You certainly deserve to be. Why, you should be in every post. And the other day when you were trying to tell me something and I was putting you off a bit because I was a little busy, I suddenly felt so awful because I realized that you are getting so grown up and before too much longer, it might be that you won't be coming to me trying to have my attention, promising to brush my hair if I read one more chapter of a book, or asking to snuggle by me on the couch. I realized I better spend every minute I can basking in these years of you still being my little girl and still having time for your mom.
Besides, look at you:
Anyone with any sense can see that you obviously have the force. At any moment, it is clear that that apple is going to begin tugging at its own stem before "pop" -- off it will snap to leap into your hand. Having the force is rather special.
But, I am now leaving the "letter to Daisy" format as I tell the story about your new pajamas.
Cute little pajamas seem to be something I am quite fond of getting for my kids when they are small, but Abe and Daisy and even Goldie have reached a stage where it doesn't occur to me to buy cute little pajamas anymore. Sure I buy them the occasional flannel pj bottoms, but they are usually just worn to bed with an old t-shirt, and often there are no flannel bottoms even, but just some old cut off sweat pants or basketball shorts.
Daisy was invited to two birthday parties this weekend. Both of them were "sleep over" themed. And while there was no sleeping over involved, the plans included wearing pajamas to the party, painting nails, etc.
Daisy had nothing special to wear in the pajama department, but she didn't complain. She found her best pair of flannel pajama bottoms and asked if I would help her thread a needle so she could try and sew up the two splits in the rear and the one in the knee. She did her best and didn't whine at all about the fact that they looked a little awkward now. However, within about ten minutes of trying them on, they had split in a new spot. They were so old and thin that this was just going to keep on happening. Still, she asked for no new pajamas, just sadly asked if I would have any time while she was at school the next day to try and fix the new tear.
Also, I'd told her earlier that if she wanted to go to both parties, we couldn't buy expensive presents. She was a good sport and again didn't complain at all (though it is fun to show off a bit by bringing the "best" gift to a party). She chose out very modest little presents -- never mentioning at all that there were things she would have rather we got for them.
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When we got home, she went down to our little cold basement and wrapped the gifts the best she could in the only wrapping paper we had -- red and green Christmas wrapping.
This is starting to sound very sad now, isn't it? Like we are some poor family making due from the depression era. Still, all remained happy enough until we heard ripping coming from the other room and discovered that Jesse had torn open Daisy's carefully wrapped gifts.
For some reason this was the last straw. Daisy started to cry and cry and had no desire to re-wrap the gifts, or even to have me rewrap them as she suddenly seemed to realize how foolish Christmas wrapping paper would look anyway. Pretty much everything seemed ruined.
Poor girl. But, with dinner and homework and the like, the gift fiasco was soon forgotten and everyone was tucked in bed for the night -- with birthday party one being the next day after school. Before going to bed, Daisy quietly reminded me to see what I could do to fix her pajama bottoms better the next day.
So, I finally mustered my good mom self into action and went off to make things truly better for my deserving little Daisy: new pajamas and yes, even new pink cupcake-and-ice-cream-cone covered wrapping paper. She was quite happy to discover these things when she got home and looked very cute heading off happily to her party in her new little pajamas.
Unfortunately she woke up very sick this morning and so won't be going to birthday part number two, but at least she has cute pj's to snuggle in all day. It is very fun getting a surprise for someone when they deserve it and probably even need it, but haven't asked for it. Especially fun when it is your own child.
I love my strawberry blonde oldest daughter. She's pretty darn great.
7 comments:
I think this might be the best post you've ever written on this blog of yours. That story was so heartfelt and riveting and I was so sad for her and so hoping you would be a good mom - and then you were and all was well and good and happy and I didn't know if I wanted to cry of sadness first or just for the happiness of it all!
And, I just can't get over how much she looks like Anna - especially in that cute picture in her new PJs!
Daisy is so adorable! I love her!I'm glad she has new pjs. P.S. Do I really look like her? I don't see it, but a lot of people seem to think that.
Those Pajamas are so cute! where did you get them?
i'm so glad you pulled through for daisy. i knew you would. but funny to read this tonight because jason came home tonight and the kids were in bed but grace wasn't asleep yet and she asked if he could just lie down by her and talk for awhile. he did that and they talked quite awhile. he said that he wants to make sure to do that at least once and week and we talked about how as the kids get older that they will probably not always want us to just talk with them for long periods of time, but hopefully if we start early then it will stick, but if we put them off, as we are wont to do when we are tired and busy (which we always are) then we can't really expect them as teenagers not to put us off...right? i don't know. am i right tia? at least that is what feels right to us.
Such a dear and good girl. I love how she's so patient and not at all consumed with the "I wants" but happy for what she does have and does the best with it. She sure does deserve some new jammas.
Okay, really, I have to stop. I have been reading your blog for the last 45 minutes. Shouldn't I go and do something else? But your writing is so very, very good. Please, please won't you write a book. Just a book of your thoughts and blog posts. I love how you word things, you make me laugh and cry and gafaah (I really can't spell that word). Love you little nanners.
Anna, I just realized I never answered you. Those pj's were a lovely Target find, and I am bad at telling who looks like who, but I have even thought sometimes that Daisy looks a bit like you! (Which, of course, is very lucky for her).
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