Daley Ponderings

From an email written to my mom on April 4, 2015 at 7pm. Just after noon, Noah came screaming in from outside.  He was holding one hand with the other and blood was dripping.  I took him straight to the sink to wash off.  He couldn't tell me what had happened and there was... (More)

1/25 - Joy, about ready to dance, "Mommy, if you don't see this show, you won't see it again, EVER!" A good reminder to be present in the moment!  I turned away from the  computer and gave her my attention and I watched her beautiful solo dance show. 1/29 - Reading with Noah... (More)

5/1 - Joy playing with even/odd dot cards.  Didn't quite get the concept but sometimes was lucky, so I praised the correct answers.  Then 6/2 - much more consistently correct. 5/1 - Jeremiah, watching the kids in karate class, copying them - doing punches from the "en guarde"... (More)

12/4 - F putting on chapstick.  Joy recalls, "Last time my lips sting.  Now my lips better." 12/6 - JDD, in a growly voice, with a straw stuck in his teeth and the other end in a glass of water, "I am the savage, saber-toothed mosquito!" 12/6 - JPD upper right primary incisor 12/7 -... (More)

9/13 - A Friday. Jonathan had been asking me if he could read Harry Potter for a while.  I told him I needed to talk to Daddy about whether we thought he was ready, but I kept forgetting.  The strategy that worked was asking me in Daddy's presence so I didn't have time to forget. ... (More)

Faith had a blast at Star Island with Grammy and Papa. 7/25 - JDD, explaining why he likes to use a certain spoon for his breakfast cereal, "That spoon is special to me, because Grammy gave it to me for Christmas last year." 7/28 or 29 - Joy had a cold and I gave her 1 or 2 nebulizer... (More)

Having a dad in the fire department is educational in more than just fire safety: 5/17 - Jon is called to an accident "involving motor vehicle vs. moose" 5/18 - Jonathan reads about moose and siberian tigers on wikipedia ~5 - Joy says "owee here" = outta here 5/20 - jpd 17 lb on our... (More)

My due date was February 21. Jonathan, Noah, and Faith had all been exactly five days late. Joy was early, but we weren't sure of her date and the more we thought about it the more we figured she probably had been late as well. So we had Linda and Porter schedule their flight to arrive... (More)

Recently, I read One Thousand Gifts , which was recommended by someone whose blog I read, but I can't remember who anymore.  It was a beautiful book and has inspired me to be thankful for the little things once again.  (Briefly, the hesitations I have in recommending it: she writes... (More)

6/14 - On our camping trip, Faith liked to play Ice Cream Shop.  Her flavors are unique: pineapple hot sauce, strawberry beet, water, to name a few.  After those, I requested just plain ice creams, though she really wanted to put hot sauce on most of them.  We finally settled on a... (More)

Faith has started calling Jonathan, "Ohnny-int"  This is related to how she says medicine ("meddy-int") and other words that end in /n/. She also says her own name, which sounds unfortunately rather like "Hate" but the /t/ is a bit softer, maybe halfway between that and "Hathe".... (More)

2/11 - Faith, looking at cousin Cole's cute pictures. "Me wikey 'at wittle Tole, Tole, Tole." 2/24 - Milk started coming in Thursday evening.  Joy is a good nurser. 2/26 - Joy's cord fell off.  Noah called it the "umbilicord" when talking with Faith about it. Faith is very... (More)

I'd been having these strange contractions for a few days. Not the simple Brackston-Hicks that I have throughout pregnancy that feel tight but do not hurt. Not crampy labor contractions, either. They were very tight and they hurt. They came usually when I was sitting – on the couch or... (More)

1/20 - Jonathan, as usual, singing while he plays and works.  This time it was, "Come, Tom Bombadil, Tom Bombadil.  Come, Tom Bombadil..." 1/22 - When boys have a tea party:  Noah, Faith and I were playing with Faith's tea set.  Noah said he couldn't eat his soup because... (More)

12/23 - Noah: "Tomorrow's tomorrow is Christmas!" Both Jonathan and Noah were sick in the car on the way to New Hampshire.  Blessedly, they both managed to get everything in the bowls and nothing on anyplace else in the car.  By the time we arrived, they were fine and the rest of... (More)