When I heard the news that Mike Carson, my very talented son in law was doing designs for Hi Little One I was thrilled. Mike has been a part of our family for many, many years (Molly and Mike started dating as sophomores in high school). I started thinking about which Spirit Animal would match my kids eight personalities. I am using baby to toddler ages, they have all matured (some more than others), but it is only fair to use the same age range.
MOLLY: THE SCREAMER
Molly had colic. The first four months of her life she cried about 22 hours a day. We lived in an adult only apartment complex and the building managers were great friends of ours. When Molly was born, our house was not ready to move into and they allowed us to stay until the house was ready. So I walked her from 3 PM to about 5 AM every day, to try and keep her quiet so she would not disturb the other tenants. Jim would share a bit of it, but he had to go to the office and actually function, so I would nap when ever Molly did. She mellowed out and I think is out of the screamer mode, although I would have to ask Mike,the artist and her husband, if that is true.
MAGGIE: CAPTAIN SNOOZE
Maggie was the champion sleeper and after Molly's colic, it was a blessing. I had my appendix out 7 months into my pregnancy with Maggie. I don’t know if the anesthesia during the surgery had anything to do with it, but she was such a calm baby. I would have to wake her during every feeding and as she got older she would, on several occasions, fall asleep whenever she was. I always admired that until I got older and now it happens to me all the time.
KATE: QUEEN OF SECONDS
Kate was always a good eater. By the time she came along, our third child, dinner time was not so leisurely. Kate was accommodating, I put a spoonful in her mouth and nothing ever came back out. She was very quick and efficient and enjoyed eating. As she got older, she developed a major sweet tooth. When we would go up to the lake, to visit Jim’s parents, there were candy and cookies everywhere. We were not allowed to move it up out of the way, so the rule for Kate was, she could eat whatever she wanted, but at dinner she had to clean her plate. There were nights that I thought she was going to explode when I fed her the last bite. She has modified her eating habits, but unfortunately, I think she passed the sweet tooth to me.
TIM: LIL STINKER
Tim was the first boy; a new learning curve for our family. Tim had such exuberance for life, he was ACTIVE, a little naughty, but ACTIVE. When Tim was about 2, we took a wonderful trip to the Jersey Shore, (long before Snooki & gang). We rented a great house with my dad and family. We arrived and went directly to our area of the house to get into our suits and head for the beach. When everyone was ready, I said “Ready, Set, Go” with that Tim turned and ran smack into the corner of the wall, splitting his forehead open. At the emergency room, he was strapped to a board and stitched (8) up. No sand, No swimming/water, yes quiet time, for the rest of the week. This was not the last time this young man had stitches.
NELL: CAPTAIN SNOOZE
If you didn’t notice Captain Snooze is a Sloth. Nell was not a great sleeper, nor was she lazy, but she was and still is very, very slow. One would think that since she was born on her due date with a very calm birth experience for us both she would be on time and move with normal speed. When we would travel, she often got left behind at the gas station, restaurant, wherever because when we all got out she would take her time, sometimes not making it to the van when it left. If we are in a hurry, Nell’s speed actually slows down. Luckily she has always had long legs so she can make up a bit of time. She was always lovely inside and out, very talented in school and out, but oh so very slow.
DAN: LIL STINKER
Dan always had a spunky personality. He had a fine sense of timing, he could say something and get the rest of the kids fighting. Not fighting with him always, but with each other. That is actually a talent and Dan became good at a very young age. We always knew when he was upset. When Tess was baptized Dan 3 ½ years old, was upset with Fr. Tim Power, our priest, someone had to remove him from the room briefly because we thought he might take a little swing at Fr. Tim. Dan knew want he wanted and what he didn’t, he had a beautiful heart then and now, just spunky then and now.
SEAN: CAPTAIN SNOOZE
Like Maggie, Sean was a sleeper. I don’t know if he slept so much because then he couldn’t hear all the chaos around him. Sean was the happiest, sweetest little boy, so he got away with things the others did not. The older ones always pointed this out and still do to this day. When we went out to eat, didn’t matter what time of day, Sean would usually take a brief nap at the table. Sean was Tess’ champion, from the day she was born 17 months after him. He was her protector and he, of course, would nap when she did.
TESS: QUEEN OF SECONDS
Tess would eat anything. We had a Pantry cupboard that held all the food. From the time Tess was able to crawl and open the cupboard, she would get in and close the door behind her. Her reach was only the bottom two shelves. The only way we knew where she was, was the sound of crunching coming from the cupboard. The first preventive measure I used was moving all the cereal, crackers, cookies, etc. to the upper shelves, putting the dry noodles, spaghetti, flour and sugar on the bottom. When she started to enjoy the taste of the dry food. I took a scarier tack. Tim had a Dancing Flower (one that moved to any movement near it) Tess was terrified of it. I placed it on the shelf, the next time she opened that door, she screamed. Tess never went to the cupboard again.
Of course they all have a bit of each animal in their DNA, but there is not time or space to comment on it all.
