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December 2004 Dear Santa: I’m writing to confirm my order for toys - preferably things that I can chew. Those blasted teeth are in there somewhere, and it sure helps to have something to gum! Just in case you forgot, my name is Zeta Michelle. Pronounced “Zay-ta” (or just call me “Z”), rhymes with Beta and Theta. Call me “Zee-ta” and Daddy will shoot you a dirty look. Mom gave him the Book of 20,000 Baby Names, and he took his task very seriously. Mom campaigned for several more mainstream labels, but Dad held out. I assure you that I’ve been very good this year. How much could a girl mess up in eight short months of life, anyway? I started sleeping 7+ hours by 3.5 months. I eat well, sleep regularly, and smile constantly. I did attempt to mess up my parents plans for my birth, I admit, by putting Mom into labor a day earlier than scheduled. Since we knew that I would enter the world via the method of Cesar, Dad had it all planned. He hand-picked an OR team of friends/experts to help Mom’s OB bring me into the world. But, three well administered drugs stopped the contractions, put out the pain, and gave Mom her last night of uninterrupted sleep for a while. I was born on April 2 - as planned (guess that was my first lesson that I’m not in charge). Mommy cuddles me and tells me I complete the family. We came home on April 5 - exactly one year to the day that Mom had the D&C for her third and last miscarriage. All things work together for good in God’s time, Mom was reminded. Big sister, Lauren, is sending you her own letter. But, just in case, let me remind you of her wishes. Lots of playdates - she’s high energy and very social, and I’m just now getting to be a companion for her. Continued 3days/week, 4.5 hours/day of pre-school - the computer, art, Spanish, Japanese, Karate, library, dance, and music curriculum challenge her and keep her busy. A dictionary and encyclopedia might be helpful as Mom is often pushed to come up with all the definitions and explanations that very verbal, always curious, somewhat precocious Lauren requires. “Ask you father when he gets home” and “They’ll teach you that in school” just aren’t sufficing. Daddy, after celebrating his big 4-0 in October with a limo ride and an intimate dinner for eight, is requesting his old body back. He’d like to go back to being able to lose weight more easily and having more energy. Rocking chairs and Geritol are just around the corner! He’d also like to continue his hunting trips, Santa. His annual pheasant hunting trip to Uncle Rodney’s is still a highlight. He’s really been great this year, Santa, and we three girls love him dearly. With my arrival, Mom’s asked a lot more from him. He’s an expert bath giver, teeth brusher, story narrator, dad who taketh the kids from Mom to run errands or jog along the Portland waterfront, and provider extraordinare (he racked up 1400 units during a couple of months this year).
Mommy has asked if you could make permanent her ability to “kiss it and make it better”. She’s terrified of the day when she’s not the answer to all my sister’s and my problems. The wish list of a Mom of two energetic girls includes: the Patience of the Saints especially when she’s doing the “get them to bed dance” by herself at the end of a long day and Daddy’s on call, the Wisdom of Solomon to answer Lauren’s never ending stream of questions, eight hands of the octopus to juggle each day’s activities, Martha Stewart’s craft-making ability to entertain us, and more hours in her day to accomplish all the necessary tasks and find time for herself once in a while. Finally, she’s still searching for that stash of bon-bons and the Soap Opera channel (as opposed to Dora the Explorer) that is promised to all stay-at-home moms. She cherishes her “Girls’ Nights Out” and the times spent with the “Mommy/Lauren’s Play Group” - those special Moms who have walked every step of “First Time Moms Street” alongside her, holding each others hands as they worried, laughed, cried, and sustained each other over these past four years. They deserve whatever they ask for, Santa! Under the tree, all my grandparents would like passes for more family vacations, I think. In January, twelve of us (me, safely tucked inside Mom) flew the friendly skies to Maui to celebrate Grandma and Grandpa Ngo’s 60th birthdays. While they admitted to complete exhaustion by the end of the trip, the Grandparents swear it was the best vacation of their lives watching the grandchildren play at the beach and ordering hot dogs, poolside. 23 Vizcarra’s et al road-tripped it up Canada’s Whistler Mountain in August to celebrate Lolo & Lola’s (what we call Grandparents Vizcarra) 50th Anniversary. It was non-stop activity - hiking, ATV-ing (Lauren was the smallest child the guides had ever taken to the top), rafting, zipping (from cables strung between trees 300+ feet in the air), etc. Remember our two mini-dachshunds, Gretchen & Hunter, Santa? Besides their usual treats, they’ve asked if you could find someway to make Oregon a bit warmer and cut the rain some, too, so they could spend more time outside. It would make it more pleasant if you could supply Lauren with some other creature to tie ribbons on and feed pretend food to. I heard them whispering to each other about hoping you could find a way to get me to stop chasing their tails and grabbing those shiny ID tags dangling there, just calling out to me. Notice there’s no complaining about the food we drop..... When you make stops in Iraq and other conflict zones (that includes Washington DC!), give our thanks, Santa, to our leaders and military personnel who continue to fight to ensure our safety and freedom. For all our dear friends and family, Santa, could you please deliver to them our love and appreciation for the good times we’ve shared this year. The four of us discovered the special joy of spending time with other families on vacation, exploring pumpkin patches, trips to the zoo, dining in restaurants, BBQs, attending birthday parties, hanging out in their homes, and inviting them to kick back and relax in ours. We’re putting all the Christmas cards, pictures, and letters we received this month in a basket. In 2005, we’re going to pull one out each day and pray for that family, that we may each slow down, let go of the small stuff, focus on our numerous blessings, worry and complain only about the things we truly have control over, and find the peace and contentment that God wishes of each of us. |
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Updated 2005/02/09 12.30a |
