October 24, 2011 by Barbara.

If you looked at photographs from much of Reid’s childhood, you would think, “Wow, that kid goes a lot of fun places with her dad.” You might also think she does cool activities and wonder who was with her. To a large extent, I’m reluctant to give up control of the camera and Ken only occasionally takes it from me and gets me in a shot. Until…

Until Reid grew old enough to ask for the camera (expecting it to be shared) and to take pictures of both Ken and me - at the same time. All of a sudden, there we all are standing together at the top of a hill, overlooking a forest and lake at Deerhurst and Reid took a picture of Ken and me. Soon enough, the picture is printed and hung on a wall. We admire Reid’s photography skills and thank her for bringing us both into the photographic record.

Capital Mom provides a theme each Friday for these Monday Moments. Others have written about their own moments. I also wrote about other  Monday Moments.

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July 25, 2011 by Barbara.

One Saturday morning, only a couple of weeks ago, I came home from one errand or another and saw Ken in the living room. “Where’s Reid,” I asked. “Upstairs,” he said. “She’s showering.”

“Did you start the water?” I wondered. “No,” Ken said. “She announced she was going to shower and then she did.”

“Alone?” I thought. “Why don’t the baby books have places for milestones like this one?” 

Capital Mom provides a theme each Friday for these Monday Moments. Others have written about their own moments. I also wrote about other  Monday Moments.

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May 2, 2011 by Barbara.

I’m in the kitchen chopping vegetables. Reid sneaks up on me. She will call “boo!” and I will jump. It’s a sort of ritual she and I share. I am rarely startled but she loves to think I am. I love the joy on Reid’s face when she believes that she has startled me. We both get so much out of these moments.

Once in a while, though, I can’t resist. On exaggerated tiptoes, Reid comes up behind me. I whirl and say, “boo!” before she has the chance. Reid jumps and we both laugh. The glee at a surprise can be shared.

Reid is neither sneaky nor subtle. She gets these - or lacks these - traits from me. In the indomitable way of children though, she is utterly unaware of these facts.

Capital Mom provides a theme each Friday for these Monday Moments. Others have written about their own moments. I also wrote about  Monday Moments.

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April 11, 2011 by Barbara.

We live in a townhouse. When Reid was small, we were always on the same floor to be safe. And close. And, yet, we played hide-and-seek together. It went something like this.

Mama counts and allows time for concealment before beginning the hunt. ”Is she behind the curtains in the living room?” she asks. “No. Maybe she is beside the bookcase?” And so it went, from speculating about the hall closet, bathroom, under the table, beside the china cabinet and in the pantry to the end of the couch.

Wondering aloud built suspense as Reid knew her non-hiding spots were being ruled out. It prolonged the game. There were, after all, only so many place to hide on the main floor. It gave Reid ideas for places to hide on her next turn and when to look for her mama. 

And, though they could both run and hide, it made Mama think of her own mother reciting a poem by Henry Cuyler Bunner, called “One, Two, Three”;

…

It was Hide-and-Go-Seek they were playing,
Though you’ve never have known it to be–
With an old, old, old, old lady,
And a boy with a twisted knee.

The boy would bend his face down
On his one little sound right knee,
And he’d guess where she was hiding,
In guesses One, Two, Three!

Capital Mom provides a theme each Friday for these Monday Moments. Others have written about their own moments. I also wrote about  Monday Moments.

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April 4, 2011 by Barbara.

When Reid was little, kissing involved a rounded mouth, usually drooling, an oddly-timed smacking noise, and love shining from her eyes. Who knows how babies figure out that kisses are all about the love?

Later, moments it seems but really months, magical kisses would wake Mama up. Mama would fall asleep at the most inappropriate times and with no notice. Mama, who managed to snore with an exhale that puckered her lips, loved these kisses.

Now, a big girl of six-and-three-quarters is becoming stingy with her kisses. Sometimes pure mischief shines from the eyes as the kiss happens. With a stuck out tongue in its midst. Drool again!

But the love is still there.

Capital Mom provides a theme each Friday for these Monday Moments. Others have written about their own moments. I also wrote about  Monday Moments.

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April 1, 2011 by Barbara.

When Brie mentioned starting a series of “Monday Moments” with a post about reading, I knew the moment I wanted to share and even the picture that captured the moment.

Since Grade 1 started, Reid has been spending more and more time reading. I can even write that without the quotes I would have added a year ago. She can now manage books with plots rather than heavily repetitive sentences. But the day in January, when she lay in the laundry pile with the book she wanted Ken or I to read to her and read it to herself instead was the moment I thought, “Hey, Reid can read!” Of course I grabbed my camera and captured it.

Parents could not have been prouder of their child than Ken and I were as Reid read Ella Sarah Gets Dressed that night.

Full disclosure: I never hit “publish” on this post until Friday.

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