Category: Daughters

Last night MDF taught CEF some new words. We were playing on the couch and I was holding a stuffed dog and making barking noises. CEF couldn’t tell if it was a real dog barking or not and was looking around saying, “Dixie.” So I whistled for Dixie to come join us (she was sleeping in the bedroom).

When Dixie got to the living room, I petted her and told her she was a good dog. CEF slid off the couch to pet too, and MDF joined in saying, “Good girl.” CEF looked at her for a moment and then patted Dixie and said “Gaa Gaa.” MDF started laughing and CEF just grinned.

A few minutes later we went back to the bedroom to show CDF. MDF did it first and then CEF took out her pacifier, leaned over to pat Dixie, and said “Gaa Gaa.” She would have kept on doing it for a while if we hadn’t pulled her away to go read bedtime devotions.

CDF has been taking pictures in preparation for sending Christmas cards. We set up our tree last weekend, and it has served as the background for most of these pictures.

MDF and CEF on the Couch

For the most part, the both are good subjects in front of the camera. CEF has learned that she can see the result on the back of the camera, so she usually jumps down as soon as the picture has been taken and runs over to the camera to say “ohhhh.”

In Front of the Tree

MDF generally does a good job posing. Sometimes she likes to try new things.

Just MDF

But it can be difficult getting both girls to look and smile at the camera. This last picture was actually the first one we took. If only we had known it was the best we took, we could have skipped the frustration of taking all the rest — actually there were a couple other good ones, but most of them had CEF looking at me instead of the camera.

Everyone at the Tree

Tonight as we were getting MDF ready for bed, she had to have a bandaid put on her leg. While CDF put it on they talked about when she used to be a nurse. Later MDF told me about it.

“Dad, did you know that Mama used to be a nurse?”

“Yes, I did.”

Looking thoughful, she asked, “Did you used to be a doctor?”

I laughed, and said I have always worked on computers.

“She’s not a nurse any more,” MDF continued, “now she’s just a mama.”

Today for MDF’s birthday CDF and I took her to Wilmington as a special thing for just the three of us. We went to Greenfield Lake to walk around, play at the play ground and “hunt for alligators.” We actually saw an alligator when we went over the big footbridge on the north side of the lake.

Alligator Goes By

Enjoying the Park

After the park we went to Chic-fil-A for lunch. MDF played in their play zone too. Then when lunch was over we went back across Market Street to Walmart and let her pick out something to buy as a birthday surprise. From Walmart we went over to Cold Stone Creamery and got ice cream. MDF picked strawberry ice cream with M&M’s on the top. CDF got cheesecake with Snicker’s bars mixed in.

A Surprise Present

Then after we got home, and MDF had a short rest time, she and I went for a bike ride on her new bike! She did great — exept for when she almost crashed head first into a big ditch, before she learned about brakes. Later this afternoon we went back out on the street, this time I pushed CEF in the stroller, and she rode without incident, having learned how to work the brakes.

Ready to go for a Ride

Right before bedtime prayers, CDF and MDF usually talk about their favorite and least favorite things that day. Sometimes MDF will ask me too. Last night she told me that the worst part of the day was when “Mama mowed my cattail.” She had a sad look on her face, but I had to try hard not to laugh.

MDF likes to pick the cattail seed heads that grow in the ditch on the north side of our driveway (actually they are closer to Huntingtons where the ditch gets lots of water and sun). This year there have been very few, mainly from the mowing and weed-killer that the city has used to keep the ditches clear. So a week or so ago I picked the last stalk for her, she played with it a while but then left it on the front sidewalk.

So when CDF was mowing the front yard yesterday evening she didn’t see the catttail in time until a plume of seeds started spraying out from under the mower. Then she looked over and saw MDF crying. They did go to see if there were any more growing in the ditch, but there was not.

I told MDF that we’d ride the bike this weekend and see if we could find any more cattails.

Saturday morning I took the girls to the Burgaw park. I hooked the bike trailer up to my bike and we rode over. I was a little hesitant about riding on Freemont Street, but I found that I had plenty of room on the side of the road and even if one wheel went in the grass, I didn’t notice it much.

When we got to the park we found that the church across the street was having some sort of revival, and there were a number of youth groups parading from the pavillion down the street ot the church steps. MDF and CEF watched from the jungle gym, and while CEF danced to the parade music, MDF was discussing how she would like to join the marchers.

A little while later we went to the swings. The parade was finished and they were starting to have people perform on the street. A man set up two congas and played for a while. MDF and CEF both just watched and smiled.

Yesterday we went to a Portrait Innovations studio in Mayfaire to have CEF’s one-year-old pictures taken. While we were in the studio, CDF stood CEF for a picture and stepped away while the lady shot. CEF stood still for a moment and then put one foot out and took a step. The lady continued to take pictures as CEF took another step and then fell to a seated position. That second step was one of the poses that we ordered.

CEF can say some “words” now, including:

• Mama
• Dada
• Ba (for MDF)
• Dix or Da (for Dog)
• Bye bye
• Thank you
• and most recently: Uh, oh

She also laughs and babbles a lot — and screams when she doesn’t get her way.