Gummibunny

Konban-wa my sweet love, and Happy Forty-Six Month birthday!! It’s the evening and I’ve just put you to bed, and as is your custom these days, I closed your door to the sound of “Konban-wa!” which is “good evening” in Japanese. Your Daddy and I traveled to Japan this past month, and we spent some time before the trip attempting to learn a little of the language. I wasn’t even trying to teach it to you (though in retrospect, I should have), but you watched me work with my flash cards and started picking it up on your own. The day I learned konban-wa, you wanted to know what it meant. I told you, and you announced, “I’m going to say that to you tonight when it’s night-night time.”

That night I tucked you in like always and closed the door, not even thinking about your earlier declaration. But I hadn’t reached the stairs before I heard your feet hit the floor, slapping on the hardwoods as you bolted across your room. Flinging open your door, you proudly said, “KONBAN-WA!” And now I hear it every night.

I missed hearing it from you while we were in Japan – oh how we missed you! There were many times on our trip that I wished you were with us, like when we had a picnic along one of the shallow rivers snaking through downtown Kyoto. Children your age spent that unseasonably warm afternoon wading through the river, dipping their little fish nets in the cool water. You would have loved it. But there were lots of other activities that wouldn’t have interested you a bit, and I’m positive you wouldn’t have enjoyed the 24-hour travel time each way. But I’m already looking forward to taking big trips like this with you when you’re a little older.

Your Daddy and I have been bitten by the travel bug – no, perhaps it’s more like an infestation. Thankfully, we seem to have passed that along to you as well. Whether its a short trip to go camping in north Georgia, or a flight to Chicago or Boston, you seem to enjoy the adventure and are a great travel buddy.

While I’m glad you’re not timid about leaving your fair city of birth, I wasn’t prepared for the announcement you made earlier this month. We were assembling a puzzle of the United States, so I guess geography was on your mind. Suddenly, your head snapped up and you looked at me as if you just remembered something really important you’d been meaning to say. “Mama!” you said. “When I get older, I want to live in Europe!”

I’m really not sure where this came from, but I didn’t think we’d have this conversation until you were much, much older. I told you that you could if you wanted to, but secretly I was already thinking that I’d miss you too much. Visit Europe? Sure. A college semester in Europe? Absolutely. Live in Europe? Hmmm… maybe we’ll have perfected teleportation by that time. In that case, I’d be all for it.

And although you didn’t get to accompany us to Japan, you still had plenty of your own adventures while we were gone. The day before we left, we took you to stay with Boo. It was very good timing because Auntie and Jones were also visiting Boo, so you got to spend time with three of your favorite people. You were so smitten with Jones when we arrived, wanting to hug and kiss him and hold his hand. Fortunately, he wanted to hold yours too, and giggled at everything you did. You mothered him so thoroughly while we were there, constantly encouraging and affirming his every move. We hated to leave the scene of such cuteness.

After a few days of soaking up attention from them, you traveled to Tennessee to be with Nana and Granddaddy. They took you for your first amusement park experience –
Dollywood! I’ve never even been to Dollywood, although I have a feeling
we’ll remedy that soon because you loved it so much.

There were
plenty of rides for the preschool crowd, and your favorite was the
flying elephants. You also liked this car ride, which let you feel like
you were controlling the car, even though a rail at the bottom was
really keeping you on track. Nana told me when the ride began, you
excitedly said, “I’m REALLY driving it!”

They also took you fishing for the first time. You didn’t catch anything, but I hear you enjoyed the experience (especially the post-fishing boat ride and picnic). I do wonder how you would have reacted if you caught a fish. Would you have been worried about the fish, seeing it flopping on the dock with a gaping mouth and a hook? I must admit, while I like the idea of fishing, I sometimes can’t get past my sympathy for the poor fish to enjoy the sport.

But you may not have that same limitation. After all, your favorite exhibit at Oatland Island right now is – no, not the farm. Not the buffalo. Not the eagles. The deer bones. Yep, bones.

This may have something to do with your love of dinosaur bones, but it’s hard to know for sure. All I know is that when we go to Oatland, you beg me to take you to see the deer bones.

They’re situated along the trail leading toward the wolf house. There’s a narrative along this part of the trail, talking about the lives of wolves in the wild. The bones are there to represent the site of a deer kill. When we first happened upon them, my instinct was to hurry by, especially because the signs show images of wolves feasting on a bloody deer carcass. But you are fascinated by the bones and by the picture. You asked what was happening in that image, and I told you. After a pause for careful consideration, you seemed fine with it. Circle of life and all that.

Then we walked to the wolf house, where you stood behind the safety glass and watched them pace by. Thinking about deer bones.

Oh, you are so full of questions these days, and many really good questions. Like where are the eyes on this alligator (from story time at Oatland)? Does he blink?

Even when you’re not asking questions, I’m learning that you’re still very aware. Your Daddy and I have always tried to be careful about screening music in the car, but mostly I’ve been screening for language or lewd content.

So when you professed your love for my latest Pearl Jam CD, I was delighted. It’s a current favorite of mine, and it’s light on four-letter words and devoid of suggestive lyrics. And while there is a time and place for your Elmo and Wonder Pets CDs, I like the idea of expanding your musical horizons. If I ever have to turn the Pearl Jam songs down to talk to you or take a phone call, you immediately demand, “Turn it LOUDER!” That’s my girl.

But while the Pearl Jam songs aren’t objectionable according to my usual standards, I didn’t think about the fact that the subject matter can be a bit intense for a three-year-old. One of your favorite songs is about the death of a loved one. You asked me what it was about, and I said it was about love, which is sort of true. But I was surprised when in the car the other day, you laughed after the phrase, “I understand every life must end…”

Me: “Why did you laugh?”

You: “He said laugh!”

You thought “life” was “laugh.” Then later, you asked to hear the song about “the first time you saw a bird.” I was clueless, until I realized you misheard the phrase, “the first time you saw blood.” Oops. You LOVE that song, and practically shout that particular phrase, albeit incorrectly. I must say, I like your version, and find myself singing that phrase now too.

You’ve also begun freestyling your own songs, coming up with hilarious lyrics on your own. We’re probably one of the few families that keep a ukulele in the master bathroom (what would a stranger think, wandering through our house and finding a ukulele next to the toilet?). But your Daddy likes to play the ukulele during your bath, while you come up with the words to his songs. I’ve yet to successfully capture this on video, partly because you still get a bit shy about your lyrics when I pull out the camera. But your songs are great, and I love watching your creative mind in action, especially in tandem with your Daddy. You two are a great duo.

And I just love our trio. You bring so much joy to our lives, sweet girl. Sleep well, and know you are loved. KONBAN-WA!

Hello Sweet Sleeping Bee, and Happy Forty-Five Months! This last month has been so full as we’ve been sampling all the joys of spring in Savannah. Where to start?

With Easter! The fun began with an Easter Egg Hunt at church, as you and your church buddies plucked eggs from the tulip beds, dashing around Orleans Square to fill your baskets.

Then, you had an Easter Egg Hunt at school, which didn’t go quite as well. For whatever reason, we parents evoked nothing but tears from you and your classmates on the day of your Easter party. Some of us came to the party to help hide the eggs and serve lunch, and nearly every child who had a parent present was inconsolable at some point. You didn’t want to do anything without me by your side (very touching, yet impractical), and refused to take part in the Easter Hat Parade.

I had to laugh when, during circle time, several of you were crying and your teacher said, “I know many of you are sad because your parents are here…” It was as if we had come to shame and humiliate you all! I thought that wouldn’t happen until high school!

Sigh.

Surprisingly, things went much better than expected on a trip to the mall that same week. You didn’t want to have your picture taken with the Easter Bunny, but wanted some of the bunny ear hats that the photographer was giving away. So you agreed to give the bunny a high-five. And then that high-five turned into a hug. And then before I knew it you exclaimed, “I DO want to have my picture made with the Easter Bunny!” and my wallet got significantly lighter. But how could I say no to your first Easter Bunny picture? You were quite proud of yourself for being so brave, and so was I!

Easter weekend, we continued the tradition of dyeing eggs at Boo’s house in anticipation of the Easter Day Hunt.

Easter morning, you were very excited to find your basket from The Bunny, with your much-anticipated spider toy. I’m not sure exactly why you decided you needed a spider, but you’ve been asking for one for quite some time. I wonder how many other little girls asked the Easter bunny for a spider?

The Bunny tried not to fill your basket with too many sweets, but knew you’d love this marshmallow owl. When I took this picture, I couldn’t help but mentally caption it, “The moment she got her first cavity.” Let’s hope not.

The family Easter Egg Hunt was a lot of fun, and you even found one of the prize eggs. The weather was perfect for a picnic outside, including cookies with icing because the marshmallow owl wasn’t enough sugar for one day.  

The next weekend, we headed to Ottawa Farms for the annual Strawberry Festival and picked a huge bucketful of beautiful, ripe strawberries. Last year you had your very first pony ride at this festival. Here you were then:

And here you were this year, not nervous at all, happily riding atop Miss Prissy.

This has also been a great month for playdates with good buddies. You met up with two of your school friends at a barn, dressed appropriately in your cowgirl boots and hat. The three of you spent the morning running around, pretending to be animals and playing in the hay barn. I just loved the pictures we captured that day.

Last weekend we visited your buddies Nia and Nate in Winder, and I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen you play so happily with other kids. You just adore them both, which is a good thing because I do too.

You went to your first Sand Gnats game of the season this month, and enjoyed strolling to the stadium hand-in-hand with your buddy Sam. Unfortunately, on the way there you stumbled and s
kinned your knees. As you were crying and I was comforting you, Sam snapped off a branch of beautiful pink azaleas and brought them to you. He’s been well trained!

Although you still have many moments of shyness, you have been quite a ham at times this month too, if the mood is right. We shot our first episode of “Cooking with Camille,” and I think we both had a lot of fun with the project. This month your Daddy also introduced you to a microphone, and the two of you have been preforming rock concerts in the guest bedroom most nights. I named your band The Camtastics.

Before you perform, I have to close the door so you and your Daddy can decide on a song to sing. Then when you’re ready, the door opens (much like a curtain on a stage) and the show begins. Tonight you were performing a song you wrote yourself called “Dance With a Ukulele.”

You’ve passed another big developmental milestone this month. Or to be honest, you probably passed it last month, but I was slow to accept the fact that you’re giving up your nap. For several weeks you’d sleep less and less during naptime, and I’d spend more and more time chasing you back into your room. I was certain you still needed to sleep, but I finally grew tired of the chase. Our compromise was that you still had to spend an hour in your room by yourself, but didn’t have to stay in bed. You could play quietly.

This has actually worked out very well. Your favorite thing to do is draw in preschool workbooks, tracing letters and numbers and solving puzzles. How could I argue with that?

You also like to have books in your bed for company, and lately many of them have featured volcanoes. I’m not entirely sure how this love of volcanoes began – you came home from school one day drawing triangles and talking about volcanic eruptions, which progressed into a trip to the library to find volcano books.

At the library, we found the children’s nonfiction area and you gasped upon spotting a hardback book with an image of fiery lava erupting from the top of a volcano. We picked it up, along with a few others, and then got in line to check them out. Too excited to wait, you sat on the floor and started flipping through the books. Each turn of a page was punctuated by “WOW!” or “WHOA!” or “Mama! Look at that volcano!” I was amused when you confused the term lava with “saliva,” as though the volcano were drooling down its own chin. But I have no doubt that very soon you’ll know all sorts of facts about volcanoes because you love to learn.

So, pretty full month, wouldn’t you agree? And a very, very good one. Thanks for sharing your adventures with me. I love you so very much.