[above is a photo of ramona in bed w me. i often sneak her in to snuggle when jp is away at work. below is an excerpt from an entry for her 19 month mark in her baby journal]
dear ramona,
my apologies there are three blank months preceding this entry. lord willing, you will have a younger sibling one day and I can guarantee you they will have even more empty months than you, so don’t feel too bad.
a lot has happened in the last three months. mama and papa opened a restaurant, and i stopped looking after max full-time. it’s just you and i now. and the transition, though relatively easy, was a big one all around. oh, and papa and i also are trying for another baby. so we thought now would be a good time as any to officially wean you.
i was worried about it — weaning you. but i had no idea you’d handle it so well. and, worst part for me? i didn’t know that the last time i nursed you was the last time i was ever going to nurse you. while we were planning to do so, we weren’t planning it for when it happened. at this point it was just talk: it was before nap time on 2/4, a monday. and then papa put you down for bed that night w/o incident. and then i was gone to work before you woke up the next day. and then papa put you down for a nap before i got home.
and since it was three times already w me NOT putting you to sleep (a record!), i tried putting you down that tuesday evening to sleep w/o nursing. and whaddya know, i found myself shedding some tears during my final song to you (God made your ears, God made your nose…) when you just simply put your sleepy head on my shoulder and let me rock you without pointing to the couch and saying “nurse! nurse! nurse!”. i was sad, minka, –for me– that i hadn’t known to hold that last time –at nap time the previous day– tight in my memory and to take it in and relish the moment. it happened so, well, naturally. but i wish that final time was more vivid in my memory bc all those nursing moments the past 18 months have been so so important to me.
but i’m so proud of you too, little minka moo. the first three days of not nursing were painful only to me. you seemed to have moved on overnight, which is a testament to your strong, stubborn personality that is so confident and assured. after three days, papa brought you up to bed with us, like we always used to, for a family snuggle. and this act must have triggered memories for you bc you started crying adamantly “nurse! nurse! nurse!”. and i sat up w you and asked you to look in my eyes. once you did i gently said: “ramona, we don’t do this anymore” even though it wasn’t exactly what i wanted to hear either. so papa brought you some almond milk and we all went and sat on the couch and, sure enough, you guzzled that up and started asking for cheerios.
two days have passed now that you haven’t even mentioned the word. at least not in seriousness. this morning you uttered it quietly. and then looked at me with a knowing smirk on your face as if to say, “well, it doesn’t hurt to ask.” and then you let out a giggle and gave me a “BEE HUH” (a big hug). you are growing, mo mo. and i am so proud of who you continue to become, miss independent and all.
i love you. love, mama.
a portrait of ramona, once a week, every week, in 2013. inspired by jodi’s project.
ramona loves bath and shower time. if ramona hears the words “bath” or “shower” uttered, she is stomping towards the bathroom while simultaneously trying to take off all her clothes. there have been a few tantrums when she doesn’t get her way. most often though, we comply since it’s a surefire way to make or keep her happy. yesterday, when ramona was being particularly grumpy and i was rather uninspired and bored and certainly not wanting to hear her whine once more (and yo gabba gabba had already been played way more times than i care to admit), we hopped in the shower and played in there until the hot water ran out. her father followed w a bath that evening. after she had been swimming. she cannot get enough of the water.
i gave in and bought combination baby wash and shampoo that just happens to bubble ever so nicely. during that first bath she took w the bubbles she lost track of all the toys around her and just stared at the growing soap suds, clasping and clapping them in her hands and swishing them to and fro. it was quite amazing to see such wonder and discovery on her face.
dear ramona,
you hated this borrowed peacock costume when we tried putting it on you for halloween. but now, you squeal in delight “PEE-CAULK” when you see it in its hiding place and won’t relent until we zip you up inside it. you were feeling quite under the weather yesterday, but getting dressed up in your finest feathers seemed to give you some reprieve from your sluggishness. you chased our chickens around the yard and they, more than ever, had no idea what to do with you.
i love you. love, mama.
a portrait of ramona, once a week, every week, in 2013. inspired by jodi’s project.
dear ramona,
nona says that your belly in this profile photo looks just like mine did when i was your age. also, the mussy, fine hair that gets a little matted and just seems to always stick out in the back. i had that too. and, again, with
dear ramona, nona says that your belly in this profile photo looks just like mine did when i was your age. also, the mussy, fine hair that gets a little matted and just seems to always stick out in the back. i had that too. and, again, with your love of shoes and accessories. when you were born you looked exactly like your papa (it was utterly endearing and completely freaky). and now, more and more, i see myself in you and it makes me very happy. i love you. love, mama. a portrait of ramona, once a week, every week, in 2013. inspired by jodi’s project.
dear ramona,
wearing mama’s shoes around the house, letting me put blush on your cheeks, trying all my jewelry on, putting “ponies” in your hair: we have so much fun doing girly things together.
i love you. love, mama.
a portrait of ramona, once a week, every week, in 2013. inspired by jodi’s project.
welcome
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