terrifying children's literature

I was going through some of our little family videos yesterday because John had just uploaded them to the computer. When I got to this one from a couple of months ago I just laughed and laughed. I typically don't post videos because I don't think many people are super interested in watching long clips of other peoples' children, but this was so funny to me that I figured at least our families would enjoy it.

I was reading a new book to Pearlie one evening before bed and she was loving all of the pop-up animals on each page. Until I got to the page with a flower that opened up to reveal a cute little bumblebee inside. I have no idea why this was so incredibly alarming to her, but I thought it was so hysterical that I had John come film me torturing her with it for several minutes. In the beginning of the video John's hand is covering the screen at times because he didn't want her to see the camera and be distracted, just so you know why his big hand is blocking the view a little. It is kind of long, but I decided to post the whole thing because the flower torture continues to produce results throughout it. She literally starts running away from the book at one point. It also shows her talking a little bit (this was when she was about 14 months) and just generally being cute.

And lastly, don't mind George screaming in the background that his nose is hurt and us not doing anything about it except asking if it is bleeding. Parenting at its finest, folks.

Oh, and also (I just watched it again), many apologies about Pearl pulling down my shirt a little too much at one point. Sorry.



Funny, huh? :)

our latina cry baby

Pearl does something funny when she cries. Upon exhalation she rolls her tongue on the top of her mouth as she cries/screams out. It is the same sound you make when you are rolling the /r/ sound when speaking Spanish (and other languages), except she does it for a long time. It is a pretty fancy trick, if you ask me because I can't even begin to do it. I can barely muster up a tiny /r/ roll for half a second in a word or something, but the ability to continuously roll your tongue to make that sound eludes me. Not my daughter though. She is a pro. We have tried to capture this on camera a couple of times because it really is a cute little quirk of hers that we want to remember, but she stops doing it whenever she sees us or the camera. One day a couple of weeks ago she was having a hard time falling asleep for a nap (which is not typical-- nursing usually puts her right to sleep if she's tired). I was growing weary and decided to just put her in her bed to see if she'd fall asleep on her own. The answer is no, she did not fall asleep, but YES! we did finally get a little footage of her unique cry.

You'll have to excuse her mismatched and disorganized room. She's almost one and we still haven't made the full switch from a boyish nursery to a more feminine one. There are bits and pieces of George left over in there that I've had intentions to change but haven't yet. And also don't mind the boxes full of clothes on the floor. Those are the things the kids have grown out of that are supposed to be making their way to D.I.. Allegedly they were going there last week. Oops. Maybe this week. Anyway, the best part of this little video is the way she goes from crying in earnest (with the Latina flair, of course) to all smiles and rainbows when she sees her daddy walk in. (You may have to turn up your volume a bit to hear the cry.)


Don't you think that little cry is funny?

She did fall asleep. After John rescued her I went in and nursed her again and she quickly settled into slumber. Her room isn't normally this bright while she naps but I opened the blinds to snap these pictures.



This one is my fave.

baby love

I just can't seem to get over this baby of mine. He is simply delightful. Before watching this video there are a few things you must know:

The annoyingly high and off-tune singing voice is part of the charm of this made-up song that I sing to Baby G at least 15 times a day.

The best part is that he leads the music while I sing.

My favorite word that he says to date is "please." I love it because he almost sings it and pairs it with the sign. From the minute he wakes up in the morning he says, "side, peeaaas?" (meaning, "outside, please?") while rubbing his chest. You'll hear "please" in the video and see the chest rub.

His sweet voice. Oh, his voice!

He melts my heart.

prayer of the children

To me there is something almost sacred about rocking a baby to sleep. Holding all that innocence, all the trust in their eyes, feeling their body relax, watching their eyelids get heavier and heavier until they finally stay shut. That is heaven to me.

Why do Romanian orphans never get that?

Having a baby of my own has made my heart ache in ways that it never has before. I now am beginning to realize really how very much babies need a mommy and daddy.

Baby G is an angel, and truly is hardly ever just fussy. But still, he is a baby. And sometimes babies just need a little extra--

A few nights ago it was a little tricky to get Baby G to latch on and eat because he was both so tired and hungry that he couldn't quite figure it out.

Who takes that extra time for orphans?

When I went to lay Baby G down last night he woke up and immediately started to cry (which he normally doesn't do). I picked him up and he quickly buried his little face in my neck and fell fast asleep. He just needed an extra cuddle.

Who does that for orphans?

All the middle of the night feedings-- do orphans go hungry until morning?

Baby G gets uncomfortable and spits up if i don't burp him good enough. I can't remember ever once seeing anyone burp those orphan babies. Who does it? No one?

Why?

Why did my Baby G come to parents who adore him, who love him so much it hurts, who take care of his every need and want almost to a fault? And why was the Baby G in Romania born there, to parents who, for whatever reason, couldn't or wouldn't take care of him?

I have no answers. I don't think I'll ever come to terms with this horrific injustice in this lifetime.
But what I do know is that I'll keep holding my Baby G when he cries, I'll keep picking him up when he whimpers, I'll keep burping him long enough even in the middle of the night, and I'll keep loving him so much it hurts.

And I'll keep praying that somehow, by some miracle, someone is doing those same things for Baby G in Romania, too.

Va iubesc, copii fara mama.

Can you hear the prayer of the children on bended knee, in the shadow of an unknown room? Empty eyes with no more tears to cry turning heavenward toward the light.

Crying Jesus help me to see the mornin' light of one more day, but if I should die before I wake, I pray my soul to take.

Can you feel the hearts of the children aching for home, for something of their very own. Reaching hands with nothing to hold onto but hope for a better day, a better day.

Crying Jesus help me to feel the love again in my own land, but if unknown roads lead away from home, give me loving arms, away from harm.

Can you hear the voice of the children softly pleading for silence in their shattered world? Angry guns preach a gospel full of hate, blood of the innocent on their hands.

Crying Jesus, help me to feel the sun again upon my face? For when darkness clears, I know you're near, bringing peace again.

Can you hear the prayer of the children?
Lyrics written by Kurt Bestor