When I was a child I used to play this game with my Mother. I'm sure many Mothers play this with their children. I would take the deepest breath I could, expanding my rib cage and stomach to full capacity. Then I would exhale it all in the longest "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" my tiny body could manage. My Mother would sit beside me. Rapidly, but gently, she would tap my mouth with her hand. My long "Ahhhhhhhhhh" was transformed into a staccato refrain of "Wa-wa-wa-wa-wa." This fascinated me. The fact that my body would make sounds I didn't intend to make based on external actions was such an interesting phenomenon to me. I could play this game for hours. And my Mom WOULD play it for hours. Looking back I wonder how she could stand it. It had to become tedious for her after the first two or three hundred times. But she played it with me, and I loved every second of it.
When Pork Chop was an infant my mother tried so very hard to teach her this game. But Pork Chop was not having any of it.
The same goes for Meaty.
And Bird.
No one wanted to play this silly beloved game from my childhood with Grammy.
I had all but forgotten the game.
Enter Sweet Pea, stage right.
Earlier this week I went to get her from her crib after her nap. She was lying in her crib playing this game all by herself. Such a flood of memories filled my heart as I lifted her into my arms and kissed those perfect cheeks. We played that game all afternoon.
And we've been playing it all week. Every time I hear that sweet baby "awwwww" turned into "wa-wa-wa-wa-wa" followed by giggles I feel my Mom near me. Sometimes I feel like she is right beside me, watching over my shoulder. Watching my baby smile and loving my baby. Watching me be a parent and feeling love and pride in me. So very close.
Sometimes I feel like she is just waving at me from across a long room, too far to touch, to far to really say anything that would be heard, just waving, with a smile.
Always with a smile.
I miss her and I'm loving this gentle reminder of Mom and her living legacy.
What are you loving?
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Francis Revisited
BFF Cowl
Dad's Aran Sweater
NEGLECTING MY KIDS
Finding new ways to ensure my children will need therapy, one day at a time
3 comments:
vAwwwwww....I love doing that too. But we'd bounce on my dad's knee and get a similar effect.
I'm loving tickling Moochie's feet and getting near-smiles!
Right now Im not loving much, my cousin Jen just passed 2 days ago suddenly from a massive stroke, she was only 21~one of the twins, not sure if you remember them. She was an organ doner so I guess you could say some good came out of it.
Cherish each day with your children! I know I am from now on...more so than before. Miss you!
gaddagI am loving my girls and this post. You are a amazing mom.
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