A few days before Will was born, I finished a painting that now hangs in the kids’ room above Kate’s crib.
I was really into making “birth art” during my first pregnancy and this painting was suppose to be a series of two pieces — the second one never got started because Will came early — inspired a bit by Pieta-ish motherly love and based on the work of the whimsical artist, Nancy Thomas. (Whom I never should have googled to find a weblink. Oye! Those plaques! So great!)
This piece is still my most favorite painting. When I look at it, I think of how I felt painting it… I remember my picturing myself holding my little baby and felt great anticipation for how that moment would feel. In short, it is a very sentimental and important thing to me.
So you can imagine how I felt when Will told me that Kate calls the painting “MaMa.” Sure enough, she toddles back, points up her little finger and says “MaMa” right to the painting.
It is important that she induces these moments of unbelievable, unimaginable heart-swelling joy. Particularly because there are other moments, like when Mommy has to do something important. Like blink. And this happens:
Do you see the mini-rice cakes — each with one bite out of them — spread all over the floor? The water can? It’s out there as a crushing device. And to push crackers under the ice maker.
Sticky rice cakes on her butt. Crazy Kate.
Laura | 17-Oct-07 at 6:28 am | Permalink
Oh, you (and Kate) crack me up. First of all, I really like that painting too. I admired it during our visit. And while I was there, Kate told me in confidence that if ONLY you’d get her (or let her reach) the proper tools she wouldn’t have to eat Cheez Its on the floor. I told her you were clean people and the floor would probably be just fine to eat off, but to make sure to make a good mess so her mom and dad would realize they would eventually have to treat her as a big girl.
Cold Spaghetti | 17-Oct-07 at 12:05 pm | Permalink
Kate can crush all the Cheez-Its she wants. We’re still not giving her the car keys. 🙂
The first part of this story is that I was in the hall bathroom and heard sounds that made me think she was climbing up on the kitchen table (new favorite hobby). I ran out in a panic (use your imagination) and found her sitting in the center of the kitchen table, my purse and wallet spilled out all around her, holding my cell phone in one hand and a fist full of cash in the other.
I put her down on the ground, removed climbing chairs from the area, and went back to the bathroom. It was during that second bathroom visit (which really wasn’t that long) that she got into the cabinet.
elisa | 17-Oct-07 at 1:00 pm | Permalink
i wish i could meet kate!! i love her style!! she must just have the greatest little personality….
Leigh C. | 17-Oct-07 at 3:41 pm | Permalink
It could be worse. I got into my grandmother’s lazy susan corner cabinet when I was Kate’s age and went right for the Crisco can. Slathered the stuff all over me. I was really mad when they plunked me right in the tub and kept me there for a long time getting it all off. I guess I didn’t learn my lesson (and neither did Grandmother) because I got into it again the next day.
Cold Spaghetti | 17-Oct-07 at 6:54 pm | Permalink
*hiding Crisco in far reaches of top shelf*
While I was at a meeting tonight (leaving Paul for the first of two nights this week to brave dinner and bedtime alone) — Kate managed to take off her pants, diaper, and then while gleefully running around butt-naked, tinkled all over the floor.
Cold Spaghetti | 17-Oct-07 at 6:56 pm | Permalink
Elisa: you are welcome in NOLA anytime! Of course, I admit that I would be on a determined course to get you to stick around and spread some MD know-how…