MEMORIES

2004 - WINTER

A NEW YEAR...

By the time the chaos of Christmas was passed, Sophia looked like many of the adults felt. Dawn had battled a virus through the holidays and remembered little of Christmas Day. Both Sophia and Brandon coped with low-grade fevers, coughs and runny noses. Fortun- ately by the first of January, the ailing were recuperating, just in time for the next big celebrations.

First there was New Year's Day. We shared the traditional meal, supple-mented with dishes the attendees would actually eat: green beans instead of black-eyed peas and lime jello salad instead of greens. While everyone was together, we took a family picture ... plus a few more.

BRANDON'S 4! IT'S A SCOOBY DOO BIRTHDAY...

Last year Spiderman was it for party decorations. This year, Brandon requested a birthday party with Scooby Doo accessories. He wasn't disappointed. A table cloth, plates, napkins, cups, hats. A helium balloon. Gift wrap. And, of course, the cake.

Brandon and Sophia spent another long weekend at Pap's and Nana's. Bob dubbed Sophia "Shark" because she had an insatiable appetite. She's also developed her own signing technique, combining the signs Brandon's demonstrating properly below: "eat" (tapping the mouth with the fingers of one hand) and "more" (tapping the fingertips of both hands together).

Brandon signing "eat"

Brandon signing "more"

Using the fingers of one hand, Sophia taps the palm of the other: "eat more." As soon as an adult with access to food notices her signing, Sophia heads for the kitchen.

WINTER VISITORS

Maintaining a friendship requires work. When the people involved live hundreds of miles apart, the effort demands dedication. That's the kind of relationship Dawn and her friend from childhood, Inga, have. Their friendship began when they were less than two years old. Where one girl was, the other was generally beside her. When they were eight, we relocated to Ohio; later, Inga's family went to South Carolina. But they've remained as close as sisters, and their friendship has endured.

Dawn and Inga
Two years old

Dawn and Inga
January 2004

Mid-month, Inga flew to Ohio with her children, Hayden and Lydia, for a weekend visit. It's interesting to me that Dawn and Inga are two weeks apart in age. Brandon and Hayden were born six weeks apart; Sophia and Lydia, eight weeks. Getting the six of them together was not difficult, but getting everyone to sit and look at the camera was.

Copyright ©2004 Kitty Park

2003 - CHRISTMAS

DECEMBER...

Early in December the area received several inches of snow. Many of us began thinking about Christmas and sharing the good feelings of the season with friends and family.

Now that Brandon's in school, I was invited to attend his preschool pageant ~~ all 15 minutes of it. The children quietly entered the hall and awkwardly endeavored to climb the stage steps while looking over their shoulders for family members. Moms and dads reciprocated from the audience by waving excitedly. Once eye contact was made, kids' faces would light up and they'd spring up and down on their toes, wave and call out "Hi, Mommy/Daddy!"

The lady in charge invited picture-taking folks to come sit on the floor in front of the stage. Of course, Dawn and I joined the mad parade to the front while Matt stayed in the chairs monitoring Sophia's activity. After snapping way too many pictures, we went back to our seats and the program began. Brandon (in the red V-neck cardigan) likes to sing, but excelled at performing the hand and arm movements that accompanied their songs.

Brandon and Sophia spent a long weekend with Matt's folks, Nana and Papap. On the drive down, Dawn told Brandon Nana had a surprise for him. Of course, he wanted to know what it was. Dawn said she couldn't tell him, but it was something to eat. "I know, I know! She's making me macaroni and cheese! I love her macaroni and cheese." And sure enough, that's what she had for him. Nana (known in adult company as Rhonda) e-mailed me pictures of Brandon and Sophia and I'm sharing them here with her permission. That's Sophia in the beard, sitting on Papap's lap.

CHRISTMAS

This year both sides of the family would be together. Brett flew up from Orlando on Tuesday to spend four days with the family. As we'd expected, Brandon took over entertaining Uncle Brett. First there was roughhousing on the floor.

Then there was time out.


Before going to bed Christmas Eve, Dawn and Brandon set out cookies and milk for Santa.	Brandon's first task on Christmas morning was to empty his stocking.

Matt's folks, Bob and Rhonda, drove up Christmas morning to share the experience of watching the two little ones open gifts from Santa and the people who love them most.

THE AFTERMATH

Following the day of excitement and glee came a day to ease back into the routine. Brandon sat at the dining room table, pleading for someone to come play a new game with him. Later, Brett and Brandon shared some quiet time comparing the size of their feet. Finally, with the chair all to himself, Brandon fell asleep.