Annada Marie Vergo

Learning to skate

My theory is that Floridians overcompensate for the lack of snow at Christmas. Lights, fake snow, 4 real skating rinks, about 12 versions of the Nutcracker, zillions of Christmas parties… we celebrate!

We went to my team party Thursday, Marc’s team party Friday morning, a company party Friday night, breakfast with Santa at the YMCA Saturday morning, took Sunday and Monday off (not for lack of options), went to 2 parties today and will take Annada to see Santa at my chiropractor’s office tomorrow. Annada has started asking before before bed “What parties will we go to tomorrow, Mommy?”

At this morning’s party the big surprise was… “ice” skating in 80 degrees! Annada has been asking to go ice skating so it was an awesome treat. I wasn’t sure if she would really enjoy it, but she did great. Marc and Annada skated on basically a giant cutting board sprayed down with water. It worked well except for the people trying to do jump turns. I think she would probably do great on ice.

Annada guessed there would be music at this party, so she decided she wanted to wear her “singing outfit” (self-named) and sing at the party. (Just to be clear, this was 100% her idea.) She was a little miffed they had music playing with singers already on. But then the power went out and she got a chance to sing. She got a little song and dance out then seemed to change her mind. A few minutes later I took her back to my desk so I could sit down.

She curled up under my legs. I asked what was happening. She said there were too many people and she wanted to hide for a while. We were both very content for about 5 minutes, just sitting by ourselves, recharging. Once she was done though, she went back out and didn’t want to leave even when people started cleaning up!

Friday night’s party was even more fun – they had bubble snow and a real snow area to play in! Annada and I hung out in the bubble snow for about 20 minutes. And the snow area… Annada immediately started a snow ball fight. She could not stop grinning as she picked up snow and aimed at us. I think she only had a 3 minute turn, but I am glad because I couldn’t breathe I was laughing so hard.

This face means trouble!

In between the parties, Annada has been wound up but so much fun. We told her it was her job to care for the nativity sets. So every day she spends about 30 minutes setting up elaborate stories combining the pieces of different sets. Todays story centered around everyone taking turns to see the baby Jesus. All the people lined up for their chance.

She also has a paper chain counting down until she sees Grandma and Grandpa, a Christmas countdown and special ornaments we put on the tree. We fill them with popcorn and she hunts for them. Once she’s eaten the popcorn she puts them on the counter for us to refill.

Today after rest time she told me she wanted to play God. “Be dead in the tomb,” she told me. “My bed is the tomb.”

I laid down and she told me she was Mary. She went to the bathroom and filled two bowls with water and came back to wash my body. Just as she got close I sat up and said, “Mary, I am alive! Now you can live with me in heaven forever.”

Annada gave me a long hug. Then she walked away and paused for a moment. She walked back and gave me another long hug and another.

“What do you think God would tell me?” Annada asked. “I think He would say, ‘I love you with a never-giving up, always and forever, unbreakable love, Annada. I made you on purpose and you bring me joy.'” I told her.

Annada curled up in my arms for a long time and just sat there.

After a few minutes her mischievous smile came back and she started climbing all over me pretending I am a jungle gym. The moment was over but I always wonder what she is thinking in those times.

Beginning to understand the overcompensating?

Annada thinks a lot about her baby brother/sister too. She picked out a stocking for the little one and has already started saying things like “next Christmas we will have a baby!” She talks and sings to my belly.

At night she often prays that the baby would be born tomorrow. I’ve explained that it is better to wait until the baby is done growing in my tummy. So now she prays “God, please make the baby grow really fast so he can come out tomorrow!”

(PS: I’ll keep updating this post, there is a lot missing!)

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