Acceptance Speech

Image courtesy starpulse.com

On Sunday night, actress Sandra Bullock was the recipient of an Academy Award for her leading role in the film The Blind Side. In the film, based on a true story, Bullock portrays Leigh Anne Tuohy, a Caucasian mother who takes in the broken and abandoned Michael Oher, an African American teenaged boy who eventually goes on to play in the NFL as a Baltimore Raven.

Her acceptance speech was the sweetest, most heartfelt soliloquy I've ever heard. I wanted to capture it here to prove: there is nothing comparable to a mother's love for her child.

I would like to thank what this film was about for me, which are the moms that take care of the babies and children no matter where they come from. Those moms and parents never get thanked. I, in particular, failed to thank one. So, if I could take this moment to thank Helga B. for not letting me ride in cars with boys 'til I was 18 'cuz she was right. I would have done what she said I was gonna do. For making me practice everyday when I got home; piano, ballet, whatever it is I wanted to be. She said to be an artist, you gotta practice everyday; and for reminding her daughters that there's no race, no religion, no class system, no color, nothing. No sexual orientation that makes us better than anyone else. We are all deserving of love, so, to that trailblazer who allowed me to have that, and this, and this, I thank you so much for this opportunity that I share with these extraordinary women.

Sleep

There's an old wives' tale that when children take to sleeping more over certain periods of time, it means the child is undergoing some sort of growth spurt. After all, growing big and tall and healthy is hard work!

On Saturday, lil' dude, you napped for four hours straight.
A) you haven't napped on a Saturday in 2010.
B) you slept through our library & Starbucks date.
C) I am not mad.
D) I went in and checked on you multiple times.
E) you were always breathing.
F) and just about always snoring.
G) That afternoon reminded me of your babyhood, where you spent staggering amounts of daylight snoozing.

When I finally heard you creeping into awakeness just as the sun was setting for the day, I heard you proclaim, lil' dude woke up! like you were so surprised you actually found the strength and courage to face the day again. After all, a girl does need to go pee and eat a turkey dog every so often as mandated by nature.

Don't worry. Within 2.5 hours, you were ready for bed again.

And last evening, as I plunked your tushie down in a bubble bath at 6:45pm you declared, "Sleep now. Time for bed." I knew you were serious, all yawn-y and droop-lidded. I hustled you through your bath and following routine. You want sleep, I shall get you there, my precious girl!

As we settled into the rocking chair with a tiny board book of your first prayers, you politely reminded me, "Sleep now. Time for bed." There was no second book to be had.

And, at 7:08pm approximately 10 hours after you opened your eyes for the day, you were enveloped by the darkness, welcomed by sweet dreams, and blissfully, sweetly, peacefully, went to sleep.

And this morning, 12 hours later I greeted your sweet face and the expectation you'd gained a foot or two in length.
But, you're still my three-footer.

Most creatures terminate their hibernation by spring.
You, my little creature, commence yours.

Letter from Mama, v27

Spring is my second favorite season. I love the promise of fresh, new life after a long, cold winter. I like the message Easter portrays. I like the smell of mud and the damp green color. I love the return of sunshine. I love dirt under my fingernails. And I love sharing it with you.

Yesterday you wanted to go on a walk- so we loaded the wagon up and hitched up the Beagle so he could be our lead. You requested to bring your furry pals too- two brown puppy dogs, and two bumpy, oatmeal-textured bears. The sight of you tucking the four of them in together across from your seat, and covered by a blanket, warmed my heart. You're always so good to think of others, especially when there is joy to be dispersed, and fun to be shared. Just as I am noticing my tulip bulbs swelling under the soil in my flower beds, I am noticing now how you didn't have to stand tippy-toed on the porch to ring the doorbell. You're just tall enough to reach without exertion. I noticed on our walk the things you pointed out- the church bell tower, tolling in the distance, the house where the tiny Collie lives and barks like crazy, and the park with the bridge covering the stream. The things you've remembered since our last stroll through our neighborhood a few months ago, before the snow, ice, and wind made us retreat.

Being born in December, I consider your first full season as spring. This spring marks your third on this planet. You can sing the alphabet, count to 14, identify most colors, say your entire name, wear underpants all day long, name household after household of corresponding family members, and you have 17 teeth. You whisper when it's appropriate, say excuse me when you need to get by, talk on the phone to your peeps, and ask to see your grandparents on a weekly basis. It's amazing to watch your seasons fade into the next as you grow bigger, smarter, and into the life you live. You'll always be my favorite new bud on the trees, biggest Robin on our back fence, and warmest patch of sunshine in late afternoon.

Mama loves.

I Need Cat

There are certain phrases that once uttered, become instant catch phrases.

From my generation, we'll always have;
How YOU doin'?
No soup for you!
All that and a bag of chips.
Show me the money!
Talk to the hand.
Don't go there.
Wassup?
Hasta la Vista, baby.
That's what she said.
And so on.

There are also the lesser famous catch phrases made by popular by the people you know and love.

For instance, when my brother was a toddler, he fell off the kitchen chair in my grandparents' kitchen. Those of us who witnesses his tumble began to laugh. And my brother, bless his heart, shouted very loudly, not too funny! He hated to be embarrassed, hated to be the center of attention. And there you have my family's favorite catch phrase, still used 20+ years later.


Last weekend, we played for three straight days out of town. On Monday afternoon, we stopped by my parents' to retrieve the Beagle. The lil' dude, tired from her adventures and freshly up from a 20-minute nap, was devastated when she learned we wouldn't be spending anytime with her Grandma, with whom she had just spent the weekend with.

As we buckled her defiant little behind into her car seat, the wailing truly began. She started to cry hard for her Grandma, for the dog named Bernice, and the cats.

She kept repeating I need Grandma! I need Bernice! I need Cat! over and over again, her face a hot mess of tears.

And, here I Need Cat was established as our new catch phrase.

At my parents', there are three cats. My mom? Does not like cats. The one above, Mildred, is my Dad's cat I bought him for Father's Day 7 years ago to mend his broken heart after our old gray cat died from diabetes. Mildred lives in the garage, and tries to sneak in for snacks and sleep. The other two cats, Bill and Ted, are now permanent residents after my brother brought them home from his college house, and failed to bring them to his new house. Those cats are strictly garage cats, separated from Mildred in their own garage. And they love the lil' dude. And she loves them. All of them.

So, when you're a tired, sad, mad, crying toddler who just really wants her Grandma, the dog named Bernice, and ALL the cats, the only thing that makes sense is to say, I Need Cat.

And then listen to your parents say that out of context for the next 20+ years.

Wordless Wednesday

Someday

By Alison Meghee & Peter H. Reynolds
2007

One day I counted your fingers and kissed each one.
One day the first snowflakes fell, and I held you up and watched them melt on your baby skin.
One day we crossed the street and you held my hand tight.
Then, you were my baby, and now you are my child.

Sometimes, when you sleep, I watch you dream, and I dream too ...
That someday you will dive into the cool, clear water of a lake.
Someday you will walk into a deep wood.
Someday your eyes will be filled with a joy so deep that they shine.

Someday you will run so fast and so far your heart will feel like fire.
Someday you will swing high- so high, higher than you ever dared to swing.
Someday you will hear something so sad that you will fold up with sorrow.
Someday you will call a song to the wind, and the wind will carry your song away.

Someday I will stand on this porch and watch your arms waving to me until I no longer see you.
Someday you will look at this house and wonder how something that feels so big can look so small.
Someday you will feel a small weight against your strong back.
Someday I will watch you brushing your child's hair.

Someday, a long time from now, your own hair will glow silver in the sun.
And when that day comes, love, you will remember me.

From Behind the Camera

I present you with my attempt to get out from behind the camera; and into my daughter's life through photography.
It's easy to be the portrait-taker, the scene-setter, the dictator of everyday life through the lens.

But I want to be IN her life through photography.
I don't want to worry about my greasy ponytail.
My same old sweatpants.
My beat-up glasses.
My makeup-less face.
My double chin.

Or anything else I fear may ruin a perfectly good photograph.
Because after all, how can it be perfectly good if we're not in it together?



Because it is days like these, documented in the photo above, she'll remember for what they were, a Mama and her best girl being silly, goofy, crazy.

She won't remember that she has mac 'n' cheese crusted in between her eyes.
My bangs are too long.
Her t-shirt is too small.
And, I always wear that sweatshirt.

But none of that matters.