Thursday, January 26, 2012

Love Maria


Her little hands, and her big heart, always in motion.

She's moved into book four of the five first grade reading books.
Her front tooth, on top, is loose.
She, rather solemnly, asked me to assure her that she will be able to join Team Paradox, and not any other robotics team.
She likes to run laps, do yoga, and try karate.
She is sewing Valentine hearts as gifts... so far, for Izzy, for me, for Geoff, and for Janice.
She wants to stay home from school to help me decorate for Groundhog Day.
Last night, while I showered, she made our bed... bedsheets to quilt, pillows fluffed and everything.
She loves Tasha Tudor, Nikola Tesla, and Temple Grandin.
She teaches me how to play Little Big Planet 2.
She learned how to swim last summer.
She doesn't like sandwiches, having her hair brushed, some Picasso paintings, or itchy tights.
She gets horrible cramps in her legs and feet. They wake her in the night and leave her crying for an hour or more.
She wants to run the most laps in her school's jog-a-thon, so she can have lunch with her principal.
She asks God to keep us all together after we die, and assures me that she will always keep me in her heart, no matter what.
She tells us her feet stink. And she's right.
She says Missconsin for Wisconsin, and curlerpurler for caterpillar.
She makes love notes, and declarations of her affection for us, frequently, everyday.
She is a farmer, cook, scientist, dancer, runner, gardener, photographer, and girl. She is a joy.

One more thing: Thank you.


I wrote this post last night, before story time with Maria. On the way upstairs I grabbed a stack of new mail, and made a wonderful discovery: real letters and cards, all for Maria. I wish you could have seen the look on her face. She was amazed and delighted, she got wiggly and giggly. She held them to her frame like they were... well, like they were love notes.

They were. Love notes. One from her Grandma and Grandpa in Oregon, overflowing with support and encouragement, and all the sweet sentiments that make Maria sigh and melt. One was from her best friend, Amira... a loving reminder that no matter what else is happening she will always have her Anagram Sister to lift her spirits. And there was one more, from her Tutu, who got directly to the matter, and added a special, little gift to ease Maria's worries.

Thank you. These love notes were read multiple times, and made the best bedtime stories possible.

4 comments:

Alison said...

I hear these youngin's grow up pretty fast. Glad you are able to focus on and enjoy all these little things. She is a charmer. But you know, in order to have opinions about things like Picasso paintings and Temple Grandin, she has to have been exposed to them. Which means you get some credit for her amazingness.

ArtyZen said...

I so love this post. My own daughter will be 8 tomorrow and whilst I would use different words to describe her, I know I feel how you feel about your daughter. We are so lucky to share our lives with these important little people.
There is no doubt, Maria's personality sparkles through, independent of your words - she's such a star!
Axxx

Cheyenne -Millie said...

OH! How I wish sometimes that my daughter were little again!

Janece said...

I'm so glad Maria got Amira's note. I showed her this post and Amira got the giggles and wiggles too - happy to hear that her note was part of what made Maria happy.

Amira & Maria could and will have some interesting art conversations - right now, Picasso is Amira's favorite artist. ;) Although recently, she's expressed a love for Monet's waterlily paintings too.