Celebration, FL
November 3, 2009
Dear Sammy,
Mommy said you have two teeth! (You actually have ALL your teeth, but she can only SEE two).
That is a life process you know – cutting teeth – Some people think the phrase means to learn something new before becoming recognized as successful in it, but we are more than our successes, Sammy, so I say "cutting teeth" means letting what is hidden inside become visible. I took a writing workshop this weekend where we "cut our teeth" as writers by remembering stories of our long agos and far aways. (You will learn about "Long ago and far away" fairly soon as your parents read a lot and many of the books they'll read to you will begin with those words.)
Your parents are probably giving you chew toys to make your mouth feel comfortable while your teeth appear. Grownups "chew on ideas," and the leader of the workshop said the best ideas come from the heart. To find our hearts, we wrote fairy tales and tasty descriptions of moments in our lives. At the end of the day we all knew that we have many stories hidden inside of us, if we choose to let them out.
I think you are figuring out what it means to choose. I saw a picture of you smiling as you spit out peas, and a video of the kicking game when you looked at Daddy's camera each time before you laughed and kicked with Mommy. I also heard about how you cry when you're not ready for a nap. This a testing time for you and your parents: they'll test food and bedtime schedules, and you'll let them know if they passed by what you do.
They are "cutting teeth" as parents, so do be gentle with them. Every day will be new to you, and to them, and some days will go by very fast, and others slow (like when you don't feel good and they can't fix it.) and there will be times like this weekend when a season changes, a holiday is celebrated, you outgrow clothes and cut more teeth and when it's over all any of you want to do is rest.
When Mommy was little we called rest time "private and alone time." Trust her when she tells you that "Even if you don't sleep, private and alone time is good for you." It's in those moments that what we want to remember of each day becomes a part of of our heart. Begin a "private and alone time" habit now, Sammy, and maybe someday you'll discover that your "Long agos and far aways" are stories YOU want to tell.
Love,
Marmee
1 comment:
Wonderful post, Beth. I remember when my boys each cut their first tooth, oh what a time. Everyone was so unhappy, but what an accomplishment. Then they never looked back.
Sammy, you are getting so big now, and your Marmee knows so much and is so wise, listen to her, she will be of wonderful help to you as you grow. She will also be a terrific friend to you when you need one and a great person to go to when you need some of that "private and alone time", she can help you think things out... she has always helped me!
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