You are not the same person you were when we began this adventure - you're bigger, stronger, smarter and more beautiful and charming for every day that passes. And I mean it when I say 'day' - you are growing and learning so quickly that your progress simply astounds us. Just this weekend you said your first phrases - lines from two songs: 'bæ bæ lille lam' and 'in the moon' from Raffi's Aikendrum. This may seem like a minor event when you read this as a grown-up, but let me tell you that witnessing and participating in your cognitive awakening is the most incredible journey we've ever been on. Whenever you do something new like this, it stops us in our tracks and melts our hearts. We are so proud of you, little one, and you're getting to be such a big girl already!
I'm sitting on the train to Oslo as I write this because we need to borrow Uncle Andre's car this week so that we have two now that you're at the barnehage and we're at work all day long:-( I can't bear to think that we won't have our mornings of playtime and music making any more, nor our almost daily walks to the pond to swim and see the ducks.
You've taught me so much, and I realize that in order to keep up with you and make sure we're on the same wavelength I've just got to follow your lead. I still strive to be less self-absorbed and more present for you at every moment the way your mom so naturally is.
I cannot express the depth of my respect and admiration for everything she's done for you since you were born - she is such a wonderful mother, and you both help make me the best father I can be. I feel so privileged to share my life with you, and my only desire in this life is to do right by you both and be there so that we can be a happy, harmonious family.
Your transition to barnehage is a big change for all of us, but most of all you. You were very intrepid in your first week as you quickly formed a bond with Hilde and didn't even cry once when we said goodbye. The tears did come eventually, once you realized that we were gone, but you stayed longer and longer alone each day - 1 hour, then 2 then 3 then 4. Unfortunately your reflux (maybe due to new tooth?) made things harder for you at the end of the week, and we are very anxious as to how you will fare on your first full day tomorrow. Regardless, we are so proud of you and we will do everything we can to help ease your transition.
While we both love toying with idea of keeping you at home with us forever, we know that the barnehage will provide you with many things we cannot, most importantly, relationships with kids your own age. You are ready for this, probably more than we are, so let's all just take it one day at a time.
In closing, know that we took one last walk up to the pond this afternoon to mark this momentous occasion. I carried you up in the backpack and mommy carried you down, and we spent a very serene hour throwing rocks into the water (a favorite activity of yours) and watching them plop!
The difference in how much you've grown during our time together was apparent when we reached the playground on the way back down; when we took you there several weeks ago you just wanted to eat sand and weren't interested in anything else. But this time you fell in love with the big blue hammock swing, and you cried out 'alene!!!' over and over in delight when you realized it was much more fun to swing all by yourself.
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