Jenna and I were about to leave Wal-Mart today, and I realized we forgot -- lost -- her stuffed Shamu. Somewhere in Wal-Mart ... with loads of children who could have claimed it as their own.
I told Jenna we had to find it. Walking back to our last stop down a beauty and health aisle, Jenna yells out, "Shamu!! Where are you??? Shamu is scared! We have to find Shamu! Shamu!!!! Where are you!?!?"
It immediately hit me: I am 36 years old. I am in a Wal-Mart at 10:30 a.m. on a Monday with a 3-year-old. And we are looking for Shamu. This is my morning. This is my life.
We found Shamu by the scarves. Jenna held him tight, scolding him for getting lost. I reminded her it was my fault (I was charged with holding him), but quickly reminded her that I saved the day and found him.
I am 36. Found Shamu. Daughter is happy.
Okay ... so what's worse?
A friend of mine and I were standing outside her house Friday afternoon, and following a conversation, we fell silent.
And stared at a sprinkler in her neighbor's yard.
She said, "Oh, what did you do at 2:30 p.m. on Friday in Columbus? Oh, we watched the sprinkler go back and forth in the yard."
My life.
I love my daughter, and my girlfriend.
Thank God for them.
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Jenna: When you come and pick me up from after-school care, and the girls go, "Jenna, your mom is here!! ... I wish they wouldn't do that." Me: Why? Jenna: Because I don't care.
Jan. 7, 2010
I talked to Jenna about stringing popcorn for the tree -- something I hoped she'd be interested in. When the weekend came, I asked, "Do you want to string popcorn this weekend?" And in her sweet, deadpan voice, she responded, "String them yourself."
Yeah, maybe next year.
Dec. 13, 2009
On Saturday, all I wanted to do was take a hot bath and relax. Car accident, strep, and my body was shot. So I'm in the bath, and 2 minutes later, Jenna comes in, sits on the edge of the tub, picks up a loofah and asks, "Do you want me to wash your back?" How do you say no to that? I sat there and said, "Jenna, thanks for taking such good care of me this week. "And she said, "Well ... it's what I do."
-- April 4, 2009
We walked out of a smoke-filled bowling alley (was there for a child's birthday party), when, in the parking lot, Jenna says, "It smelled like smoking crack in there!"
-- March 14, 2009, age 5
Pulling into a WalMart in an undesirable area in Montgomery, I offered strict instructions to Jenna to not leave my side and to hold my hand at all times. When we pulled into our parking space, I had already gotten out of the car when Jenna was still sitting in her car seat, belt buckled -- and it looked like she could care less. I raised my voice and asked her to get out of the car, and as we were walking to the front doors of the supercenter, she said, "Mommy, you're beautiful even when you get angry."
Nov. 2, 2008
Picking Jenna up from after-school care, I noticed she hadn't changed into her gymnastics outfit yet. She is changed into it every Monday so we can head straight to the YMCA after school. When I asked her why she hadn't changed yet, she answered:
"Because I'm not wearing panties."
"You're not?"
"Nope. I'm not."
And she was wearing a skirt.
Oct. 20, 2008
"Mom, I wish you were my age."
"Oh, thank you ... why do you say that?"
"Because then you can go to gymnastics class with me."
somedays, I could eat her up!
Sept. 22, 2008
"Mom, I made you something, but you can't have it until Mother's Day."
I said, "Great, Jenna, I can't wait for it."
She said, "When is Mother's Day?"
Sept. 10, 2008
"Mom, you're the (inaudible -- I thought she said 'neatest') mom!"
I said, "Oh, thanks, Jenna!"
"I said you're the weirdest mom, not something else!"
Jenna wrote on a school paper, "I can pail."
I asked her, "Why did you write that?"
She said, "It says, I can play."
I told her what it actually said, and she responded, "OH, I didn't know I could spell pail!"
"I can't wait to go to school today!" said Jenna, 1 minute after she woke up on the third morning of kindergarten.
About Us
- Raising Jenna
- United States
- Jenna: A 6-year-old full of wonder, love, spunk, smiles, knowledge, humor, sensitivity, laughter, tears, compassion.
Quotable
At the hospital with a temp that went DOWN to 102 degrees, Jenna was a little delirious. Doctor asked her, "Can you put a thermometer under you tongue?" And J looked at me. I said yes. She started taking off her sock, looking very puzzled. She thought the doctor said "toe."
Feb. 5, 2010
Jan. 7, 2010
I talked to Jenna about stringing popcorn for the tree -- something I hoped she'd be interested in. When the weekend came, I asked, "Do you want to string popcorn this weekend?" And in her sweet, deadpan voice, she responded, "String them yourself."
Yeah, maybe next year.
Dec. 13, 2009
On Saturday, all I wanted to do was take a hot bath and relax. Car accident, strep, and my body was shot. So I'm in the bath, and 2 minutes later, Jenna comes in, sits on the edge of the tub, picks up a loofah and asks, "Do you want me to wash your back?" How do you say no to that? I sat there and said, "Jenna, thanks for taking such good care of me this week. "And she said, "Well ... it's what I do."
-- April 4, 2009
We walked out of a smoke-filled bowling alley (was there for a child's birthday party), when, in the parking lot, Jenna says, "It smelled like smoking crack in there!"
-- March 14, 2009, age 5
Pulling into a WalMart in an undesirable area in Montgomery, I offered strict instructions to Jenna to not leave my side and to hold my hand at all times. When we pulled into our parking space, I had already gotten out of the car when Jenna was still sitting in her car seat, belt buckled -- and it looked like she could care less. I raised my voice and asked her to get out of the car, and as we were walking to the front doors of the supercenter, she said, "Mommy, you're beautiful even when you get angry."
Nov. 2, 2008
Picking Jenna up from after-school care, I noticed she hadn't changed into her gymnastics outfit yet. She is changed into it every Monday so we can head straight to the YMCA after school. When I asked her why she hadn't changed yet, she answered:
"Because I'm not wearing panties."
"You're not?"
"Nope. I'm not."
And she was wearing a skirt.
Oct. 20, 2008
"Mom, I wish you were my age."
"Oh, thank you ... why do you say that?"
"Because then you can go to gymnastics class with me."
somedays, I could eat her up!
Sept. 22, 2008
"Mom, I made you something, but you can't have it until Mother's Day."
I said, "Great, Jenna, I can't wait for it."
She said, "When is Mother's Day?"
Sept. 10, 2008
"Mom, you're the (inaudible -- I thought she said 'neatest') mom!"
I said, "Oh, thanks, Jenna!"
"I said you're the weirdest mom, not something else!"
Jenna wrote on a school paper, "I can pail."
I asked her, "Why did you write that?"
She said, "It says, I can play."
I told her what it actually said, and she responded, "OH, I didn't know I could spell pail!"
"I can't wait to go to school today!" said Jenna, 1 minute after she woke up on the third morning of kindergarten.
Jenna's music! Rock on!
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