Friday, January 2, 2009

An Introduction

We were on a honeymoon of sorts in Jamaica. It had taken us five years of marriage to scrape together the required cash, so "honeymoon" is a liberal term for it, but we were having the time of our lives. We played on the beach, sipped endless tropical drinks through straws, swam in the pool, played tennis, met some friends, and laughed. This is a very relaxed me on that heavenly trip.

A few weeks after we arrived back in the the still deeply frozen tundra called Vermont (our then home), I felt like I might die. Of nausea. I felt like I was trapped inside a milk carton that had been left in that Jamaica sun for quite some time. Peutrid. I started to barf, and..wait...what the???

Peter was vaccuuming when I told him I was pregnant. He looked at me, blinked twice *blink.blink* and kept vaccuuming. He crossed the floor with slightly more intensity and very straight rows. He frowned and squinted at the rug: no crumb was going to escape HIS hoover!

A few minutes later, carpets cleaned and dust settled, he found his wits and sat down next to me on the front step to help me find mine. Together, we rallied for this new adventure.

Enter Chloe, the beautiful wise baby who would take on the job of raising her parents with endless grace and courage. When she was born she looked at us, blinked twice *blink.blink* and started nursing.



I've said it before, but it's worth repeating: this child was born worldly and knowing. She had compassionate down before I did.



She feels things deeply and delights in all things new. She's a flower child living her life in the twenty-first century. She's "home" when she's ouside talking to the animals, admiring the moon and stars, or riding the waves.



Chloe is a writer and an artist. She finds endless joy in creating. And imagining. She's always wondering.

She has a great sense of humor, too. BOO!

Chloe's going to be ten in a few days. She must be exhausted from all the teaching she has to do for us every single day, but we'd like to think she's proud of her efforts. Molding your average people into parents is a tough, tough job.

Of course she's had a little help for the past six and a half years, but nonetheless, she's done a bang-up job. I'm very proud to know her.

21 comments:

DKC said...

What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful girl! Seriously, FM - she is gorgeous!

Happy Birthday to Chloe, may she continue to be a patient teacher.

Vodka Mom said...

Happy Birthday our lovely Chloe. May you continue to march to your own drummer, and be a spicy, lively, lovely enchanting girl!!!

happy, happy day!!!

Lori said...

Happy birthday to your girl. I have always said that my children raised me up to be the mom that I am. You are the first person I have heard say this so that's really cool. This was said so beautifully and really captures what being a mom means to you!

Leslie said...

I think I love that girl.

And don't kid yourself... YOU created that kid.
Well, there was a little help from a few endless tropical drinks sipped through straws. But they don't count for much.

Claudine said...

You have a lovely kid! Happy birthday to her...

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to Chloe! Beautiful post. :)

Zip n Tizzy said...

Lucky girl, lucky mom!
Sounds like you were made for eachother.
Happy Birthday Chloe. May it be as fabulous as you!

Michael Horvath said...

I say give her a raise!

Dibs said...

Happy Birthday Chloe!

May your next ten years be as blissful as the first.

anymommy said...

That was gorgeous. And so is she. Thanks for letting us know her a little. Happy Birthday, Chloe.

Errant said...

that girl u have is very very cute ..

ur husband reaction to the pregnancy news was so damn funny ..

Barrie said...

Good work, Chloe! Happy Birthday!

Kari said...

You are proud to know her. Wow, that is so beautiful.

I feel that way about my kids too.

Happy Birthday to Chloe!

Kari said...

p.s. I gave you an award. Check out this post:

http://ileftmyheartatpreschool.blogspot.com/2009/01/id-like-to-thank-academy.html

Happy New Year!

Kate Coveny Hood said...

What a beautiful tribute. She's lovely!

Lilly said...

Oh, that made me cry. Happy Birthday to Miss Chloe. What a beautiful girl she is too. May she always be a free spirit! And how lucky she is to have such wondeful parents too!

She is going to love reading this in years to come - the more I think of it the moe I think blogs are tuly fantastic time capsules of their own.

patty said...

I know from gorgeous kids.

And that's a gorgeous kid.

MsPicketToYou said...

she reminds me of someone I know...

Jen W said...

Awww Happy Birthday Chloe! She sounds wonderful!

Carolyn...Online said...

That is lovely and sweet and your kids are beautiful.

Vodka Mom said...

just checking on you girl.......