Three and Me: Lightening speed

Gillian is growing like a weed. No, she's growing like a bolt of lightening. Quick and sharp and loud. She speaks in full sentences. She sings a good bit of the words of songs ("You are my Sunshine" and "I'm a little teapot" and (just yesterday) "Lollipop" are new to her repertoire). She draws monsters "with buttons" that have eyes, noses, and "mowfs". And she has added "Oh, Boy" to her exploding vocabulary for emphasis. For example, "Oh Boy, Mama, the monster [has] BIG HAIR" (while drawing) or "Ice cream, Mama, Oh Boy!". Since she has just recently gotten wise to gender (interestingly NOT because she has seen private parts as justification, but just because), I wonder what she thinks that expression means, exactly. Nonni happened to say "Oh, Boy Gilly!" her first hour here when they came to visit last week, and now it's an immutable part of Gillian's vernacular. But, the point is well made that we REALLY (and I mean, for REAL) need to watch what we say and how we say it. I've even taken to saying to the cat on the dining room table, "Excuse me, Kitty, time to get down" as politely as if I were talking to my grandma as to not encourage Gillian's inner hellion. Just yesterday, she told me to "wait there" and that she would "be back in a minute". Later, she told her toy Bug, "just a second" as she walked away to get something. These were before she started down the hall with her basket telling us she was going to work and that she would see us later. It is insane the clip that kids this age pick things up that adults say and do. Her imagination fascinates me too...tonight she picked up the coasters (out of the blue) and told me she was eating a sandwich. I asked her to make me one, and she brought me a book. We ate our sandwiches with lots of YUM YUM YUMs in between.

Last week Nonni and Grandaddy (who, for all intents and purposes will hitherto be called "Gaga" since Gillian doesn't concern herself with learning the proper way to say it) came to visit. I took the week off, and for the first time, really took advantage of all the help. I cleaned out my desk and my file cabinet (and if you aren't in awe, you don't understand what that means-I'm talking "insurance policies from 1993" kind of packratting). I shredded till my shredder shut down in protest, taking a nap until it could bear to eat one more electric bill from 1998. I moved my bookshelves into the living room to make room for Gillian's new playroom in my office (I am selling the desk and file cabinet. They are beautiful and solid oak, together weigh approximately 3 tons, and we will deliver in the City. Interested?). I secured the bookshelves, anchoring them to the wall in my paranoia of having them come crashing down on my child or someone else's should they decide to scale the shelves in search of the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche or the particulars of atmopsheric chemistry. I also cleaned and reorganized the hall closet, which is equally miraculous given it's previous state of disarray and how claustrophobic it felt to walk in there. Now it feels simply expansive. And my cluttered head breathes easier.

S and I enjoyed the help. We went out a few nights (btw-GiGi is now making a delicious Chocolate Martini at the O if anyone in RP is interested), slept in (after making a delivery of The Bean to the grandparents at 7 am), and didn't have to cook. It was heavenly. Gillian, who adores Nonni and Grandaddy, was on every day all day. She could barely stand to go to bed, and the first thing out of her mouth after calling us to come get her in the morning was something about Nonni and having a tea party. And, those of you who know my very extroverted Gillian are well aware that she adores and thrives on attention. She got plenty. We were worried about how she would do when the party was over-when the beloved grandparents had to go home-and we got back to business as usual. Interestingly, Monday she didn't seem to notice they were gone, but she didn't eat much. Tuesday and yesterday she was grouchy and still not eating much. We Skyped yesterday and when Nonni said she had to go, Gilly started crying (real tears) and telling Nonni not to go, but to come play with her (this was lump-in-throat inducing for me). So, her sadness has manifested in a different kind of way. Maybe not verbally, but she misses them. So Much.

All this has made me think good and hard about what it means to have support nearby when you are raising a family-emotionally and physically. It is really tough to be away from our family. That said, it makes us appreciate our friends and our family that much more.

Here are some moments from the past week that I wanted to share:

(Extra B-day)