Friday, February 27, 2015

A Day in My Life

I wrote the following for my audition piece for Volume VI of Sakura Bloom's Sling Diaries (yes, I am trying again- third audition!). I included a lot of photos, but I have shared some of those here, already.

It got me thinking about how I spend my days with Rue. Not just the overview, which I kinda tour in the piece I wrote, but the real nitty gritty of it. The sloppy hair, days spent in PJs & Ted's shirt, when "clean up those Cheerios you spilled" seems to translate to "eat those Cheerios off the floor"; the unglamorous day-to-day life that I find so magical with this kid. So I decided today to film it all, & then I edited the whole thing before dinner.

I wasn't sure I wanted to share what I had written, but I know one day, I will want to look back on this phase of my life & know that I embraced it whole-heartedly, with honesty & humor.

So, here is the audition piece:

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SnowDay2015-8

Your will is like steel, your temperament mercurial to say the least. I never know quite where I stand with you, & I find it all so thrilling & terrifying & awe-inspiring.
We never spend any two days in exactly the same way. Your Dada & I decided a long time ago that, because we have the luxury to follow your fluid internal clock, we should let you take the lead & follow where you take us. Some days, we are up until the wee hours, you & I, planting secret kisses on Dada’s cheek while he sleeps. The following mornings are usually later starters, with groggy still-in-PJ breakfasts. Other days, you decide not to nap, & you fall asleep earlier in the evening, only to wake up at 7am. Those mornings usually see you energetic & vivacious, while I impatiently eye the kettle, willing the water to boil quickly so the coffee can brew. No two days are the same, except for that they are always an adventure.
Some days, we stay home all day long. You play & nurse & we read books & watch Elmo sing songs on TV. We go outside & play or visit a park if the weather is nice. You find little treasures & I spin you yarns about the wee faery folk who wear acorn caps & flower petal gowns, or their modern friends who are made of bits of wires & metal beer caps & soda tabs that you also find dangerously alluring. You help me with my chores, tossing freshly laundered diapers into the dryer or snuggling up to me as we venture into the cellar to water the seeds for our coming garden.
watering seeds in the cellar-1
MyGym days are your favorite. You practice your “See-Saw” exercises all week long, & completely freeze up when it is time to do it in class. You currently love the ball pit, & giggle like a maniac when I bury you in the brightly hued plastic orbs. You love seeing your friends, but it’s your own reflection in the big glossy wall-mounted mirrors that you flirt with & kiss.
Other days, we go in to my office. I work while you play with your office stash of toys, or color Dancey Pants Disco coloring sheets I print out for you. Most of the time, you actually eat the crayons when I think you are working on your masterpiece. We go down to the gallery & you act the part of World’s Youngest Art Critic. You wax poetic about ceramic teddy bears & ponder modern abstract pieces. Any photographs or paintings of babies are heralded with your exuberant crow, “BAY-bee!” Your favorite “exhibit” is the driftwood in the fireplace, although it isn’t strictly part of the art at all.
Sometimes, you accompany me on a photo shoot. Your favorite clients are newborns. You tell them what to expect from the shoot, as my own little baby-babble translator. You point out the lights & your eyes get wide as you animatedly gurgle encouraging sounds to the infant (“These lights are nice & warm & they won’t hurt you at all, but make for great exposures!” I hear you say in my mind). You tentatively touch tiny toes with your fingertips & marvel at the tiny baby before you, who reminds me of the tiny baby you were not very long ago.
mamas little helper-1
Weekends bring leisure days with Dada at our side. We visit your grandparents, cousins, aunts & uncles, or friends. We see local shows at one of the many theaters your Dada & I used to volunteer at, or visit the National Harbor. We visit DC for the Cherry Blossom festival & spend time with good friends at National parks. Bonfires, playdates, musicals, one-acts, game nights, benefits & potlucks make up the bulk of our social excursions. Whatever the venue, you are the sweetheart of the soiree.
Our days are spent singing, dancing, & telling stories; crying, & throwing dramatic tantrums; loving & stressing & exploring the whole gamut of emotion. Every day is a complete carousel of life; a cycle of the heart. You fill my heart up to capacity, & drain me of energy every single day. I am so grateful to the little person you are, & all the challenges you throw my way. You make the everyday a tad more magical, a smidgen more whimsical. Any given day is a story, because you are my muse.
tiny terror-1

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While our day-to-day life really is comprised of listening to records, dancing, learning, eating, changing diapers, & doing chores... there is something so magical about seeing things through Ruby's eyes. Even the boring old things in my house that I see every single day. I hope that, in some small way, this video of our day today illustrates that. Despite the fact that I am honestly probably at my worst (thank goodness tonight is Friday night, & thus, a night I can shower), I find that I truly love what came together from our day of filming. I hope you find some whimsy in the realism, too.


A Day in My Life from Marizabeth on Vimeo.
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1 comment:

  1. I love it!! I definitely want to do something similar just for my own memories. <3

    ReplyDelete

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