Memories Deux

Today was a work day, so I didn’t get to spend much time with either LG or LD today. I got home, read to them and put them to bed. I did get to hear all about how one of LD’s friends came over, he gushed about playing in the snow, about how they played with an imaginary video game, about how they chased the dogs around the house, about how he got to go over to her house for a long time, too.

LG was having a bit of an off day, apparently – L was telling me that she had been a little on the cranky side all day. I got to witness this first hand when I got home, she whined a lot and got frustrated easily. Maybe she’s going through a growth spurt – though she’s already bigger than any other 18 month old I’ve ever seen; she’s actually in 3 T’s now.

LG Memories:

I remember the first week after we picked you up, on the beach house in Maryland. I was doing the night shifts, waking every two hours to feed you. I am amazed I remember it at all, L and I were so exhausted. LD somehow didn’t seem affected. You showed us then that you had a serious set of lungs on you, and an appetite. You started out small, about 5 pounds at birth, and you were determined to make up for it. When you and I were out for a walk along the beach boardwalk, I stopped in a little store to get something, something small, trivial – I don’t ever remember what now. What I do remember is the woman who was about ten years older than me, telling me how beautiful you were.

Then she mentioned how much you look like me, which is funny on many levels. I am a tall geeky white guy, you’re my little African princess. The woman was trying to be nice, trying to be PC; all I said was “Shhh, don’t tell my wife that – it’s a secret!” You are so beautiful that I wish I looked more like you, but alas, I’m stuck with my own ugly mug. You have my heart, little one.

LD Memories:

Some of the funniest things you did when you were really small happened in Las Vegas. We lived there for a while, about a year, living in your BiPa’s house while he was off on one adventure or another, trying to wrangle oil or harness river currents for energy. There were two times that stuck out most. One of which I’ll relay here:

We were waiting in line for a big shark exhibit, and it was taking a little while, you were two-ish, a little under, with a few words under your belt, but a lot of signs, as Mama was teaching you sign language. You were hungry , and you were cruising up and down the line charming people. You stopped at one woman, a woman in her mid twenties, very obviously surgically top-heavy. You looked up, she looked down, smiling. Then she giggled “Oh look, he’s waving, how cute!” She starting waving enthusiastically back.

I hustled over, smiling and saying something about how he was good at waving, how he liked to wave. I didn’t mention the fact that you were signing “Milk”…