My favorite parts

Every night G and I talk about our day, as part of her bed time routine. We go back and forth telling each other our favorite parts.
"My favorite part was eating sketti for dinner."
"My favorite part when you put your jammies on" (this was actually pretty funny, because one of her arms was jammed up against her head, and I totally wasn't expecting her to try and put her jammies on herself).

Yesterday G stayed home from day care and hung out with me all day. I desperately needed to keep track of all of my favorite parts of the day, to focus on the good, and the amazing little angel by my side.

My favorite part was going to Casey's and getting doughnuts to share, and hearing her say, "Bye, Doughnut Store" as we drove away.
My favorite part was driving the Gator through the "forest."
My favorite part was picking up rocks and pine cones (and we have a gravel driveway so it was a lot of rocks, which are now in a vase in my house).
My favorite part was pushing each other on the swings.
My favorite part was snuggling together watching movies.
My favorite part was G showing V how to dance, and helping V dance along.
My favorite part was eating pizza with all the guys on the farm.

As I sat in the rocking chair in G's room, her arms and legs wrapped around me, her curly head resting on my shoulder and little voice in my ear whispering her favorite parts, I started thinking of all of my other favorite parts. And I prayed to the newest Angel in Heaven I knew would be listening.

Dear Grandma,
My favorite part was having you as a witness at my wedding.
My favorite part was the gift of a rosary said for my family every day for a year.
My favorite part was going to the Farm for Christmas and walking into the noise and love.
My favorite part was having tea together.
My favorite part was you and Grandpa coming to Hy-Vee and going through the drive-thru and my checkout line when I was in high school.
My favorite part was egg salad sandwiches at that lunch cafe.
My favorite part was when you would make us say the rosary if we were acting up in the car, until Dan and Kelly fell asleep and I pretended to fall asleep.
My favorite part was brushing your hair.
My favorite part were stories from when I was too little to remember.
My favorite part was sitting at the table asking you my math questions until my mom realized I was getting you to do my second-grade homework for me.
My favorite part was telling you when I was pregnant. Both times.
My favorite part was coming up for you to meet G.
My favorite part was Skyping so you could meet V.
My favorite part was helping plant strawberries.
My favorite part was helping shuck corn.
My favorite part was cooking together.
My favorite part was talking to you about gardening.
My favorite part was when you came out to see the farm.
My favorite part was taking Watson over to visit all through high school.
My favorite part was making your house one of my first stops when I got a driver's license...and promptly getting stuck in the snow.
My favorite part was filling your planters with flowers after your initial diagnosis of cancer.
My favorite part was growing up writing you letters, until we moved back to Mason City.
My favorite part was coming over for lunch--sandwiches and plain Lays chips.
My favorite part was when you regularly sent me chocolate chip oatmeal cookies in college.
My favorite part was the fact that you ironed pillow cases.
My favorite part was you.

Grandma and I in 1980. Scanned from a magnet I made, which G drew all over.

Image I made for Grandma when G was 5 months old.

Pirates, Princess, Superhero and Queen!

I pre-ordered Frozen from Amazon and had it delivered to my house the day it came out. I had wanted to see it in the theaters, but V came three weeks early and after that going to the movies didn't even cross my mind for quite a while. I'm a huge Disney fan, and I figured any cast that included characters from Glee...I mean, Broadway...ah-hem...had to be good. I was super excited when I saw the UPS truck pull up that Tuesday (I was working from home), but then realized I should probably wait until G got home before I watched it. So I waited. And waited. And waited. I waited at least 4 hours. Maybe 5. The wait was worth it. I've never seen G so entranced with a movie before, and she danced all around our living room to Idina Menzel's "Let It Go" in the end credits. I danced with her. We rocked that song.

Since that fateful day I've probably seen Frozen, or pieces of it, at least 20 times. I don't regret any of it, I still love that movie. Vachel, however, has seen maybe 10 minutes worth.

Cut to a few nights ago. After bath time, Vachel helped G tie her blanket around her neck like a cape and she was running back and forth across our bedroom.She and I had done this before, although my blanket-to-cape-knot-tying skills aren't quite as good as Vachel's.We had been Superheroes. We ran back and forth from my bed, down the hall to the bathroom, turned around and came back, yelling, "Superheroes to the rescue!" and then I would pick her up to fly around the room, tossing her on the bed, before starting the process over. However this night was a little different.

G was once again running around the room, cape flying behind her, yelling and jumping. Vachel stood in the entryway watching her, hope in his eyes, turned to me and said, "Do you think she'd want to watch the original Superman with Christopher Reeves?"

I looked at him and said, "Um...sure...why?"

"Because I used to run around with that blanket (yes, it's the exact same blanket) as a cape pretending to be a superhero, and I think the original Superman won't give her nightmares."

"Vachel, I don't have a problem with that movie...but are you listening to what she's saying?"

Vachel and I turn to watch G, as she continues to run around our room yelling, "I'm a Queen! Ice! (stomp foot, twirl cape, stomp foot) Ice!" The hope in his eyes died a little. This didn't stop him from watching Superman with her though, and she liked that as well. Just not as much as Frozen.

I try not to pass judgement on other parents too often, because this shit is hard and most people just try to do the best they can. However the "Princess Debate" baffles me. In my opinion, if your kid is using their imagination, playing, and not hurting anyone--who cares if it's a Princess or Superhero? My favorite is actually when we play Pirates, because I can just sit on the couch holding the baby and yell, "Arr! I'm Captain Hook!" every once in a while. I get dizzy when we play Princess because I'm usually Prince Charming and I have to twirl her around dancing. Really, I just can't wait till V is old enough to play and then G can boss her around instead.

We can play Pirates, or Princesses, or Superheros...none of those individually are going to have that much of an impact on her development. What really matters is that Vachel and I, and those around her, play with her. That each of us makes sure not to just spend time with her,  but help foster her imagination. Even if we have to spend hours drinking from imaginary tea cups, or crouched under a blanket with her to hide from the lions. However we won't be playing Queen anymore. That's my role, and it's not pretend play. ;)

Starting early--G helping V play tea party

G in her Princess Dress and wand