From the moment I knew I was pregnant to age five, I kept journals about Claire and for her. Mailed the two volumes to Claire, 29, two days ago. An excerpt:
Little Talker (almost 3 years old)
Claire: "Where did you learn that song?"
Me: "From my Mom during my childhood."
Claire: "What's a childhood?"
Me: "It's the years of your life when you're a child." (Then I threw in a definition of adulthood for comparative purposes.) "Adulthood is the years when you're an adult." Pause.
Claire: "Mom, are you in your momhood now?"
Today Claire, 29, texted:
"Hi Mom! I just got your journals; my heart is so warm! I burst into tears when I realized what they were! I will read them soon, this week, when I have time. I am trying out a new employee right now, 12 hours a day, so want time to focus.
"I always looked forward to the day I got to read these!!!! YAY! Love you!"
Photos
Sick of shoveling snow, Claire staged a sit-in protest. Almost 3.
For Claire's 2nd birthday, I made the raccoon cake at her request. "Rocky Raccoon" was her favorite stuffed animal. For her 3rd birthday, Claire wanted a Smokey the Bear cake. I felt relieved the bakery could do it.
Treasures,to hopefully continue on if she had kids.....
Claire said she's going to save the journals for her kids. They plan to start a family in 1-2 years.
What beautiful for sight you had back then to do this , and now the memories reappear and live on forever
Thank you so much. As a storyteller and writer, I see the humor in life.
Safety Latches (one year old)
Within 36 hours of our painstakingly installing child-proof safety latches on every low kitchen cupboard, you figured out how to open them.
At first, you didn't want us to know. If one of us spied you opening a latch, you'd look up, freeze , and very casually close the door. The darn latches were at your eye level. Smart child, you immediately saw that if you pushed down on the little plastic bar, the door would open.
These were the same safety latches I cursed at friend's houses when I couldn't open the cupboards.
So we caved in, removed the latches and put all of the dangerous items up high. I put small canned food and pans down low so you can play with them.
There's a positive outcome. Now you throw away trash under the sink. And after grocery shopping, your job is to put canned food away. Occasionally you drop a can on your toe. You're learning.
She's so lucky to have had that kind of attention.
Thank you. Love my girl.
Childhood? Thats a child that has a arrest record.