I have Hero every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8am-11.
I get to Henry and Chloe’s house to find Hero usually ready, dancing on her tip toes so excited to go with me. She picks out a pair of vans (no matter what she’s wearing) that John bought her when she was three months old (they still don’t fit her) and she starts yelling, “Bye-bye Mama, bye-bye Baba (dad in Chinese), Bye-bye Zuzu, Bye-bye Fae-Fae (Alfie),” as she leaves—or on some days she needs to give everyone kisses—on their lips. If the babies faces aren’t angled right she grabs their cheeks and moves them so she can literally suck the air out of their lungs. I am a horrible grandmother because it makes me laugh my head off!
Then we drive up to my house with Hero reciting all the people who live in our house over and over again. When we get home (these days without anyone there—she is VERY disappointed that Finn and PIper aren’t there) we have snacks, dance to Selena Gomez and Black Pink’s “Ice Cream” (at least ten times), and go find flowers. There are often bees and Toby and strange neighbor dogs outside as well. She comes back in and finds all her favorite books and makes me read them to her at leas three times each—or until I throw it across the room and demand we read another one because Nai Nai can’t read it one more time! (Nai Nai has limits). Then we have to go over the alphabet—she knows all her upper and lower cases thanks to Chikka Chikka Boom Boom. And I tell her she’s a genius and beautiful and could she try to learn her colors and numbers? She just smiles and keeps reciting her letters.
Then she runs into my room and into the bathroom, pulls out my blue brush, my bag of tiny white elastics and yells, DO HAIR! Do hair!
Then she runs into my room and into the bathroom, pulls out my blue brush, my bag of tiny white elastics and yells, DO HAIR! Do hair! So I put her on the counter top and ask her what type of hair style she wants. Ponies, braids, or top knot? She mumbles something I don’t understand an I translate it by doing whatever I want with her hair. She loves it . . .unless she doesn’t. In that case she yells, No no Nai Nai! No no no no! I love her.
We are getting good at doing hair (something I never was with my own girls—they HATED me touching their hair).
Then she has to put on at least three bracelets. And her newest addition is asking for a “neckes” . . . Which means she wants to wear one of my necklaces.
This is todays necklace.
Then we put on a little perfume, blush and chapstick. She chats away with me, most of which I do not understand, while I get ready. I tell her she’s the smartest human I know and she nods at me. She also loves my shoes, which confirms my believe in her brilliance.
Then we drive home together. She usually falls asleep despite me squeezing her hand and yelling out the names of everything I see and that there are dogs and cats on the road. So I carry her in and lay her on her bed and sneak back downstairs to give the chubby girls kisses and hugs. They goo at me and laugh and make me feel like I m the best human ever. They are also the smartest humans in the world.
At least my Nai Nai Life . .. the other life, well, there are burned dinners, late for carpool, migraines, forgotten groceries (how can I forget milk?), dirty dishes, frustrated teenagers, and endless projects that NEVER get finished (or really started).
But Nai Nai LIfe, that I’m rocking! (We all need at least one thing we are good at right?)
I’m focusing on that as I’m in bed at 9:18pm without even an ounce of energy to do anything (I’ve even shut the door and declared that I am out of commission for the evening). I have a face mask on (project 907 that I haven’t gotten to in weeks), my teeth brushed, and a book to read. I feel like I’m cheating—and maybe I am—it feels sort of wonderful! I can’t remember the last time I climbed into bed this early. I may or may not be giggling inside—and maybe out loud a little too.
All these days that merge into each other, so many demands, so many failures and defeats and blah moments, have been overshadowing the beauty of Hero taking my hand or counting as she goes down the stairs or just her smiling at me. She’s reminding me to stop and literally smell the flowers (her favorite activity) and enjoy THIS time. It’s made me love up my babies still at home. It’s made me so grateful for the goodness of John and the example of being such a hands on, loving, dedicated, selfless dad. Henry is follow in his footsteps. Their love for their babies is HUGE.
There is so much good in all this crazy world. I am trying, as I go to sleep, to fill my prayers with thanks. I find as I do this, my days are full of miracles and wonders and blessing and goodness. I fall asleep feeling grateful. It’s a wonderful way to fall asleep. (And when I say TRYING . . . It means not very often, but I’m turning over a new leaf and I have goals and my biggest one—other than drinking 2 quarts of water a day—is to be full of thanks).
What are you thankful for? What makes you happy? What is todays magic?
I think sharing beauty and goodness can alter lives. It alters mine . ..
And now . . . The Easter Egg:
We snuck away (Pips, Finn, and cousin Leah) to Target for a spontaneous Fashion Show—may or may not have gathered a crowd. This was one of my favorite outfits . . .
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