Inspiration Strikes

Helena using her power to save a roly poly bug

I could blame my inability to stay on top of most revolving tasks on lack of time, motivation, or energy – it certainly wouldn't be for lack of material. Though I manage to update my notebook with various Helena-isms or events in her life practically daily, transcribing those scribbled notes into a worthy arrangement of paragraphs can prove all too cumbersome a feat. Especially once those quotes and updates begin to pile up onto each other. Then, where there was once a single milestone to document, there are now five, then ten... and before you know it, four months have passed.

In addition to today's post, I'll catch you up with a synopsis and some photos of the past few months, which you have missed during my absentia. The reason I found the inspiration to write today is that I saw something that I didn't want to dismiss from my memory and be scrambling to remember tomorrow. Not that I think I could forget an image so profound that introduced me to a side of Helena's personality that I hadn't witnessed before.

This morning, as I dropped her off at school, I stood on the sidelines as I watched her run excitedly toward the playground packed with as many children as it could possibly accommodate. But something different happened when Helena ran up, compared to when any other child wandered into the playground. As Helena approached, a little girl greeted her with a huge smile and a "HELENAAAAAAAA!!!!" She hugged the girl, who in turn hugged her back and then took her hand. Out of earshot, I couldn't hear how their conversation progressed, but I could see Helena pointing and directing the girl around the area. After only a few moments, this exact greeting and action occurred again. This time with a not-so-little girl. Yet she hugged Helena, took her hand, and allowed herself to be led around.

This happened not only twice, but three – THREE – more times after that. Not once did I see this kind of behavior spark around any of the other kids. Just random running and screaming and playing. And here was Helena with her little cult of children – most of them much bigger than her – and she was the ruler of all of them. When Helena pointed, the other kids looked; when she ran, the others followed quickly behind her. As she set her sights on one of the little boys from her class, she chased him up and down and around the playground... with a string of five other girls bringing up the rear. None of them were as quick as her, and a couple of the heavier girls gave up their pursuit as fast as they had begun. When Helena finally caught up with the boy, she grabbed his arm and attempted to pull him to the area in which her followers had congregated. The boy resisted, freed himself from her grasp, and ran away.

Helena then made her way over to me, and I asked her why she had chased Gavin that way. She simply said, "Because he is fun to chase." At this point, the collection of Helenaholics had also made their way toward us. One of the girls replied, "You can chase me, Helena. I don't mind." To which Helena retorted, "But you're not Gavin." And I commented on how she was only willing to chase the one boy who didn't want to be around her. And I couldn't help thinking.... Like mother, like daughter.

It was interesting to see the obvious influence and admiration Helena had garnered over a good portion of the kids she interacted with in only a 10-minute period of time. The attention and affection she commanded without an ounce of effort. It impressed me, to be honest. I am so intrigued to see how she will use this power as she grows.

My Kid is Cooler Than Your Kid...

... because my kid gets ready for school and remembers to grab her stuffed animal, but forgets her bookbag.

Helena-ism 346

While recording messages through an app on my phone:

Me: "Give Charlie a chance to say something."

Helena: "Not in that language."

(Referring to Charlie's super cute jibberish babbling.)

Helena-ism 345

"Out here it smells like sweet candy. In there, it smells like a dead animal."

(Referencing the bathroom stall she just came out of.)

Helena-ism 344

While running Helena into class before the tardy bell:

Me: "Phew! I'm outta shape!"

Helena: "What?! You lost your shapes?? Don't worry I'll help you find them when we get home."

Helena-ism 343

Jordon: "Sheesh, she's just a plethora of questions today."

Helena: "Nooooo... you're a question cafeteria!"

Playing Catch-Up

Well, I have just been horrible about staying on top of this blog. I have it on my to-do list pretty much every day, but it finds its way further and further down my ever-expanding queue. Ironically, most of those things have to do with Helena. But without further ado, I will get to all the hellcat news you have been waiting so patiently for.

Last month (it already feels like so long ago), my little sister, Lauren, and her baby girl, Charlie, came out to Arizona for a visit. It was some of my favorite days since I've moved here nine years ago. Wait... did I just say NINE years?! Wow, that is crazy. I honestly hadn't realized it until I just now counted the years – on my fingers, of course. During their time out here, Helena and Charlie were inseparable. They had slumber parties every night, wore matching outfits, made a stuffed animal pet store (I'll never forget when Charlie pointed out a horse and said it had a "heart on", but it sounded like "hard on"), they watched a documentary on turtles (and both started crying when they realized that most baby turtles die by predators on their journey from the sand to the ocean), they even got in the freezing cold pool. It's true, Charlie got a little too ballsy and nearly sunk to the bottom twice. Luckily, Lauren was waiting to save her, and shortly thereafter we picked up some water wings for her. We got to celebrate Charlie's 3rd birthday while they were here and we had a belated family birthday dinner at one of my favorite restaurants downtown, The Parlor. To draw the trip to an end, we had a final bash in their honor and screened the movie "Heathers" on the projector outside by the pool. We customized the food to suit the references in the movie, and took a crack at potato croquettes which came out AMAZING!

Birthday Pancakes for Baby Charlie



I should mention they were actually drinking grape juice


Apprentice snake handlers


Two kids in a candy store


Looking through the hole in the rock

Charlie, ya got a little something on your face...

Our Going Away / Heathers Party

Family Dinner at The Parlor


As they left, and Spring Break was over, reality ensued and Helena, Jordon, and I were alone again and back to our normal routine. While having one of our regular dinners, Helena would share with us the usual type of conversation that she generally does.

"Gavin and Ryder were saying mean things about girls."

"What were they saying?"

"That girls have cooties. (I'm going to interject to say that I didn't realize that this was a thing kids actually said) And Gloria and I were running after them and trying to catch them, but they kept running away. And we kept chasing them and even grabbed their shirts to make them stop running, but they kept running. We tried to tell them to stop so we could talk to them, but they WOULDN'T STOP!"

"Well, what was so important that you were trying to tell them?"

"We were trying to tell them that it isn't nice to run away from people when they want to tell you something."

Yep, wrap your heads around that one, folks. That's all she had to say. Stop! I'm trying to tell you that it's not nice to not stop when someone has something to tell you, but I don't have anything to tell you besides just that, so now you may continue running. So priceless.

Our routine isn't all the same though. Hellcat and I have started waking up a bit earlier than usual, so we can sneak in some time to swing by Jamba Juice before heading to school. This has made her excited beyond belief. After the first day we did it successfully and I agreed to do it the next day, I woke up at 6:00AM – when my alarm doesn't go off until 6:45 – to a fully dressed and alert Helena asking me for her smoothie. It was the most seamless morning of getting ready and getting her out the door that we have ever had. I only wish every morning could be like that. But, I suppose, breaking routines is part of the excitement of our days. Who knows what tomorrow will be like? I don't, but I can't wait to find out. You probably won't because I stink at updating this blog. ;)