01.29.09

Piperland

Posted in Uncategorized at 3:03 pm by Anne

Piper will be tuning two in just a few weeks. (I know. Where has the time gone?) She has started potty training, all by herself, and pees at least once a day in the potty but more often 3-4 times. This has been going on for a few weeks. In fact, she all started the last time I was on the phone with Cecily. We cheered. I still cheer. I am a huge Piper-fan.

She has a really sweet smile, and grin, and laugh…and when those huge, luminous eyes fixate on you, you’ve had it. I mean, really…she is incredible. That is, until you don’t give her what she wants. Or you tell her ‘no baby, you may not stand on the table and kick your sister in the face.’ Or, when you take away the diaper ointment that she’s squeezed out all over her hands, the counter, including the dog. Because at this point, she turns into babyHate.

She screams, and cries, and occasionally bites but the worst is the noise. Honestly, I am ready to start drinking Jack Daniels straight from the bottle, no matter the time of day, when she turns up the noise. People may call me during one of these episodes and they always exclaim “Who *is* that? Is that Emma yelling?” “No.” I have to add…”It’s Piper.” No one expects that beautiful, cherubic, good-natured child to be the now shrieking demon making them deaf, unless they’ve been a witness to it.

Sometimes I have to walk away for a quick phone call…or Shan has to work…you might think that walking away might help but it doesn’t. Not really. The little heathen just follows you, screaming her terrible scream, all red in the face with big tears rolling down her cheeks. Sometimes the only sanctuary is outside…but you always know she is on the other side of the door…since she’ll bang on it. There is no escaping the wrath of Piper.

Lily and Emma, of course, often come to her rescue. They are the biggest enablers around. “Mommy.” Lily will begin, “Wy don’t you just __________…so she will stop crying.” At moments like that I take Lily’s hand in mine, amidst the hellish cacophony and I tell her, “Lily, there is no rush, not ever…but I will so happily remind you of this one day… when you have children of your own.”

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01.06.09

flying pigs

Posted in Uncategorized at 10:21 am by Anne

Once we overcome the shock and awe of pregnancy that third time, once we got into the ceaseless rhythm of life with another infant, once the baby days were behind us and we were firmly entrenched in the most wicked “Toddler Years”, I realized that I never looked at any of it (this time) as something to enjoy. It was difficult work and with Piper so much moreso because of her two needy siblings; it was always something to get through, to move past. “Come on, baby, GROW!”

Lately, as she approaches her second birthday, I have been experiencing second thoughts and twinges of regret. The “I can’t BELIEVE I have ANOTHER baby!” has morphed very gently to “Wow. I can’t believe this is my last baby.”

I hold her at night longer than usual when she wakes up cring now. I rock her back and forth in her room, taking in the solitude and the comfort of that warm and cozy place, and pat her soft little flannel-footed-jammied backside…sometimes I sing but mostly I hum. and I listen to her breathe. My God. I attempt to really appreciate this fleeting time because I know it won’t be long at all before she is scrabbling for all things Hannah Montana and racing with her pals down the street.

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01.02.09

New Year

Posted in Uncategorized at 12:02 pm by Anne

Lily and Emma are excellent big sisters to Piper. I’ve noticed this lately, especially when Piper howls over any given injustice. This morning Piper howled at Emma near the breakfast table. Emma glanced at Piper standing on the floor, picked up her own toast and juice, and moved over to the next nearest chair. This allowed Piper to sit at the table too.

A few moments later Piper was howling again. I had taken her empty sippee cup and placed it in the sink…which was apparently very insulting to her. She screamed at me and yelled “No!” as I worked in the kitchen. “Use words, honey.” (It is a very common phrase for me.) But the girl is stubborn. She continued the noisefactory and stumbled over to the sofa where Lily was trying to watch Sesame Street. Lily got down and softly said “Come here, Piper…” and then held her baby sister in her arms. The crying stopped and Lily’s eyes were closed while her arms wrapped around Piper so sweetly.

Some days having three girls is just perfection.

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