Honey

Violet and I had oatmeal this morning. She said, "Where does honey come from?" I said, "Bees make it." Then she said, "No, they probably get it from their grandmothers."

LOVE IT!!

Tonight Hank came over and played with Violet for 3 hours. She fell asleep on the bed by herself. (Unheard of.) I think 2 brothers is just what the doctor ordered for Violet to get some sleep!

Intuition

Since Violet was a baby, she has been special. I think she is very intuitive. Some people think that babies born in water are more like this. It could also be because we left the cord attached for several hours. Or, maybe because she was born outside! Not many babies are born outside...how wonderful! Anyway, I think it is uncanny some of the things she says.

Strange Violet Stories Diary

1. Age 10 mo or so? Before Violet could talk. Violet and I were in bed waking up. I was thinking, “I need to take Violet to Owensboro to see Grandmother and Granddaddy.” Violet then signed “Grandmother” and “Granddaddy.”

2. One day I was driving and thinking, “I need to call Brooke McKinley.” Violet then said, “Brooke, where are you?” This was in early June of 2007.

3. One day, mom had Violet at her house so I could clean my house. I was watching TV and folding clothes. Then a Saturn commercial came on with the Apples in Stereo song in the background. (I knew the Apples got that commercial, but I hadn't seen it yet.) After the commercial was over, Mom and Violet pulled up in the driveway. When Violet walked in, she said, “Robert's song!” (Robert wrote the song.) Violet didn't hear the music or TV at all because she wasn't even in the house. (May? 2007)

4. One time I was driving in the car and thinking about our up coming adoption and the baby. Violet then said, “Baby sit here,” and she pointed to where the baby's car seat was. (This wasn't that shocking as I talked to her frequently about the fact that a baby was coming to live with us and she'd be the big sister. However, we were not talking about it at that time.)

5. One day I was playing with Violet on the swing set at mom's house. I was thinking, “I need to get up to Blanchester and see Grandmommie and Ed.” We walked into the house and Violet said, “Ed loves me,” and signed “Ed.” (August? 2007)

6. In August, Violet was swinging in her porch swing and I was tearing out old boards on the deck. John was mowing the yard. I thought, “I could use these boards to build Violet a playhouse.” I leaned over the deck to shout to John my idea when Violet said, “ Make my playhouse!” (John explains this by saying that Violet deduced that building a playhouse is something you could do with those boards.)

7.

8/31/07 Violet was at mom's and I came to pick her up. She was sound asleep and I woke her up. She was not happy about this and having a major fit. Everything I said to her made her more mad, so I just decided not to talk to her. I stuck her in the car so we could get home. She was a basket case in the back crying. I just stayed silent. I thought, “Maybe if I stick her in the baby pool at home, that will distract her.” Violet then shouted, “NO GO SWIMMING!” Of all the incidences like this in the past, this one shocked me the most! Well, the play house one was pretty shocking, too.

8. 9/6/07 I was on the phone with Heidi Schweder. Violet was playing in the yard. Heidi's daughter, Piper, was apparently running away from her. Heidi was saying, “come back, Piper.” Violet then came up to my leg and said, “Run Away! Run Away!” There was no way she could have heard what Heidi was saying to me. (However, Violet could have been referring to how she was running around in the yard or maybe she was talking about mom's dogs that were also in the back yard at that time....???)

9. 2007 mom was on the floor with Sandy thinking she needed a bath. Violet said, “Sandy needs a bath!”

10. 2007 Bhante's birthday. One day, I was checking my email and said that I was emailing Bhante. Violet asked, “When is his birthday?” I said, I don’t know. Let’s ask him. Bhante wrote back, and his birthday was that week.

11. 1/9/07 Birdie's Death: One day, I was driving home from moogie’s and I passed a sign that said, “Job openings for CNA’s” I was thinking about when John’s mom was at our house dying and how I could have done such a better job taking care of her now that I’ve started nursing school. I was off in dream world, thinking about this and feeling pretty guilty. I was thinking about how I should have bathed her more and washed her hair, etc. Then, when we were on N. Limestone, Violet said, “Where’s Birdie.” I said, “She died.” And Violet said, “But where is she.” I said, “She doesn’t exist anymore.”

12. 1/30/07 John was brushing his teeth while Violet was in the tub. John was thinking about his trip to Taiwan. Violet said, “Daddy, I go to Taiwan.”

13. 3/5/08 Today I was in the kitchen cleaning it. It was nasty! I said with a sigh, “Oh, Violet....” (and I thought, “I have to clean up this kitchen now.”) But, I didn't want to be negative or complaining, so I didn't say it out loud. Then Violet said, “ Oh, Mommie, I have to clean the kitchen now.”

14. Tornado ?? I was swinging Violet at Moogie and Doogie’s house and thinking about how sad my Grandmother must be about their church in Owensboro being hit by a tornado. Violet then said, “Why is Grandmother crying about her church?”

15. June 2008?: Violet woke up and said, “Dave has a baby!” And I said, “Not yet. They are waiting to adopt a baby.” She said, “I had a dream they had a baby. It was a girl.” The next day, Violet told Chandra her dream. A couple of weeks later, Dave and Chandra found out they had been chosen by a birthmom…and it was a girl…baby Maya.

16. Oct. 1, 2008: Sept 29^th, I had Violet draw a picture for Donna’s going away party. Violet drew her first person with a body. Then, she drew a baby in the belly. She also drew milks (breasts), and hair and a penis on the baby and a vagina on Donna. It was the most anatomically detailed drawing she has ever done. We went to Donna’s going away party and announced that she was pregnant!!!

Violet's 2nd birth

Today, Leah and Matthew had their baby, Alexander, at home. It was a beautiful birth! It will always be in my memory because John and Violet got to come. Vi was sooo into it. She was helping and quiet and really good! Any time Leah said she would be sick, Violet would reach for the throw-up bowl. Vi would hand her her water. When Leah was pushing, Violet would even put her little hand up on Leah's knee. Violet just watched so intently. She called herself "little midwife." Too Cute! Violet is such a special girl. I feel that I've done my job. If I raise a woman who doesn't fear birth.....WOW!!! I think I'm already there. Vi has always loved to watch the births on You Tube. When Violet first got there, she asked me, "What color are her milks?" She said this because Leah's nipples and areola are brown. I said, "brown." And Violet asks, "And what color are your milks?" And I said, "Pink." She said, "They're white." She is just very observant, curious, analytical and drawing conclusions. She's the best.

I love my kid

Violet is so awesome. Tonight she is spending the night at Moogie's. She didn't want me to leave. She wanted me to stay with her. She didn't want to come home with me either. She wanted to spend the night at Moogie's. I miss her and I'm crying! Pitiful Mom.

Yesterday, Moogie came here and watched her while I did a massage. Moogie said, "Your mommie's refidgerator light is out." Violet said, "Probably my food is scared."
We went to the Newport aquarium. Vi was very into seeing the sharks. She loved the scuba divers and the alligators. Doogie bought her nectar to feed the birds. She was hoping one would land on her arm. Later when she was telling John about it (he worked 19 hours that day) she said, "But it wouldn't land on my are because it was scared of me because I was new."

Violet is in pre-school. Every morning, she says she doesn't feel good so she can't go to preschool. But, when we get there, she goes right into the classroom and doesn't look back. Her teachers said she is doing great and playing well with the other kids. Her best friend is Wexler Yelowitz.

One day, in the car, there was an NPR story about some reporter's grandmother sending her kids on the kindertrain during the Holocaust. I said aloud a sad, "Oh." Of course Violet wanted to know what I was sad about. So, I explained the Holocaust to her. I said that there was a very bad man named Adolf Hitler and that he killed 6 million Jews. I explained that Judaism is a religion....just like the temple where she goes to preschool...and the rabbi with his special hat.
"Did he try to kill the rabbi and my teachers?"
" No, this was a very, very long time ago. Before you were born."
"When I was in your ovary?"
"Even before that. This was before you were born, before I was born, before Moogie was born. It was when Grams was born."
I said that Hitler killed lots and lots of Jews and other people.
"Was he a big man?" Violet asks.
"No, he was actually, medium size and he had a little mustache. "
"How did he kill them?", she asks.
"Well, he put them on trains and sent them to special camps called concentration camps. He didn't feed them any food and they got skinny like skeletons and died. You have to have food to live. He didn't give them food and they starved. And he put some people in a room and then put poison gas into the room and killed them."
Then she asks what I thought was a very insightful question "Who stopped him?"
I said, "Well all the people of the world got together and stopped him."
"Did they kill him?" she asks.
"No," I said, "He killed himself before anyone could kill him."
"How?" she says. "I'm not sure. I can't remember if he drank poison or if he shot himself. I'll have to look that up." And then we arrived at Moogie's house.

08.08.08

This morning you woke up not feeling very good. You were whinny and kept saying, "I don't feel good." Sure enough, you had a fever. It could be from when we went to the health department on Monday and you licked the table! I asked you not to do that again and so, naturally, you did it again. I'm actually not surprised at all that you are sick today.

When you woke up, you told us that you had a dream that you flew to Moogie's and she had a jumpolene in her bedroom. Sandy was there with a spoon on her back, but it didn't hurt. I flew there too. What a cool dream!

John went back to work today. His first day back from tour. As he was leaving, you said, "Daddy, on your way back from work, will you go to the grocery and get me up some beer because that will make me feel better. Then, I'll get it out of the freezer by myself, and you can open it, and I'll drink it all while I watch Shrek."

Doogie took the day off and brought you a doughnut. We ran some errands with him and had lunch with Cyrus. It was fun.

I built you a playhouse today out of the old deck railing. It's pretty cool.

Linda your midwife came over and brought you some Fairy Dust and a magical brush. She said that she had just done a birth for the Fair godmother and that the fairy godmother wanted her to give you that dust before you start school. That was awesome!!

Then, when Daddy got home, we went to Doogie's again and watched the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. You took a bath there. Daddy is putting you to bed in your room now.

YESTERDAY...
We went to Richmond to go to the pool with Anne, Elena, Selah, Cerice, Garret, and Wyatt. You did a great job swimming! You bossed Elena and Garret around quite a bit. You said, "Let me teach you how not to run." But, you would also run, too. So, hmmm. Anyway, I'm bossy, so you get it honest. Sorry Violet.

Who is this person?

Violet, violet, Violet. You are something else. Today we went to Blanchester and then on to Waynesville for Patrick's going away party. You talked and talked the entire way in the car. When Mom and I would try to talk, you would just scream. You pushed with all your strength against the straps of the carseat to try and get out. Then, when I'd try to start a conversation with you, you'd just make a little squeak and turn the other way.
You were singing different lyrics to jingle bells....something about going to Haiti.

Finally we got to Gram's. While we sat in the back room trying to talk to Grams, you just ran back and forth like a crazy woman. We had to settle you down. You were sitting on the table and I told you to get down. You said, "No, this is my special special seat."

Then we went to Aunt Becky's. You were just something else there! You were the littlest kid. There were also two girls who were 11 and 7. When it was time to eat, you said really loudly, "The kids can have some of my macaroni." (Like it was your macaroni and as if you were an adult.)

Lily was jumping rope and you you said, "No, let me show you how to do it." Then you put the jump rope really low and jumped over it without us swinging it. Then, you told Lily to do it like that. She did and you said, "Perfect! That's perfect!"

Then, Aunt Becky had a game for the kids. It was a box of blue sand and little "gold nuggets" in there and you had to pan for gold. You finally just put your feet in and said, "That's refreshing." You also tried to get into Lily's sand. Moogie had to finally take you away and talk to you about that. Then, you came back and wanted to put my ice in the sand. I told you not to. You did it anyway. So, I said, "go get that ice out of that sand." You said, "I'm not going to do that." I said, "OK, that's a time out." I put you in a little chair and turned it around. You promptly took your chair and moved it farther away. You did sit there for a little bit and I said, "OK, Violet, your time out is over." You said, "No it's not. I have two more minutes." You sat there for a few more seconds and then said, "OK, I'm done now." (You had to be in control of when you were done with your time out and where it was!)

Then, we played a game where someone hits a ball into the crowd of people and you try to catch it. You were running and running after that ball like crazy. You finally told Lily, "The next time it comes over here, you're not going to get it, I'm going to get it." After a few more tries and you still hadn't caught the ball, you went up to Brandon and just took the bat away from him and started to try and hit the balls yourself! You are 3...he's 27! You just talk to him like he's a peer!

The next game was a race of carrying a wiffle ball in a spoon. Lilly and Autumn lined up ready to go. Aunt Becky kept trying to get you to hold the ball in the spoon. She was trying to show you how to do it. You just smacked the ball and spoon out of her hand and said, "No, I just want to race." Moogie and I yanked you out of that game. Then, when the other two girls got a prize, you wanted one. So, we made you carry the ball on a spoon before you could get a prize.

When Lily and Autumn left, she said, "I love you." She waved to their car the whole time.

Then, on the way home, you did not fall asleep. Moogie and Grams washed you in the laundry tub. Everybody went to bed and you still wouldn't go to sleep. I took you to bed an you kept flopping around and I had to tell you to be still several times. Finally, after 11:00 you finally went to sleep!

Bulldozer Day

Today we went to uncle Aaron's work at Masterson Station Park. You got to ride on a bulldozer and a backhoe!! Mommie drove it all by herself! We brought Hank and Kristen with us. Hank had a super awesome time seeing the, "busy yewwow diggew!"

While I was outside watering the plants, you cut your hair with your little kid scissors.
Kristen watched your for 30 minutes while I trimmed our neighbor's ivy that hangs over our driveway.

Then, I took you to the salvation army. (3:45ish) You were close to meltdown. You were crying in the store to get out of the cart. I was just going to get a book really quick. Bad timing.
Then, Ben came over to drop off Daddy's car. We drove him home. His job was to keep you awake. (5:30 PM)

Now, it's 9:32 and you are kneeling at the bottom of the computer chair, under my desk with rubber cloves on. You are evidentally delivering my baby and telling me to push. It's a girl!

You are something else!

A funeral

Violet,
Moogie took you to Blanchester yesterday. Her Uncle Paul (Grandmommie's Dorothy's brother) died. You went to the funeral. Moogie said you were very good.. She said that you asked to see him in the casket, so she took you up there. Then, you asked Grams to take you up there again.
Later that night, you said to Moogie, "When I grow up, I'm going to cry about Uncle Paul."

Grandmommie and Uncle Paul's mom was Ina Estelle. That's who you were named after. After Paul was born, Stella had a retained placenta and was sick for 11 months. Grandmommie, Ethel and Aunt Ruth had to take care of Paul. We have a peony growing in our garden that is from a plant your great-great grandmother Stella had. Isn't that awesome!!!?

I missed you last night and can't wait until you get home today.

Love,
Mommie

Violet came to school with me today. Mom had to go to Louisville. My Bio professor's daughter came and babysat Violet while I was in Lab. She had a good time with Kirsten. Tonight, when I was rocking her to sleep, she said, "I really really missed Kirsten when I was in Nashville." I decided not to point out that Violet met Kirsten a mere 8 hours ago and that I'm sure she didn't think of her once while she was in Nashville 2 weeks ago. None the less, Violet was very sad about missing Kirsten tonight.

We went to the pool today. Violet saw Miss Kate, her swim teacher. Violet also apparently missed Miss Kate "really, really bad" while she was in Nashville. "I love her."

Moogie bought her a bunch of stuff today including a play wheel barrel, movies, goggles, a jump rope, and several other things. She's spoiled!

Little Stinker

Today, Violet....you:

Woke up and watched Winnie the Pooh while I got ready for school and made you oatmeal. We went to my bank, then for gas, then to Daddy's bank. You went to Moogie's and I ran off to school. When I got back, you were being little stinker! Moogie and I were trying to talk about childcare arrangements for tomorrow. You kept saying "ga ga goo goo" really load over and over again. I asked you to stop and you just kept on going. I laughed with tears in my eyes. It was either that or cry. It's hard to have another conversation with an adult when you are around! Anyway, you got a time out. But, you wouldn't stay in the chair. I had to keep putting you back in the chair and threatning to take away suckers, popsicles, swimming time, etc. Nothing worked. You still kept getting up. Then, I said, "OK, I'm writing a letter to santa claus to tel him not to bring you presents this year at Christmas." I even wrote the whole letter out. I said, I'm going to send this if you get up again. You got up and then asked for a stamp to help me mail it!!!! I'm out of ideas!

Later, you were hitting your doll. Moogie took it away and said that you can't be mean to Kaitlin. So, you found another doll and started hitting her too. We took her away and then you cried on the floor.

Moogie tried to take you up for a nap. She fell asleep and you didn't. I took you down stairs. There is NO getting you asleep for a nap!! We went to Home Depot. (For my sanity.)

Later, I took you on a walk around Moogie's neighborhood. You like to pretend that you have a house under this dogwood tree. We walked farther, and you found another tree to play house in. I rang the door bell and you were cleaning your house. You said for me to hold your baby. I said, "Oh, what's its name." You said, "Shirt." Then you said, "Here's another baby." I said, "Oh, what's it's name." You said, "Shirt." This proceeded to go on for 8 more babies named shirt. I was counting to see how many times you'd do it. Then, I said I was going to "work." You came with me. I said, "Who is going to take care of the 8 Shirt babies?" You said, "Their daddy's with them." I said, "Oh, What's his name." You said, "Coleslaw."

I left to go do my massages as you were falling asleep in mom's arms (at 5:30). I told Moogie to keep you awake or I'd be up with you until midnight! She decided to just have you spend the night there tonight so I could go straight home from work and study.

7/27/08

Sunday
This morning at breakfast, you said that you had a dream that you and I were picking
sunflowers. You frequently tell us your dreams in the morning. Daddy is currently on
tour with the Apples in Stereo. He will be home on Aug. 5th, late.
We played house and store in the front yard this morning. Actually, you played and I
kind of played and worked in the front yard. I'm always trying to "do stuff" as much as
I can. I feel guilty at the end of the day. I try to make time for you, but then I also have
to ignore you just to get stuff done. Like paying bills, cleaning, studying, gardening, etc.
But, to my defense, I took you to Jakobson Park today with Moogie and Doogie. We went in the paddle boats and then you played on the play ground equipment. Then, Moogie and I took you
to the pool. You did the doggie paddle. You have been such an awesome swimmer this year. You are very excellent. You took swim lessons with Miss Kate in June and you wouldn't even put your head under. Now you are awesome!!!Friday, I asked you to listen to the sound of the water when you went under. When you came up, I asked you what it sounded like. You said, "It sounds like sparkles." Are you kidding me? That was so cute.
We came home and I fixed you dinner while you watched Shrek. Then, I watered the plants outside while you ran around naked. You got in trouble for running down the side walk and not stopping when I said to stop. No Popsicles tomorrow. I also smacked you on the butt for that. I've only done that 3 times in your whole life.
After a bath, you watched Pee-Wee's play house and then I rocked you to sleep. (I let you nurse a bit.) Even though you "officially" stopped nursing on your birthday, I let you tonight because I was desperate for you to go to sleep. You went to bed at 9:30, and I have been in my office since then. You are asleep in my bed, naked of course.

Love,
Mommie

To Violet Love Mommie

Dear Violet,

I'm starting this blog as a journal for you. I've been writing things down for the past 3 years.
However, as our lives get busier and you start saying cuter and cuter things, I think it would
be best if I typed it. I think I'd be more inclined to write more frequently. So, here it to you!
I love you so much. You keep me busy!! You say the funniest things. I want you to know these
stories when you get older. And, I'll forget if I don't write them down.

So...here goes!

I love you,
Mommie