Dear Olive,
Can I just start by telling you just how happy you make me? The things that you say, and the actions you do make me feel truly loved. When you look at me with your bright blue eyes and huge grins, it makes me wish that everyone in this world had “their person”. The person who would can make you laugh, cheer you up, enjoy life without even saying a word. Thank you for being the person for me, Olive. You truly are a gift!
You have found a new favourite pastime. It’s the ‘Ta-da-der-ine’! What is that, you say? You know… The Ta-da-der-ine at Grandma’s house! The trampoline! The way you say it makes my heart flutter! I love it so much. We can barely get the words “Grandma’s House” out of our mouths before your eyes open wide and you yell “TA-DA-DER-INE??” followed by “okay, shoes, lets go!” Seriously, girl… You are obsessed. So much so, that now our bed is also a smaller scale, not as bouncy, version of Grandma’s. Every night as we lay down to cuddle you slowly look at me out of the corner of you eyes and say “ta-da-der-ine, Momma?” I always say “Okay, one jump!” but you know I’m a softy who will let you jump for at least 30 minutes. You usually take one big jump and see how many times you can bounce on your bum-bum. On our bed it is only once… On Grandma’s trampoline, it is usually 3 or 4 times. You are just so excited to jump. The smile never comes off your face.
You have also found a second love this month. Marcia is officially open for the summer, so that means almost-nightly ice cream stops. You get your love of ice cream from your Daddy, however I think you have a better ice cream palate than he does… Daddy always goes for the old man ice cream – Maple Walnut – but you, you are more adventurous! “Black Cherry, peas” you always say to Marcia when we walk in (as if she doesn’t already know which kind you have come for! We started bringing in little ice cream cones so you could lick your ice cream like Daddy (but a little smaller to minimize the sugar high later that evening). Black Cherry has taken over your life, really… Your favourite colour is now “Black Cherry”. You want “Black Cherry Lolick” every morning… Oh Olive! Maybe I need to start calling you my Black Cherry Girl now!
We finally enrolled you in swimming lessons! I have been wanting to do this for so long, but have never found the time! I had full intentions of me being the one going in the pool with you, but when Daddy volunteered, I didn’t pass it up. I love watching you and Daddy do things. The fact that he would give up his Saturday mornings (his working mornings), tells you just how much he loves spending time with you too. You get so excited every Saturday morning when I run into your room and ask you “WHAT ARE WE DOING TODAY”? You bounce up as quickly as possible and yell “SWIMMIN’ LESSONS!!” The first morning you weren’t too sure about going in. It took about 15 minutes to convince you that it was okay, which meant you only had another 15 minutes to enjoy your lesson. It took another (what felt like!) 15 minutes to convince you to get out! You decided it was a pretty good deal swimming in the big pool with Daddy! The next Saturday there was no hesitation! You jumped right in with him! I love our new Saturday routines. Swimming lessons, a stop at the café for breakfast, a walk around Perth, a stop at the farmers market… One Saturday Daddy even went for a professional shave at the new barber shop in town – something he has always wanted to try. We are never rushed to get home. We just enjoy our little family outing, just the three of us. I am treasuring every moment!
Remember those birdy eggs at Popa’s house that I told you about last month? They hatched! Popa was so excited to take you down to see the little birdies! I don’t think you totally understood that they hatched our of the eggs, and you couldn’t really tell they were birdies because there were barely any feathers, but you were quite intrigued! We went down to see them in the nest for a few weeks… until the last week! The last time we saw them, you stuck your head up to say hello and all four birdies flew away! They just up and flew out of the nest! It gave you quite a surprise… and also gave rise to your new favourite saying “They flewed away!” – You use this saying for E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G! Our conversations generally now go like this”
“Olive, do you have to go poopie”
“No, they flewed away” (with an arm shrug and a smirk).
“Olive, can you make me a pizza in your kitchen”
“No, it flewed away” (with an arm shrug and a smirk).
“Olive, where is Daddy?”
“He flewed away” (with an arm shrug and a smirk).
“Momma, my arms flewed away” (with an arm shrug and a smirk).
Ironically, you can make that sentence apply to just about everything. You are quite the thinker, Olive!
We celebrated Daddy’s third fathers day this month by taking him and Popa to the Opinicon for breakfast! It was such a delicious meal. I was so excited to go! They just re-opened under new ownership. The young couple who bought the OP are restoring it to its former glory! I was so afraid that someone would buy it and turn it into something else. You had a wonderful breakfast of bacon and berries – one of your all time favourite combinations! After our delicious breakfast, we went back to Popa and G’s house to see cousin Danielle and Aunt Monica. We had a great visit with them, but had to leave a little earlier as we had plans to visit with Great Grandma and Grandpa Poole. Unfortunately Grandpa Poole wasn’t feeling the greatest during our visit, so he had to lie down, but you had a great time playing with all of Grandma’s toys! She was amazed at what a good girl you are. You never said boo (unless we asked you to)! After our visit, we went home and gave Daddy his present – a hummingbird feeder! He went right to work setting it up, but I think the hummingbirds are having a hard time finding it! We have only seen one there since Fathers Day!! I think Daddy enjoyed his day with his two favourite girls. You made his day!
What else is new this month?
- You are a master in your kitchen! You know how everything works… You stir in your bowls. You promptly wash your dishes (never forgetting the soap). You make coffee for Daddy in your coffee maker. You even remember to put on your oven mitt when you are handling your hot pots, or taking something out of the microwave! I am just amazed as I watch you! Every time you make cupcakes, you take them out of your oven and march around the house singing “HAPPY TO YOU! HAPPY TO YOU! HAPPY TO YOU MOMMA! HAPPY TO YOU”! It just melts my heart! You are so thoughtful!
- I could watch you run around all day long. I love watching your hair bouncing, your arms slowly rise above your head and bum-bum wiggle as you pick up speed.
- We spent Canada Day with Uncle KenKen and Candice in Seeley’s Bay (in the morning!) You loved the petting zoo – mainly the bunnies! You fed them little flowers! You were so excited you made your squishy-nose smile face! In the evening we went to the Lions Beach in Westport to watch the fireworks! You loved them (minus how loud they were)! “Tuck your ears” you were saying! To this day you still talk about the Fireworks!
- We visited Great-Great-Aunt Julia in Kingston at Heathfield! We enjoyed a delicious lunch with all the nuns. Your favourite part was riding around on the knee of a 99 year old sister in her electric wheelchair! She had some spunk. You were zipping around the cafeteria like you were on the race track!
I never expected the love you have shown me, because there is no way to explain or describe that part of motherhood. You can’t tell a woman how it’s all going to be from when she first pauses her shopping cart in front of the baby clothes, when she waits anxiously for the test to show a plus or a minus, when she lays in bed at night completely still, trying to feel the first flutter from the new life in her womb. Even as I held you for the first time and looked into your eyes, as I stuffed your little sausage arms into your sleeves, as you slept on my chest after a night feeding, I always searched your expressions and coos and movements for clues about who you were. You have never known a life that wasn’t filled with unending love and devotion from your Daddy and me, and the beauty and honour of a child’s own will to give that love back is not something a mother can prepare for.
Feeling your small, smooth arms wrapped around my neck, your dimpled elbows squeezing me tight is not something I could describe to the woman I used to be. The way you run up to me and climb into my lap, and nuzzle your head into the same spot in my shoulder every time is a prize that the old me could never have understood. Rubbing our noses together, sharing a pillow, hiding in a tent, sharing whispered words holds a magic I never expected, because it was only yours to give.
Peeking into your room, I see the swimmer, the chef, the architect, the spy, the artist, breathing softly and steadily. The door’s open, like I promised. The hall light is on, like I promised. All of the love I have, in all of the time to come, with every hug and kiss and whisper is promised to you. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the honour of knowing who you are.
Love you to the moon and back,
Xoxoxox
-Momma
