Cranky
Posted By Kathleen David on November 5, 2005
I have written and rewritten this first line a number of times this morning. It can be hard to even just natter on every day about stuff. I have been trying to post once a day with at least a haiku even when my computer has been out for repair. Sometimes I get a little feedback which I really appreciate. Other times I feel like I have tossed a message in a bottle out into the ocean never to hear from it again. I have heard from people that this will be a great thing for Caroline to read when she gets older and I hope she does that is if the record of this web log survives in some form. Not all entries are saved on my lap top. If I changed the tone of the blog and made it just reviews for things I am reading/seeing or commentary on the world I think I would lose something that makes this blog unique but I don’t know if that makes these writings interesting enough. I guess I am just unsure about a lot of things right now.
Behind the cut is an extended entry about Caroline.
I am grateful for containers.
I have written and rewritten this first line a number of times this morning. It can be hard to even just natter on every day about stuff. I have been trying to post once a day with at least a haiku even when my computer has been out for repair. Sometimes I get a little feedback which I really appreciate. Other times I feel like I have tossed a message in a bottle out into the ocean never to hear from it again. I have heard from people that this will be a great thing for Caroline to read when she gets older and I hope she does that is if the record of this web log survives in some form. Not all entries are saved on my lap top. If I changed the tone of the blog and made it just reviews for things I am reading/seeing or commentary on the world I think I would lose something that makes this blog unique but I don’t know if that makes these writings interesting enough. I guess I am just unsure about a lot of things right now.
We are already into November. Today is one month until Caroline’s Birthday. She will be Three Years Old. She has learned so much and grown so big. She is now 37 1/2 inches tall and weighs 34 pounds. She is not a perfect child. I have never claimed her to be so. She is headstrong and can be a handful if she doesn’t get her way but I know how to deal with her. Her speech is delayed but I know what she is saying for the most part. We just have to convince her that communicating to us in English is the best way to get what she wants. Yes, she is not potty trained. We have been working on that for a while now and I know by the time she goes into preschool she needs to be potty trained. Part of that has had to do with the lack of communication. And picky eater doesn’t even begin to describe how hard it can be to get her to eat anything.
But her smiles and hugs are precious. I love hearing her say my name with such love in her voice. Her coordination is very advanced. Her drawing skills continue to mature at a rapid rate. She can play by herself and be perfectly happy although she enjoys playing with others. She is a very physical child. She loved to run and jump. She loves to climb and slide. She empathizes with others. If someone is sad, she tried to make them feel better. Ariel was really upset about something and Peter and I were in the kitchen fixing dinner. Peter went to talk to Ariel and see what was wrong. Caroline came in and grabbed my hand and pulled me to the couch that Ariel was sitting on. She patted the couch which means that I should sit where she indicated. She pushed me and pointed to Ariel and said clearly, “Fix.” She wanted me to help Ariel feel better since I make Caroline feel better. If she bumps herself she will run over and points to her boo-boo to get a kiss to make it better.
She plays well with the cats. She even knows their names and will tell me which cat or cats have wandered in with me in the morning. She has a crush on Diego from ‘Dora the Explorer” and “Go Diego Go.” She loves her stuffed animals and currently her entourage included the doggie she carried at Halloween, a bear dressed up as a cheerleader, a bear that she got at Disney World at the German pavilion, and the Border’s Christmas bear along with her magna doodle. Last week she carried around 4 of Ariel’s old Care Bears. She seems to change her stuffed animals out so everyone gets some love. Consistent companions are her pink blanket that the Harland and Susan gave her, a plastic bear that goes with the Disney Mr. Potato Head, and a magna doodle. In her bed is a big Winnie the Pooh and a large Snoopy. If they are not there we hear about it.
I love her so much. I am so glad to have her in my life. I had a good life before Caroline but now I have a great one. I am so happy to be her mommy. Best job I have ever had.
Kath, I can tell you for one (at least) that none of your entries are just tossed into the void. I’ve read every single entry that you’ve posted here and it brings back memories of when my daughter was at the same age, she just turned 12 this past September. I usually don’t post much simply because I don’t feel that I can add anything of substance to the thoughts posted.
Brittany did many of the same things that Caroline does, she carried a menagerie around with her that rotated, but always had at least one horse in the mix. Now, the bed can look like a stuffed animal factory exploded, but some of those same animals are around, and well loved.
gee… I think this one post may be more words than I’ve posted since my first post… kinda has me wanting to reopen the blog that I had started last year…
Hi Kath,
I know I have never commented on your blog, but wanted you to know that you reach a lot more people that you realize. I came to your site from Peter’s site. I am a huge fan of your husband’s writing. I’ve been reading your blog everyday since and not because you are Peter’s wife, but because of your own talent in writing. Your ability it seems to make anything you can envision. I have loved watching Caroline grow and hearing about your days, your search for a job in a creative field, and just your everyday life. I hope you continue your blog. I would like to see you do more of some tutorial stuff on the projects you make. I am not a puppeteer, but just a housewife who is very much into crafts..mainly cross stitching and crocheting and photography.
Thanks for your time and your blog.
Tammie
Oh, I read and comment from time to time, but , well, frankly sometimes I wonder if you even read them. I do realize that you’re busy, and from reading your entries, I can realize that Caroline must indeed be quite a handful. It will be interesting to see what she thinks when she’s older and reads the blog entries you’ve saved for her. Still, it is a treat when you occasionally respond.
Kath: Like many, I started reading your blog because it was tied to Peter’s, but I read it now every day for its own sake.
What *keeps* me reading you is the deliberate point you make every day to be grateful for something. That is a lesson I have to teach myself on far too many occasions.
Faithful reader here too, Kath, but you know that.
I am grateful that you have a blog with which you let us into your life.
I have to confess, Kathleen, that I haven’t read all of your blog entries – but if I can tell it’s going to be about your children, especially Caroline, I make a point of it.
I can certainly feel for you about the language delay and concomitant problems, as well as the picky eating – my daughter, Morgana, is autistic, and, at 4 1/2, isn’t using more than a few words (and those labels – “chicken”, “juice”, “appysauce”, and so on), and so far has shown no interest whatsoever in potty training. (I have hope, but some autistics never manage to learn to tell when they have to go – one young lady online, who is articulate only when writing, says that, at 24, she’s given up at last on this whole potty thing.) She also will eat only a very limited repetoire of items, and will literally starve herself rather than eat something not on that list.
But her smile is beautiful, her laugh infectious, and when she chooses to touch us, it makes her hugs all the more precious. I wouldn’t change a thing about her (well, except maybe the potty-training and communication skills…). 🙂
And now there’s our son Iain to raise, as well – all of three days old, and already running the place! 🙂
Dear Kath,
This is the first time I have posted here. I read your blog nearly every day, and have followed Caroline’s (and Ariel’s) adventures for quite a while. My children are a bit older (20, 19, 17 & 12 years respectively). I relate to your day to day experiences with kids, work, sewing etc (especially sewing and costume making at the moment). I more often than not, finish reading with a smile on my face when reading of Miss Almost 3’s latest, as it brings back my own experiences with my kids.
Cheerio
Kathleen, your blog is always welcome. I tend to read them on Sunday, a week at a time, not sure why really.
Caroline is a beautiful child. I expect she will be a world beater some day. She has the gift of two pearents who would do anything for her.
Hi Kath,
They’re not going into a void, believe me. If anything, I suspect you’ve made some of us think about jumping into this whole blogging thing ourselves, if only to talk about our cute small children. 🙂
Sometimes I get behind and don’t read for a week or two (okay, more often than “sometimes” this year — the curse of a new job), but I always go back and catch up. Reading about Caroline always makes me feel like I’m getting a sneak preview of what to expect with Katherine, and that’s incredibly valuable and fun.
As Bill said, your blog is always welcome. We’re here, believe me.
TWL