Ari-licious

I've been back in the US with my daughter Ari for almost a week now, and her sleep schedule needs fine-tuning. She is very attached to me, which is great, considering that she hated me for the first four days of our togetherness.

Luckily, she's sleeping now, which is why I am able to put a posting up. I could be smart and nap like most parents, but if I don't write, I get a tad ansy. Still, she looks so precious when she sleeps.



The biggest hurdle -- I'm sure that won't surprise any parent -- is bedtime. She's a happy kid: until she is placed in her crib. Then she screams, wails, and cries, and I then go through all the self-doubt every parent goes through. I do my best to comfort my little one, but I'm getting the message loud and clear: being a parent is the hardest job on Earth.

However, even though my daughter seems strong-willed, stubborn, and very difficult when it comes to bedtime, I keep reminding myself of the many wonderful qualities she has, and that is what I want to share at this time.

Ari is a beautiful, sweet girl whose frequent smiles light up a room. She also laughs a lot, and although she mostly babbles, she sings a lot, especially when being strolled. I enjoy hearing her cute "la la la la's." Rather than sing her lullabyes, I sing her a rated G version of "Beast of Burden" and "Smoke on the Water," as well as "Turn the Beat Around." She loves them!!

My daughter is smart -- she catches on easily. She hits the rhythm and tones of the aforementioned songs on key.

She imitates everything and has a great appetite for anything edible (we ate mule in China, which is fitting because sometimes she, like any toddler, is stubborn as one). She doesn't complain about what I put in her mouth. She has eaten pot stickers, sushi (without the raw fish), beef and noodles, and just about every fruit known to humankind.

Her strong-willed nature is a characteristic I admire because I'm strong-willed myself. Like me, Ari won't tolerate nonsense, and she will let you know that she's not happy with you. While she smiles readily, people she doesn't know must earn that smile or laugh from her. That just means she is good at judging character.

Overall, I've got a great, happy-go-lucky kid, who loves to play, laugh, and smile. See the following pictures for a look-see at her terrific personality.















Beth L. Gainer is a professional writer and has published numerous academic and magazine articles, as well as an essay on her breast cancer experience in the anthology Voices of Breast Cancer by LaChance Publishing. She writes about medical advocacy at www.bethlgainer.blogspot.com, and her cat Hemi blogs at www.catterchatter.blogspot.com. Beth teaches writing and literature at Robert Morris University in the Chicago area. She can be contacted at bethlgainer@gmail.com and gainercallingtheshots@gmail.com. She also blogs on the adventures of her cats, Hemi and Cosette, at http://www.catterchatter.blogspot.com./.