes, but I was little once," I replied.
"No, you big once!" she said, visibly disturbed.
"No, Mommy was little," I said, trying again.
"NO!" she said. "You big to me!"
And then she started banging her picture book against her car seat.
***
We're reading a book about all different kinds of animals, which she absolutely loves. Last night I tried to tell her that she's a mammal.
"You're a mammal, Rachel!" I said.
"I not a mammal!" she replied. "I Rachel DEE-Silver!"
"OK, who am I?" I asked.
"You Mommy DEE-Silver!" she replied.
Looks like I've got a new name these days! Mommy DeSilver. I love it!
***
When we arrived home, we had our usual quick dinner and then I started cleaning up.
I asked her to help me clear the table and to bring her cup of milk (without a top) to the counter.
"I worried I spill!" she said, a worried look on her little face.
"Rachel, it's OK if you spill," I said reassuringly. "But I need you to help me."
"I don't WANT to!" she said, clearly anxious.
"Rachel, if you spill it'll be an ACCIDENT," I said.
"Mommy yell at me," she replied.
"Mommy won't yell at you," I said. "But I want you to at least try. Sometimes you never know if you can do something unless you try."
After some more back and forth, she brought the cup to the counter without spilling. I of course praised her lavishly but reassured her again that it's OK to spill.
Whereupon she immediately went back to the table and grabbed her empty plate.
"I can manage it," she said proudly. And she did!
Until then:
Yesterday while we were in the car, I tried to tell Rachel that I was little once, too.
"No, you big!" she said.
"Yes, but I was little once," I replied.
"No, you big once!" she said, visibly disturbed.
"No, Mommy was little," I said, trying again.
"NO!" she said. "You big to me!"
And then she started banging her picture book against her car seat.
***
We're reading a book about all different kinds of animals, which she absolutely loves. Last night I tried to tell her that she's a mammal.
"You're a mammal, Rachel!" I said.
"I not a mammal!" she replied. "I Rachel DEE-Silver!"
"OK, who am I?" I asked.
"You Mommy DEE-Silver!" she replied.
Looks like I've got a new name these days! Mommy DeSilver. I love it!
***
When we arrived home, we had our usual quick dinner and then I started cleaning up.
I asked her to help me clear the table and to bring her cup of milk (without a top) to the counter.
"I worried I spill!" she said, a worried look on her little face.
"Rachel, it's OK if you spill," I said reassuringly. "But I need you to help me."
"I don't WANT to!" she said, clearly anxious.
"Rachel, if you spill it'll be an ACCIDENT," I said.
"Mommy yell at me," she replied.
"Mommy won't yell at you," I said. "But I want you to at least try. Sometimes you never know if you can do something unless you try."
After some more back and forth, she brought the cup to the counter without spilling. I of course praised her lavishly but reassured her again that it's OK to spill.
Whereupon she immediately went back to the table and grabbed her empty plate.
"I can manage it," she said proudly. And she did!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
great weekend!
Parenthetically, this is coming to you from my Smartphone because our ancient computer, which Drew refused to replace until it was too late and he left, now is no connecting or loading or whatever it is that computers do to work. Never again will I wait more than three years to replace a compter again.
Ok, rant over.
Rachel and I had a great weekend. Today we went to a gathering of the Chavurah, a group of people from our synagogue who are roughly in the same life circumstances as we are. At first I didn't want to go; it was raining outside and I got the banana bread in late and it just seemed like a haul.
But as always with these things, I'm really glad I went. Rachel made herself right at home after being a bit clingy when we first arrived. She found a toy shopping cart that the host later gifted to us because his girls had outgrown it, and I was actually able to meet new folks and talk to them. Later all the kids trooped upstairs to watch Toy Story 3 and when I went to check on Rachel I got engrossed in the movie as did she- - with occasional breaks to crawl all over me, peer into my face and say hi, and otherwise be adorable.
Some cute Rachelisms from the weekend:
Yesterday I was looking for a recipe to make an appetizer for a potluck at the law school this week. "What should I make, Rachel?" I mused aloud.
"I draw arecipe for you," she said. "Popsicle soup!"
"Wow Rachel!" I said. "What color is it?"
"White and black and other colors," she said.
***
"I can't wait until you're old enough for me to take you to the ballet," I said to her tonight. "We'll go to tea and the ballet, and Daddy can...catch a football game or whatever it is that men do."
"Daddy make chocolate chips!" She said.
***
She is READING, I'm sure of it! Tonight I was reading her a book called, "Red hat, blue hat," which I haven't. Read to her in ages, and after we were done she announced that SHE wanted to read it. Then she repeated almost exactly what one of the pages said: Red hat blue hat yellow hat greenc coat OOPS. I was so impressed!@@
Ok, rant over.
Rachel and I had a great weekend. Today we went to a gathering of the Chavurah, a group of people from our synagogue who are roughly in the same life circumstances as we are. At first I didn't want to go; it was raining outside and I got the banana bread in late and it just seemed like a haul.
But as always with these things, I'm really glad I went. Rachel made herself right at home after being a bit clingy when we first arrived. She found a toy shopping cart that the host later gifted to us because his girls had outgrown it, and I was actually able to meet new folks and talk to them. Later all the kids trooped upstairs to watch Toy Story 3 and when I went to check on Rachel I got engrossed in the movie as did she- - with occasional breaks to crawl all over me, peer into my face and say hi, and otherwise be adorable.
Some cute Rachelisms from the weekend:
Yesterday I was looking for a recipe to make an appetizer for a potluck at the law school this week. "What should I make, Rachel?" I mused aloud.
"I draw arecipe for you," she said. "Popsicle soup!"
"Wow Rachel!" I said. "What color is it?"
"White and black and other colors," she said.
***
"I can't wait until you're old enough for me to take you to the ballet," I said to her tonight. "We'll go to tea and the ballet, and Daddy can...catch a football game or whatever it is that men do."
"Daddy make chocolate chips!" She said.
***
She is READING, I'm sure of it! Tonight I was reading her a book called, "Red hat, blue hat," which I haven't. Read to her in ages, and after we were done she announced that SHE wanted to read it. Then she repeated almost exactly what one of the pages said: Red hat blue hat yellow hat greenc coat OOPS. I was so impressed!@@
Friday, December 10, 2010
Classic Drew
Drew and I would like to buy Rachel a play kitchen, since she loves the play kitchens her friends have when we visit them. I've been browsing Ikea, Craigslist, Toys 'R Us and Target, and I ran across one that was incredibly great-looking -- a retro, 1950s-style kitchen that is fire engine red. I believe it was also $175, which is way beyond my budget. But, hey, it looked really cool.
When I described it to Drew, he immediately replied, "I'm just not comfortable with Rachel having a play kitchen that's nicer than our real one."
When I described it to Drew, he immediately replied, "I'm just not comfortable with Rachel having a play kitchen that's nicer than our real one."
Rachel soundbites
Because Portland is the only major American city to NOT fluoridate its water (don't even get me started on how backwards and primitive this makes us look, as if we needed any help...) I have to give Rachel fluoride drops and, later, pills, until she is 13 or so. She's actually quite good at taking the drops and even reminds me when I forget to give them to her..."DROPS!" she'll yell as I'm about to put her to bed.
For the last two weeks she has insisted on giving ME drops, too! She takes an empty bottle stopper, puts it into a kid's medicine syringe and hands it to me, and I obliginly put it into my mouth. She looks so pleased when I do. It has become our little nightly bedtime ritual. And, strangely, it leaves me feeling as if someone is taking care of me.
***
Tonight Rachel was whiny and fussy and sobby on the way home. At one point, while trying to have a conversation with Drew on the phone, I turned my head and yelled, "STOP IT!" She started crying really hard, which eventually devolved to little moans and sniffles. "Mommy, don't scream at me," she whimpered. You can imagine how awful I felt. I honestly hardly ever yell at her, which is why she hates it so much when I do.
But she cheered up, and we chatted on the way home as we pulled into our neighborhood.
"I stopped crying because I happy now," she said.
"Good, Rachel!" I said. "I'm glad you're happy!"
***
She really loves a plastic doll at daycare that she sometimes takes home. Drew has gotten her a large baby doll with its own stroller, but I'm thinking of getting her a smaller one that she can carry around. I watched her carry it from daycare to the car; she handles it like a football. Guess she's not quite ready yet for babysitting.
***
"I like fireworks!" she said tonight as we passed several houses with Christmas lights.
"I thought you HATED fireworks!" I said.
"I want fireworks for my birthday," she answered.
"Really?" I laughed.
"I want a birthday party," she said.
"What kind of birthday party?" I asked.
"Brown and red and blue and orange," she replied.
And that ended the conversation because, really, what could I add?
For the last two weeks she has insisted on giving ME drops, too! She takes an empty bottle stopper, puts it into a kid's medicine syringe and hands it to me, and I obliginly put it into my mouth. She looks so pleased when I do. It has become our little nightly bedtime ritual. And, strangely, it leaves me feeling as if someone is taking care of me.
***
Tonight Rachel was whiny and fussy and sobby on the way home. At one point, while trying to have a conversation with Drew on the phone, I turned my head and yelled, "STOP IT!" She started crying really hard, which eventually devolved to little moans and sniffles. "Mommy, don't scream at me," she whimpered. You can imagine how awful I felt. I honestly hardly ever yell at her, which is why she hates it so much when I do.
But she cheered up, and we chatted on the way home as we pulled into our neighborhood.
"I stopped crying because I happy now," she said.
"Good, Rachel!" I said. "I'm glad you're happy!"
***
She really loves a plastic doll at daycare that she sometimes takes home. Drew has gotten her a large baby doll with its own stroller, but I'm thinking of getting her a smaller one that she can carry around. I watched her carry it from daycare to the car; she handles it like a football. Guess she's not quite ready yet for babysitting.
***
"I like fireworks!" she said tonight as we passed several houses with Christmas lights.
"I thought you HATED fireworks!" I said.
"I want fireworks for my birthday," she answered.
"Really?" I laughed.
"I want a birthday party," she said.
"What kind of birthday party?" I asked.
"Brown and red and blue and orange," she replied.
And that ended the conversation because, really, what could I add?
Thursday, December 9, 2010
"Excuse me?"
Rachel started saying what sounded like a very rude "WHAT?" a couple of weeks ago when she couldn't hear or understand what I was saying. It sounded unpleasant to my ears so I am teaching her to say "excuse me?" instead. (Along with the usual "may I please have..." and "thank you." She's quite good about the "thank you" but needs to work on the "may I please" instead of "I want...").
It makes me realize how much I say "WHAT?" instead of "excuse me." So, looks like I need to change my bad habits, too!
She really impressed me tonight when she said at one point, "excuse me?" instead of "what?" I could tell she was almost going to say "what?" but then thought better of it.
It makes me realize how much I say "WHAT?" instead of "excuse me." So, looks like I need to change my bad habits, too!
She really impressed me tonight when she said at one point, "excuse me?" instead of "what?" I could tell she was almost going to say "what?" but then thought better of it.
She loves her daddy
This morning I wore a locket with Drew's picture in it, and Rachel as usual tried to open it. I, of course, am the one who always opens it, and I always say, "I need to put a picture of Rachel on the other side."
"Rachel and MOMMY," she says, firmly.
When I opened the locket today, she took it in her little hands, looked at the picture of Drew, and kissed it.
I think she's ready for him to come home.
"Rachel and MOMMY," she says, firmly.
When I opened the locket today, she took it in her little hands, looked at the picture of Drew, and kissed it.
I think she's ready for him to come home.
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