cast of characters

April 28, 2011 at 8:21 am (picture post, status report)

“Some women are dripping with diamonds. Some women are dripping with pearls. Lucky me! Lucky me! Look at what I’m dripping with…
Little girls!”

- Miss Hannigan (Annie)

Huginn, Muninn, and Me was born out of my desire to keep a record for my family of our daily fun and goings-on. A couple of years have passed, and my little family has already grown and changed so much. I now own two beautiful daughters, as well as three or four part-timers who, though they don’t actually belong to me, are nevertheless a huge part of our daily existence. Since I’ve also gained a collection of readers who don’t actually know us in real life,  I thought it was time for an introduction. . . This was not an easy post for me to write. These kids are my LIFE. I love each and every one of them, and distilling their very big and unique personalities into words has been nearly impossible. I can only hope that from these few words you will be able to glean some small and vague notion of who these little people are, and why I adore them all so much!

THE DAUGHTERS

These two actually belong to me, and they make up the eldest and the youngest of the daily crew, respectively. Half of the week they’re my only little girls, and the other half they share their home, their toys, and their mother with the Day Baby bunch. They love each-other dearly, and get along splendidly. . .most of the time.

T is for TEAGAN!

Teagan, (also called Teagle, Teaglepuff, Puff, Teaball, and just plain T) is the original reason for the existence of this blog. T will be turning four this summer, and she is her own little universe. A spirited thing, she dazzles with her smile, and can charm her way into anyone’s heart. Unfortunately, she’s also known for having a lightning-quick temper that often gets the better of her. In general, she’s a happy girl, whatever she may be doing. She delights in her Day Baby friends, and misses them on days when they don’t come to play. Teagan has always been a social butterfly, but she also needs solo time, and thrives on her own. She can amuse herself with nothing but her vivid imagination for hours on end. Her favorite toys are her kitchen set and her doll house, but she’s just as happy playing with a piece of string or a box, and I often tease that I’m not going to bother buying her any more toys. She loves cooking with me in the kitchen, is a fabulous helper when it comes to cleaning up, and adores any and all things artistic. She’s eager to please, and has always been a very well-behaved kid. As the eldest of the little ones, she’s used to being the unquestioned leader, and sometimes has a hard time accepting that the others also have minds of their own. Teagan is extremely emotional – always the first to laugh, cry, or throw a screaming fit (or all three within 20 seconds). Much effort has been going into learning how to manage those emotions, and she’s finally figuring out how to keep her feelings in check. She’s a bit of a tomboy, and loves to be outside running, climbing, and getting dirty, but she also adores her dresses and bows, and playing dress-up is one of her favorite pastimes.  Teagan was exceptionally quick to learn words as a baby, and has a vocabulary to rival kids much older than she – she’s actually kind of obsessed with learning long and ‘fancy’ words for things. She’s used to being regarded as one much older than three, and absolutely despises being told to do anything without an explanation that makes sense to her, or in any other way treated as a ‘child.’  She’s also a great big sister, she goes out of her way to include ‘her baby’ in everything she does (even things that Ro has no business getting into), and keeps an eye out for her smaller sib – especially when everyone is over. Only Teagan is allowed to snatch toys from Ro and make her cry, everyone else has to answer to her for messing with her sis. As is the case with most siblings, they have already shown that they can bicker and fight amongst themselves remarkably well, but for the most part co-exist happily, and nobody can make Ro giggle like her big sister can.

R is for ROWAN!

Rowan (also referred to as Ro, Robee, Rowee, Robaby, Robeast, the Roebegone girl, Supersonic Squeakatronic, Dewdrop, and HoneyDew. Teagan likes to call her Robe-a-dobe and Rowboat – I’m sure I’m missing a few, my kids have WAY to many nicknames) is the littlest of all. My BABY. She just had her first birthday, and feisty is the word to best describe her. Rowan is always in a hurry for everything, and wanted so badly to get into the chaos that comes on Day Baby days. She started moving and speaking in record time, and keeps up a constant stream of baby babble conversation throughout the day – including a startling amount of real words for her age. She has a fiery temper that comes naturally with her reddish hair (well, maybe it’s from her father), and never hesitates to scream bloody murder over the slightest infraction.  She is the nicest little thing when she wants to be, but will not hesitate to let you know the moment she is not well pleased. Ro is very much a momma’s girl, and is known for shrieking at anyone who dares to even look in her direction. She’s getting better about being social now that she can run away on her own two feet, and will occasionally consent to allow other adults to hold and play with her. . . if she feels like it. Ro is impossibly girly, loves wearing dresses (except when they interfere with her climbing skills), pretty shoes, and actually gets upset if she realizes that there isn’t a bow or barrette on her mostly bald head. She loves stacking things, putting things into and taking things out of other things, coloring with (and tasting) markers and sidewalk chalk, snuggling up with mom or dad, reading books, Yo Gabba Gabba, swinging, and pandas, and outside is her absolute favorite place to be. Ro has proven to be the most difficult baby to manage out of the bunch, but in a world dominated by bigger kids, she kind of has to be a bit more aggressive to avoid getting stepped on. Ro can be very jealous of my attention, and has been known to throw fits when other babies are occupying ‘her’ spot on my lap. All in all  she seems to genuinely enjoy the company of the Day Babies, and has a fabulous time when they’re around, but also likes it when everyone else goes down for naps and mommy is hers alone once again. Big sister Teagan is one of her very most favorite people in the whole wide world, and she lights up when T’s attention is turned her way. Nobody can make Ro giggle like Teagan can – or make her scream so loud!

A is for ALEX!

Alex, (also referred to as A, Daybaby A, and Lixy) is the second eldest of the crew. She was my second Day Baby, and has been coming here since she was somewhere around 8 weeks old. Her mother and I belonged to the same youth group as teenagers, and it’s been great to have her (and her little family) back in my life and get to know her as the wonderful mother that she now is. Alex is a joy to have around, and has been since the beginning. When she first joined our daybaby crew, she was the littlest, and held the title of ‘the baby’ for a very long time. It suited her, as she is a very snuggly and lovable little thing, and as an infant was always happiest when she was being held. That didn’t last very long, as Alex was in quite a hurry to be up and moving, and was walking before she was 11 months old! A is a mommy’s girl, and generally very shy around those she doesn’t know very well, but to watch her tearing around my house you’d never know it. She accepted me as a part-time day-mom just as readily as I ‘adopted’ her as my daybaby, and although she does cling to her mother sometimes at drop-off, there has never really been any drama when mommy actually walks out the door. Alex is always absolutely ready to play the moment the door closes behind her. Now a big girl of two-and-a-half, A is quite the little bundle of fun. I often refer to her as my ‘easy baby,’ and she really is in most ways. A tends to be fairly easy-going, and she and Teagan get along splendidly together. They do lock horns occasionally, as T is used to being the ringleader and Alex is very two and making her opinions known. Loudly. But for the most part, Alex is a sweetie. She hates to see any of her friends cry, and has formed a particular attachment to Rowan, whom she’s declared to be her baby sister, too! Alex is also very emotional, and though much of this has to do with the age, I think it’s mostly her personality. One must be very gentle with Alex, a nudge in the right direction is usually all she needs, and if you use too harsh a tone she will dissolve quite readily into a puddle of misery. But though she’s a softie on the inside, on the outside this kid is tough as nails. A daredevil from the moment she could walk, she’s known for getting herself into dangerous situations she KNOWS she has no business being in. Alex doesn’t do ANYTHING the safe way. If she’s jumping, she’s jumping off  bookshelves, if she’s on the rocking horse, she’s going fast enough to flip over, if she’s climbing she’s on the ceiling before you can blink. To make matters worse, she has a genetic predisposition toward clumsiness, and often injures herself doing ridiculous things like running into walls, tripping over air, and falling off nothing.

THE TWINS

The Twins (also referred to as The Girlses) were born just one minute apart, and will be turning two years old this summer! Coming in at barely five and almost five pounds at birth these two are still, quite literally, tiny tots. They aren’t much bigger than Rowan, but don’t let the  small size of these diminutive damsels fool you, they’re smart, and act every minute of their age. These little ladies joined the day crew at six months old, but they’ve been a part of our family from the moment they arrived in the world. Their parents and my husband have known each-other since middle school, they’re awesome people, and I love that I get honorary aunt status to their kids! I delight in my little nieces, and find the concept of twins, especially these twins, to be astounding. I never expected them to be exactly alike, but in everything from personality to appearances, these two are complete adorable opposites. They definitely keep me on my toes!

C is for CORDELIA!

Cordelia, (usually called Cordy or Baby C) is the eldest of the pair. She seems to know this instinctively,  and has taken on the role of big sister quite naturally. In general, she’s the little momma of the house, and ‘takes care’ of everyone. Cordy hates to see others upset, and will always offer. . . whatever random thing she can think of to those in distress. As eager as she is to please, she’s also the most mischievous and boyish of the bunch. She often will give a toy to a friend to cheer them, only to snatch it back and run away 5 seconds after they’ve stopped crying. . . which starts the cycle anew. One ought never to take their eyes off this little troublemaker (though she’d love it if you did), because she will be into something she shouldn’t be the moment you look away. Cordy was quick to move as a baby, and hasn’t stopped running since. She’s curious. About everything and anything – especially how far you will let her go before drawing the line. Her favorite activities include table climbing, trash can diving, and cabinet excavation. When she knows she isn’t allowed, Cordy just can NOT resist the compulsion to do it anyway! But as naughty as she can be, she’s a sweetie – always up for kisses and snuggles, and never holds a grudge (though she can sure get down on some tantrum action from time to time). Generally a very laid-back and easy-going kid, it takes a LOT to get Cordy in a bad mood, and one can always tell she’s feeling tired or grumpy when her fingers are firmly planted in her mouth.

J is for JULIETTE!

Juliette (also known as Jules, Julsie, or Baby J) is my little princess. It was not without a fight that she gave up her title of The Baby to Ro, and for many months I could often be found with one of them on each hip. A sweet little thing, and always ready for cuddles or story time, Jules lights up when the spotlight is on her. She’s tenacious, what she loves she fixates on completely, and it can be impossible to turn her attention. Some of the things she’s obsessed with are; things that rock/swing, bananas, Yo Gabba Gabba, shoes, books, and is an avid collector of various things. The collecting is an endearingly odd habit – whatever it is, if there are others like it – Jules has to have them ALL and will get quite upset if she doesn’t get her way. She adores shoes above all else, which might have to do partially with the fact that they come in sets. The brain to her sister’s brawn, she was the first of the pair to start collecting and using words. She’s also a little artist, and can happily play with markers (without eating them) for far longer than most kids her age. Jules is very temperamental, and likes to be treated with kid gloves. Once you cross her, it can take her a minute or three to get over it – but she always comes around before long. As a counter to her moods she comes equipped with a pacifier, once that sucker is in, she’s good to go and up for more fun!

A is for ABBY!

Abby is the newest and oldest by far of the Day Crew. She’s the twins elder sister, and will be turning ten this summer. She’s a bit of a rarity – we only see her on days that school is out, and even then only since this school year started, so Abby days are always fun days for the kids as our routines are tossed right out the window! I’ve never owned a nine year old before, and only barely remember being one, so I’m totally out of my element and never have any idea what I’m doing with this kid! She doesn’t seem to mind, though – she’s here by choice. Abby is a fabulous cross between child and almost-teen; old enough to have a conversation with and to help out with small tasks, but young enough still to have fun while playing with the toddler crew. Teagan adores her absolutely, and asks nearly every day when she’ll be over next. Ro also really seems to like Abby – and that is a pretty rare thing. Abby loves arts n’ crafts best of all, but also is a fan of role-playing – the dress up  bin, kitchen set, and puppet theater/store are where she seems to have the most fun. Super-sweet and considerate, she’ll do anything she can to make those around her happy. But, being the eldest in a world of tiny minions also tends to bring out the bossy side of her, and she sometimes butts heads with the littles or forgets she’s not the parent in the room. Abby is super high-energy and easily entertained, which is usually a great combination for a house (or backyard) packed with kids. Ab is quick to laugh – even at herself – but has a very sensitive nature. She tries not to show it, but her feelings bruise easily, and it can take her a little while to get her chin back up when she’s feeling down.