Tag: Maria

Snow Day!

3 Comments

The university closed Tuesday due to the incredible snow fall and ice accumulation. I woke up at 5:30 due to my darling son who has decided that 5:30 am is his new time to rise. You can almost see him popping his tiny head up, rubbing his eyes, and opening his mighty mouth. Indeed, I am quite sure that is his routine before we hear our morning serenade of: “Maaaaaammmmmmeeeeee; Oh, Maaammmeeee.” I dragged myself out of my warm nest of a bed and told him to go back to sleep. “Rock, mommy?” I scooped him up and pushed his head onto my shoulder and firmly stated “five minutes, Mario, that is it.” Yeah, I might as well be saying “blah blah blah blah blah.” He had what he wanted and I knew he was sporting that devilish smile as we headed to the rocking chair.

After ten minutes of rocking and thinking to myself “this is the last night of this – tomorrow he is crying it out!”, I put him in his bed and trip back into my nest. Five minutes goes by before I hear “Maaaaammmmmmeeeee” again.  The irritation and anger I feel at that moment compares to how you may feel if you were getting your eyelashes pulled out or getting run over by a semi truck.  I get up, stomp to his room, and put him in bed with me. It was no use. He was wide awake.

By 6:30 am, we are all eating pancakes and eggs and watching Little Bear. Maria’s new favorite morning activity is to cook pancakes and eggs, and yes, she actually prepares everything to cook them. She gets the bowl out, the mix, the eggs, the milk, and the oil. She stirs it up as much as she can (she has counseled me on numerous occasions that I need to buy an electric mixer so that we do not have to do it by hand!). She prepares her plate and mine, and we all sit down together (Mario finds our pancakes absolutely repulsive – the first bite he takes immediately causes a cringe on his face and a regurgitation into my open hand). After breakfast, we get all bundled up in our snow gear and head outside.

The snow was too light to make a snowman but I found a plastic sled and the kids took turns getting pulled down the front yard hill. Mario popped up after one run and yelled “Mommy, go Stauf’s get ice water and muffin?” I thought Maria would poo-poo it because she likes to stay near home but she agreed (with a little cajoling involving hot cocoa and a muffin for her). I held Mario on my right hip and pulled Maria on the plastic sled. By the third block, I felt as if I had just been in a WWF wrestling match – my body ached completely! Maria could see the pain in my face and got out of the sled, pulled it behind her, and walked the remainder of the way. Why do I try to be Superwoman all the time? I ain’t 20 any more….!

Maria trying to help mom pull Mario (Mario wanting nothing of it!)

We got our ice water, hot cocoa, bran muffin and black russian bagel and plopped down at a table. I love that my kids love Stauf’s – it is a refuge for me and I enjoy that they find it to be the same for them. They will sit in their seats for a half hour eating their muffin and bagel, looking at the pictures on the walls, watching the people, and even talking to me! It is a piece of heaven. After Stauf’s, we walked back home (Maria walked the whole way home again!) and I decided it was time for a little day care. It was close to 11 am and I knew they would not nap with me. And, I wanted a little Mary time before the night came (I fought guilt all afternoon about this decision but that is a whole other blog entry). I dropped them off at school and headed back to Stauf’s to catch up on email and fund-raising for my boards.

Before I knew it, 3 pm hit, and I decided that I would try to take them sledding at a local park with a nice sized hill. I loaded up the sled, their snowsuits, and sped to the daycare. The entire way to daycare, I debated whether to actually take them or not because I knew the hill would be full of kids and I would have Maria and Mario and a sled and just little ol’ me. But, what the he–. Life is too short.

We headed over to the park, threw on our bundles of clothes while maneuvering and squirming around in the car, and trekked it to the hill. There were quite a number of people there already and Maria immediately withdrew. “Why are all these people here. I don’t want to sled here.” We tried a little side hill at her request but the snow was too thick and we barely moved. After that lame experience, she decided to work with the crowd. We headed over to the hill and began the climb up. I held Mario and the sled and she climbed up using the blue and white striped rope that the City must have installed to help with the climb. Maria impressed me with her climbing skills and determination. I had to help her up a few times, but she got close to the top each time and if it wasn’t for the ice, she would have done it alone. I told her her to chant “I know I can do it” each time she got down, and after telling her that, I heard her whispering it as she struggled up the hill.  My girl. 

Maria and Mario after a sled ride down Wyman Hill

The first ride down the hill was all of us on the “Flyer” – an old school wood sled that I think my dad gave us back when Jon and I were dating. We barely fit on the sled, and we flew down the hill after a push from a man who I am sure got a kick out of me trying to handle M&M, the sled, and the ice up the hill. But we hung on, and when we finally stopped, we were all smiles and laughs. Mario turned around and pleaded “Again, mommy?” I looked at Maria wondering if she would want to brave the hill for another run (Maria and exertion do not typically get along). But, to my amazement, Maria was already heading toward the hill. Again, my girl.

Maria found a girlfriend who asked her to go sledding with her and I got a glimpse of Maria playing with her girlfriends in a few years. Ahh, I had visions of me and my Cincy girls when we were 10 years old and taking advantage of our snow days. We did about 7 runs before we called it a night, and I must say, my winter blahs flew away for the remainder of the night. Of course, those winter blahs flew back with a vengeance the next morning when I stepped outside and slipped onto my rear while taking out the trash (the cuss words were spewing out so fluidly that I amazed even myself) but heck, with this weather, I will take an evening  of bliss anyday.

“Give Ria Big Hug?”

1 Comment

Mario is a complete nut.  He is what you think of when you think of a two-year old boy: wild, rambunctious, ornery, spastic, loud, violent, obstinate, emotional.  It has been quite the ride over the last five months when he turned in to this little creature. 

The wildman at age 2

Maria was never like this at age 2.  She was an atypical two-year old girl: quiet, reclusive, thoughtful, serious, deep, soulful, clingy. 

Maria at age 2

Hence, my surprise and concern when Mario turned into this half boy-half animal after turning two.   If he is not jumping on the couch, holding any long object as a gun, pinching or scratching Maria, throwing a shoe, jettisoning his body on Jon, or running around yelling, then we know (1) he has been taken by aliens and replaced with one of them or (2) he is seriously sick. 

However, there are those few fleeting moments wherein Mario is a true gentleman.  We experienced these moments tonight as were preparing for bed.  Maria has a full size bed in her room with a rocking chair in the corner.  The usual routine is to read books together and then Maria climbs in her bed while I rock Mario.  I began rocking Mario tonight, and he looked up at me:

“Mommy??”

“Yes, Mario.”

“Go give Big Hug to Ria?”

“Mario, it is bedtime.”

“Please, mommy.”

Now, how could I resist if his true desire was indeed to kiss his sis?  Besides, Maria lives for that affection from her brother so she would have been devastated if I prohibited it.  Mario hopped off my lap and ran to her bed stepping his right foot on the ledge, grabbing the mattress with both hands, raising his left leg onto the ledge and thrusting his body onto her bed.  Maria sat up with delight.   Mario jumped from the bottom of the bed into her arms and smothered her with a big ol’ hug.  She hugged him in return and sang “Oh, you sweet little baby brother.”  

I called him back to the rocking chair, and he abided.  We rocked about one minute before he glanced up at me and said “Give Ria a kiss?”  I am such a pushover.  I let him down and he engages in the same routine but this time Maria is sitting on both knees with her chin out and mouth puckered waiting for her prince charming.  Mario sits in front of her and pecks her right on the lips.  Golden.  He then proceeds to jump on her again and they roll around together giggling and hugging. 

I watch them and fall in love.  I delight in them.  I call Jon in to see them.  And then I hear a sharp cry….

“Mom, Mario just pinched me right on the arm. Make him in trouble.”

Better fleeting moments than no moments, heh?!

Giving the Love

My unwavering, unyielding sick daughter

1 Comment
Maria

She is unstoppable

My baby girl got what I thought was my food poisoning but what must instead be a bad virus I have been carrying for three days.  Jon got a call from daycare at 3 pm today with the teacher reporting that Maria was throwing up and we should come and get her (like we were contemplating leaving her there…).  Jon picked her up and before they got home (one mile away) she had thrown up twice. Man, I feel her pain and dread the night ahead knowing that she will likely be running to the bathroom and thirsty and throwing up and thinking “why me” in whatever fashion little four and a half-year old girls think those thoughts.

However, she has exceeded all expectations so far with her behavior and demeanor.  I swear this girl of mine is an old soul and simply knows that this too will pass, and so she takes it with ease and resolve and lets it run its course.  For the last two hours, she has run to the bathroom dry heaving or throwing up, then sitting on the toilet, head down, then standing up again, her strong arms grasping the sides of the toilet (for a moment I saw her coming home from a late night out with her girlfriends, her mama standing over the toilet with her trying to calm her down – please let that not happen or if it does, I guess I want to be the one that is there for her to make sure she is ok). 

She peered up at me on the last round and asked for a bath.  I started the water and she climbed in and immediately laid down with her head in the water.  I let it get up to her ears and turned the water off.  She lay there in that bathtub staring at the ceiling, hair flowing like a sea creature, body straight, feet and heels suspended right above the water.  She looked magical.  I feel her depth when I stare at her, especially in moments like these.  She is an angel, a nymph, a fairy. She takes my breath away with her intrepidness and her unwavering courage. 

When she got out of the bathtub and hit the toilet again, she laid down on the floor with a little moan.  I looked down and sighed “I am so sorry baby girl.”  No, she did not cry or whine or stomp her feet.  She simply looked straight ahead and sharply requested “pat my back, mom” to which I immediately did.

My daughter, Maria (bo bia fo fia lo lia do dia as we like to sing!)

2 Comments
Maria bo bia...

What a gal

Ok, so I must admit I copied this concept from David Letterman and another mom blogger: the Top Ten list.  Below I have the top ten things I love about this extraordinary daughter of mine.  Here goes….

10. Her kick-butt body that is strong and beautiful and ready to lift high in the air any person that she deems worthy of her bear hug!
9. Her love of home.  Keeping her pj’s on all day long would make her the happiest girl on earth. 
8. Her empathy for others. She picks up on others’ feelings quickly and knows when she needs to comfort versus when she can act silly.  We visited my grandma’s and grandpa’s graves the other day.  She stood nest to them and spoke to them both. She told Grandpa that she was sad she did not meet him but that Grandma loved him and she told Grandma that she misses her house and loves her.  When we went to my Aunt Sue’s wake, she kept looking over at Uncle Bill and asking how he was doing without Aunt Sue.  For a month after that wake and funeral, she would draw pictures for Uncle Bill to remind him that Aunt Sue loved him. 
7. Her loudness!  When she finds out something great is going to happen (a day off school or a trip to Grandma’s house) she is her mother’s daughter.  She is hyper as all get out, she screams every word until her voice is too hoarse to continue on, and she runs around like a complete lunatic! 
6. The way she begs to stay up a little longer or play a little longer – “just 20 and 80 more minutes” or “how about 5 and 20 and 1 million minutes, pleeeease.”
5. The way she rushes all around the house to find something that she thinks will calm her brother down when he is upset, and the way she talks to her brother when he is climbing and pushing all over her “Ahh, I know you love me, little brother.”
4. The way she comforts me as I watch a sad movie and cry: “It’s ok, daughter, I will hold you and you will feel better” as she wraps her arm around my neck and squeezes me. 
3. Her constant reminder that she is growing older each day: ” I am turning into a woman – I have hair on my legs” and “I have to turn five and then six and then seven and then eight …. You cannot stop me mom.” 
2. Her response to me when we play “girlfriend and boyfriend.” She acts like she bumps into me on the street, I ask her to tell me her name, she asks mine, and then I shyly ask if she would like to get some pie sometime.  She looks at me coyly and whispers “I can get some right now.” That is the way, sista!     
1. The way she responds when I tell her that I want to do her hair a certain way or want her to wear certain clothes: “It’s my body and I can do what I can do with my body.” She does the same for me when dad tells me to do something – she will chime in and look at my husband pointedly asserting: “Mom can do what she can do because it is her body!”
 
My precious, strong-willed daughter!  Oh, how I just love you to the moon, and the sun, and the trees, and my heart, and my blood (this is another thing I love about Maria – how she took my quote “I love you to the moon” and embellished it to include all the above – what a poet!).