This is one of my favorite quotes of all time. Each time I am too
chicken to do something, I remember Twain’s words and know that real
people would be supportive of me and I can do anything I want.
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions.
Small people always do that, but the really great make you
feel that you, too, can become great.” –Mark Twain
Journaling Reads:
My mother used to like telling me the story of how when I was a baby,
I’d sit there any stare at my hands for hours. She said that I was a
very self-sufficient baby, didn’t need a lot of attention.
Maybe it’s because I’ve worked since the day you were born, maybe you
were just born this way. Either way, you’ve always been the same kind of
kid. You used to take all of your toys and bring them next to me and
play while I worked.
A few weeks ago, we were invited to your dad’s cousin’s wedding and I
completely forgot to bring any toys or crayons to keep you busy.
Thankfully, Daddy’s mom had bought you a pack of little cars. Those four
cars, and the package they came in, entertained you for the full two
hours. You didn’t scream or have a tantrum once. You didn’t even make a
sound. You just played with your cars, quietly and made me so very proud
for having you as my son.
I think being self-sufficient and easily-entertained are two important
skills, David, and I am thrilled that you have successfully mastered
both. – June 23, 2007.
No journaling needed. (Just the date of July 2007)
Journaling Reads:
” I wish I could enjoy anything the way my kids enjoy bubbles.” – quote
from “Knocked Up”
Journaling Reads:
Little boys your age cannot sit still for more than three minutes. They
run from place to place and destroy everything along the way. You
certainly cause your share of destruction but I am always amazed at the
length of your attention span.
A week ago, we went to the Google family picnic and I was worried that
you’d quickly lose interest and want to come back home. But, I was
totally wrong. One of the areas was full of little beads that you could
string into a furry wire and make bracelets and I knew this would be
your very favorite part of the picnic, so I took you there and got a
mini bowl of beads and a few wires so we could sit down and play
together. I figured it would keep you busy for at least a few minutes.
Two hours later, you were still putting the beads on and taking them off
and putting them back on without showing any sign of boredom. If I
didn’t insist that we leave to look at the other sections, you could
have spent another three hours with the beads.
When you were born, I was worried you might have your dad’s ADD, but it
turns out that when it comes to attention, you’ve taken after me. When
you’re doing something you love, you get lost in that world.
Isn’t it wonderful?
Journaling Reads:
My beautiful son, there are many things I love about you. I love you
big, blue eyes and how they shine with excitement when you discover
something new. I love your warm and cuddly hugs. I love it when you lie
on me and let me hold you. I love your generosity and your kindness. I
love your curiosity. I love your desire to learn.
But most of all, I love how you make me laugh. How you squeal with joy
each time I play games with you and how you react with such raw
happiness that it makes me laugh genuinely and openly. I love how much
laughter and joy you’ve brought into my life.
Thank you, my son.
Journaling Reads:
Two-year-olds are famous for their tantrums and lack of patience, and
you’re no exception. You have such a predictable pattern that I can
almost time you. Here are the steps we go through multiple times a day:
• You want something.
• I tell you that you can’t have it.
• You repeat your ask, insisting as if I didn’t understand what you were
saying and that must be why I am refusing you.
• I tell you that I heard you but that’s something you can’t have.
• You simultaneously stomp your foot and say, “I’m MAD!”
• I tell you not to be mad and try to explain to you why you can’t have
it. When I can see that won’t work, I try to steer you in a different
direction.
• You let your body go limp and start throwing the books off the table,
or hit me.
• Now I am angry and I give you a serious look to indicate what you did
was not the right way to handle your feelings.
• You walk to a convenient wall, lean your head away from me, and start
crying.
• I keep talking to you softly and trying to redirect your attention.
• Finally, you give up and come to give me a hug. Within seconds, we’re
laughing.
We laugh, giggle, and forget all about it. At least until the next time
you find something you can’t have.
My son, I know it’s frustrating to not be able to have everything you
want and I know it’s annoying to not be express yourself clearly, but I
promise it will get better with time. I love you very much and I wish
you were a bit more patient and got a little less mad. While your
routine is so predictable and almost funny at this point, it still
breaks my heart a little each time I see those tears come flooding down.
Journaling Reads:
You love all toys but balls have a special place in your heart. Even if it’s not yours, when there’s a ball around you, you must play with it.
One of the few without journaling.
Journaling Reads:
You like to hide things in the most obscure places. I open a drawer in
the bathroom and find graham crackers and a sippy cup full of water. Our
drain pipes are home to little, colorful balls that you’ve tucked away.
The basketball pole has a piece of toast with cream cheese in it. The
list goes on and on.
You’re curious about every nook and cranny of the house. You think of
the most creative storage places and I don’t think you remember 80% of
the places you leave your stuff in and, often times, they sit there
until I stumble upon them, sometimes weeks later. At times, you find
them yourself and laugh with joy at your discovery.
Little David, life with you never has a dull moment. Each time I uncover
a new storage space you made up, I marvel at your creativity. It’s
become a daily game for me. I wake up and I can’t wait to see the new
set of surprises you’ve left me.
Journaling Reads:
“David, do you want to go to bed?”
*
“No!”
“David, do you want to stay up?”
“No”
“David, do you want to play all night?”
“No”
“David do you want some blue berries?”
(…pause…)
“Yea!”
You still don’t understand most of what I say so I love playing
the “No” game with you. No matter what I ask, you just say no. It
doesn’t matter if I say two sentences that are exact opposites.
Your rule of thumb is to never agree to anything you don’t
understand. Until you recognize a word, at which point the answer
becomes an enthusiastic “Yes!”
Little David, I know that you will soon understand everything I
say and these games will disappear forever. I wanted to make sure
we saved the memory so we could look back years later and laugh at
your clever way of playing it safe.
And finally one from this weekend.
Journaling Reads:
Daddy and I are quite religious about what time we put you down. We had
some problems getting you to stay asleep in the early months, so we
adopted a very structured routine and have stuck to it every day.
Until a few weeks ago.
Our good friends, Manu and Hana decided to get married right during the
time we put you to bed, so instead of getting a babysitter, we decided
to bring you along. We figured if you stay up late for one night, it
wouldn’t make the world end. I didn’t tell Daddy but I was nervous about
how you might behave and whether we’d have to leave during the ceremony.
But I was wrong.
You were an angel the whole time. You read your book, ate bread, drank
water, played with crayons and even cheered at the end when everyone
clapped. At the end of the night, when it got dark, the restaurant lit
up little candles all along the tables. You’d never seen such little
fires before and you were absolutely fascinated with them. Looking at
them, touching them, and especially blowing them out. You leaned into
the little flames and puffed as hard as you could. I was having so much
fun watching you that I forgot to tell you not to do it.
My little David, it turns out the world doesn’t end when we keep you up
once in a blue moon. It can even be a little bit of fun.
Okay, maybe more than a little bit.
|
projects for twenty twenty-six
projects for twenty twenty-five
projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
|
