Posted: April 18, 2008 at 9:07 am
The Munchkin used to say buncuter for computer. BigBrother says com-payter.
I like knowing these things about my children.
On the forums once, an adoptive Mother was upset that her child’s birth mother kept making comparisons between the placed child and her parented child. I don’t know how you wouldn’t. As a mother who is actively parenting two children, I see the differences and samenesses every single day. While I don’t hold one to the other’s standard, because I do believe that can be harmful, I love having a brain and heart full of memories to say, “Oh yeah! Remember when BigBrother did this? Or that?”
An example. BigBrother was short and wide as a baby. LittleBrother is long and lean. They weighed in at exactly the same weight at their four month appointments but LittleBrother is two inches longer than BigBrother was at the same time. I think that’s a unique difference to explore. I can see the differences in their pictures. BigBrother had cheeks OUT TO THERE. And LittleBrother can’t wear any of BigBrother’s footed sleepers because of his excessive length. It makes me laugh.
I won’t expect LittleBrother to do everything at the same time. He’ll have his own timeline. And I will respect and appreciate his growth and development. And I’m not sure why it has to be any different with my oldest yet placed child.
She does some awesome things. So does BigBrother. And so will LittleBrother. Why can’t I rejoice in any of their sameness? Why can’t I smile when BigBrother lines all of his toys up in a line and think, “Oh, she used to do that, too!” Why can’t I laugh at their funny words and think, “Munchkin used to say it this way?” Why can’t I ask how she handled some developmental milestones just so I can have an inkling of what to expect? Not that BigBrother or LittleBrother have to follow in her shoes but, here’s the truth folks, parents are all flying by the seat of their pants. ANYTHING that lets me know what may or may not happen is a great, great help. You know, I know it.
I rejoice in the samenesses and differences in all of my children. I won’t stop thinking of my daughter when it comes to these things. I am so very proud of all of her accomplishments. (Recently, she fell in love with a trumpet!) And I am so very proud of my boys. As long as I’m not telling one or the other to act in x-manner because y-kid did z-thing, I don’t think I’m harming any of them. I think by rejoicing in those accomplishments (and commiserating in their struggles), I’m doing all of my children a great service.
Because who doesn’t want to know that someone is proud of them? And what parent doesn’t want to know that they’re not alone in the struggles?
All of my children are awesome. I am such a blessed mama.
Posted: February 12, 2008 at 3:15 pm
I’ve started working on the Munchkin’s birthday present. I’m aware that her birthday is in December. And it’s only February. But when you have two parented kids with birthdays in November and all that holiday hoopla well, it’s kind of easy to get to the second week in December and go, “CRAP! I didn’t get that big project done!”
Not this year.
It’s a big one. Five and all. So I’m doing something special.
I’m making a photo book (ala Shutterfly) featuring pictures of us together from the past five years. I’m going all out and doing the big 12×12 book. More room for pictures and all around loving goodness. I haven’t yet thought of a catchy title. Other than maybe… Five Years in The Chronicles of Munchkin Land. Or something equally lame. And I haven’t yet decided if I’m going to simply caption photos…
of if I want to make a poem and/or story that makes its way through the book and photos that basically encapsulates our relationship together. I really think I’d like to do that… but it seems somewhat daunting. Of course, that’s the reason that I’ve never settled on any singular topic for a book-book either. It’s big and scary. I’m not quite sure how I could appropriately describe our relationship. Being age appropriate is vastly important. I wouldn’t want it to be too corny (ala, “once upon a time”) or too melodramatic (ala, “it was a dark and stormy night”) or too light (ala, “I’m nothing more than an extra person in your life”). Balance would be important.
I’m writing out loud, in case you didn’t gather, and right now? Captioning pictures seems easier. But less … real … somehow.
Anyway, I’m merely talking about it out loud, putting it here, so that I can remind myself to keep on top of this project. Hold me accountable folks. I’ll have to do a lot of scanning physical printed pictures from our first year and a lot of digital gathering up of the past three years. And make sure to take a lot of pictures from this year. But I can do this.
She’ll probably toss it off to the side in lieu of something cool like a toy. But someday I think it will mean something. No?
Posted: November 5, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Okay. Let’s start off the weekly NaBloPoMo theme with a little bit of lightheartedness. Last week was heavy, even when I broke out of the theme to talk about some really awful things that have been said lately. And so, let’s giggle a little.
Today’s song that makes me think of our adoption and/or the Munchkin?
Sexyback by Justin Timberlake.
Oh, you read me right. I don’t know what it is about that song but it is like candy-coated crack to small children. BigBrother? Loves it. And forces me to play it on repeat if it accidentally comes on iTunes while he’s in the room. (We have the clean version downloaded.) In fact, the Munchkin and JD love the song equally.
When we were traveling back to their house after a side-trip to North Carolina, I think we might have listened to the song a billion and a half times. Nothing is more amusing than watching the Munchkin shake her rear end in her car seat. (And JD. And BigBrother!) In fact, when we all went to BabyDisco earlier this year, we made the kids shirts that read, “(THEIRNAME) Brought Sexy Back.” Oh yeah. We’re really that lame.
And so, hearing this song makes me smile. Not because Justin Timberlake is uber-hot (he’s okay) or a brilliant lyricist (uh, not quite). But because I’ve had good times dancing to this song with the Munchkin. I have good memories surrounding this song.
And, yeah, it makes me shake my rear end, too. Even uber-pregnant.
