oh yes, carys

last year around this time it was all about BEBE, carys' much loved green plush toy that was essential to happy sleepies and successful naps.

since Christmas time, BEBE is finding herself with a bit of breathing room, because BLUE has moved into town. blue is a doll, who wears a blue onesie, and is much loved by miss carys. i have started swaddling blue (and sela's doll, "pink", who wears a pink onesie) and carys stands over me and watches, fascinated. "SWADD-EL-ING!" she'll declare, very impressed and happy in the knowledge that her baby is cosy.

carys likes babies, she stands by when a baby is getting a bottle and watches eyes wide, as the baby guzzles, and is then burped. she'll tug at my arm and whisper, "baby."

not that babies weigh so much more than carys, she's still a tiny girl. her wrists are like string, but her fingers are so long.

she hasn't really shown much of a competitive fire (sela stole it), instead at playsport while jasper is examining the grass on the field, if the ball rolls by, carys will scream joyfully at her sister, "come on, sela!" and take after it. oh carys, i want to shake my head. sela wouldn't stop for you, don't wait for her!

carys often waits for sela. i don't necessarily think this is a good thing. carys will let sela speak first, and then she will repeat what her sister has said. she can blather on, but in a conversation with people, she will often just let sela take the lead when questions are asked, and regurgitate what answers are given. time i am hoping will take care of this.

she starts speech therapy soon, as soon as there is an availability. she gets grommet surgery at the end of march. her nose seems to be permanently plugged (even when breathing freely) and she doesn't have a nasal talking voice, but there almost seems to be a sinus issue with her. speaking can be tough.

hearing can be tougher. not from the difficulty persepctive, although she needs grommets i believe carys' hearing will be fine ~ but from the perspective of if ytou speak too harshly to carys she brusts into screams and is unconsolable. sela was doing this last year, remember? but this is so intense. she gets unconsolable. with sela, a couple of cuddles and it was over, and you wondered how much of it was dramatic. but this is deep, and dark and i am not sure what else. someone of course muttered autism, and yes "behavioural" something or other was mentioned, and i just don't know what to make of it. she is hyper sensitive to criticism, even if she knows that she was being terribly naughty. so she is wearying and i get a chill of concern at times.

on a lighter note, her hair is equally as confusing. she seems to have three crowns in it. in years to come, she will have a fantastic time getting her hair to fall back and hold styles, but for now, i cannot get her hair to do anything! i gave it a cute cut and it looks great with clips, but where is it going? good question.

she loves her parents and loves being cuddled by either magnificent or me. having a hand held by a parent is very important to carys.

when she is being delightful, she is very quick to answer questions and to sing songs or to make them up. she and sebastian probably have the least to do with each other, he finds her too babyish and unable to stand up for herself, while she finds him too demanding.

but my heart just contracts with love for carys. not because of from where she started, but because of what she can be. she has a distrust of strangers, i think she thinks everyone is a doctor or physical therapist until proven otherwise. but once you are in her heart, she clutches you there, she swaddles you in, and you feel so cherished.

carys.

my beloved.

Comments

[mcewen]

Now you must be a very busy woman! Great photos.
Best wishes

[Maureen aka Mo aka Mozilla aka grandmother]

Ohhhh TEARS!! Little Carrots. What a force this tiny-wristed girlie is - I think of her influence since she has been born: how she would not/did not succumb in the NICU; how we all cheered her on when the going was so tough at one month of age; of her coping through painful neck physio; how she generally eats more than her triplet siblings; how, of the three triplets, is the one who most often tells me on the phone in a breathy voice, "I love you, Mo"; how she won the backyard Obstacle Course in the Okanagan last summer when, with intense joy and concentration on her face, she ran the fastest through the maze; how she can cut you down to size with one glare and how she can melt your heart with the flip side of that glare; how her Daddy stated - when she was fairly new at home from the hospital - as to how bright she was inspite of being so tiny; how quietly intense she can be.... oh Carys, you are a tour de force who reminds me quite a bit of your mother who, when very young, quietly went about her business and did exactly what she had planned and was so successful at it due to the 'quietness of the planning!'. We love you immensely.

From your Mo xox

[Grandad Blake AKA Dad]

Carys was the best backseat driver yet and let's remember we have had a whack of excellent back seat drivers over the past 39 years and 5 months. Give her time and that little gift of a girl will dazzle you.

Love, Grandad Blake

[Georgia]

To all interested moms out there:

I would like to invite you to participate in a research study of parenting views and practices. Dr. Kim White-Mills and Dr. Catherine Dobris of IUPUI (both are moms) are interested in understanding what sources parents find useful in their parenting practices, how parents use different parenting information, and what views parents across the county hold regarding parenting issues.

To access this survey, go to http://www.iupui.edu/~momviews/

[Joeinvegas]

Her hair sounds like E's. I am glad that you have such a wonderful group.