It’s been over five months since she mastered “dadda.” Since then there have been many moments when she so lovingly gazes into John’s face and repeats the name appropriately toward him, over and over. It’s like 94% adorable/6% heartbreaking when, after being coached “mmma-mma” repeatedly by friends and family, Ari gleefully smiles and says knowingly, “DADADADA!”
John’s tried to console me: “Honey, when she’s really upset, she calls for you.” Yeah, but that’s the remnants of a muffled sob; I feel like we’re grasping at any potential m’s coming out of her.
But this weekend she has been all about the “mamamamamamama,” babbling constantly. I know it’s not real, but it feels so good. And it just took John leaving us for nine days! (Oh John, please come home.)
Next up: reading to my daughter. It’s been something to which I’ve looked forward since I think my dad first read me the Boxcar Children series. But while she’s found books mildly entertaining, Aurelia mostly prefers eating (destroying) them, and they definitely haven’t made it into any family rituals.
Now I think she’s starting to get it, maybe having a little more patience with the pattern and rhythm required of even the simplest book. Ari’s been clumsily clutching a book half in her mouth, half in one of her little paws, and climbing into my lap for me to read to her. LOVE it! Her favorite right now is Wet Pet, Dry Pet, especially the page with the fuzzy blue-haired pet–I’m starting to learn a lot of the rhymes by heart (oh that they don’t push out of Ranson’s criteria for acute pancreatitis that I just attempted to ingrain).
A few snaps of our girls weekend, first out for a walk with Melissa and Ellie, then at brunch with Ellen and Allison:
That’s the face of a pumpkin donut-induced coma.
anna in med school 
That last pic made me totally crack up. Your daughter’s awesome and so are you.
Awww, thanks my love! We both think about and miss you daily! Hope you’re staying warm!!
For the record, I got two solid “mama?”s out of her – yes, there was the inflection indicating a question mark on her part, but what I she meant was “why would I call mama in this trivial matter Aunt Ashley? This is clearly a job best handled at the dadadadada level…?”….
No offense John
Awww, so sweet 🙂
Love the comatose face!
Me too! Poor little girl had fun but was tuckered out!
The Boxcar Children was one of my childhood favorites! And it’s so wonderful to read how you balance medical school and family – are you interested in going into pediatrics?
Hello there! I’m so happy to find another Boxcar Children fan out there–I devoured that series as a child 🙂 And thank you so much for your kind encouragement. Can’t say I’m gifted at the balance, but we seem to all be getting by 🙂 Yes, I am planning on going into pediatrics!!!
Same! And I’m saving all of my books to share with my children in the future [: Seriously, it’s amazing – as a pre-med student who worries about going into medical school while also wanting a family, it’s encouraging to see women balance these two – and can’t wait to follow your posts and here all about peds – that’s what I would love to go into as well!
I wish I still had my copies!!
Your words seriously made my day, thank you! And I think it’s wonderful that you already know you want a family (you’ll prioritize it and make it work!) and that you’d like to go into peds. I had no idea I would love peds so much–totally snuck up on me 🙂 Good luck in pre-med; med school is much more fun!!