Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Birthday Story - Ingrid is Three

 Second Hand Story-Found Poem

Your birthday’s coming up, Ingrid.
 What, where Mama?  I just see clouds.
 No, Ingrid, I mean your birthday’s coming soon.
A few days-from now.
 Tomorrow?  When I wake up?
 No-in a little while.
 Maybe a big while, Mama?
 Yes, a few days, after school is through this week.
 After school, when we get home?
 No, after more days of school, at the end
of the week.
 What, when is the week end?
 Just wait, Ingrid, your birthday's coming up!

           After:
birthday to celebrate
cupcake monsters, piece of cake
gifts surprised and candles lit
blew them out and made her wish







And-Remember to check on the Poetry Tag Group shown at the right!  And find Jama Rattigan's blog post at Jama's Alphabet Soup  to discover so many Poetry sites in the kidlitosphere doing wonderful things!  Cathy, at Merely Day By Day, is joining Mary Lee, at A Year of Reading in a poem a day this month. Other daily poem writers include Amy at The Poem Farm, and Donna at Mainely Write.  Plus Greg Pincus of Gotta Book has just published his first E-book, The Late Bird.  Now he's celebrating by giving one away.  See the blog that tells all about it  here

25 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Ingrid

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  2. The simplicity of a child's mind is truly conveyed here and the patience of the care giver is unlimited. The pictures are pure art work, especially the second one. Beautiful. Never heard of a Second Hand Story Found Poem. I will have to look that one up. Thanks for reading my post even though it's not posted!! I started the seed idea in September and it's been sitting on my desk all this time. I thought spring was the best time to finish it finally. Too bad we just can't walk over to each other's homes to have a cup of coffee and conversation. You remind me so much of my dear Auntie Mary.

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    1. What do you mean, it's not posted, Tam? It came right up! I agree, it would be nice to have a morning cup together!

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  3. Conversations with 3-year-olds are my favorite.

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    1. It continues to be delightful every day. Thanks Juliann.

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  4. Oh, so sweet. Love the innocence, the earnestness of the child voice. Happy Birthday to Ingrid! Those cupcakes look good :).

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    1. I thought of you with the cupcakes, Jama. There were 3 kinds of cake & 3 different monsters. Thanks! Ingrid was so very excited!

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  5. This post is just full of sweetness! I love how they aren't even really sure of what a birthday is, let alone the concept of time.

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    1. And now perhaps she will remember, at least the candles & the cake. She actually wasn't too interested in the presents, but did want to play with the other kids. Thanks, Donna.

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  6. This reminded me of my roomie and her daughters. With her older one, she has to tell her how many sleeps there are until something happens.

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    1. What a great ideas, the concept of 'sleeps'. I'll pass that on to my daughter. Thanks, Deb.

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  7. I am enjoying each and every poem you share this month, Linda. And like Jama mentioned, the 'earnestness' of the child's voice is captured as well as their concept of time and length of days. To be that young again and wake up each day in fun-filled anticipation. Happy Birthday Ingrid!

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    1. Thank you Myra-she is a delight, & it's just wonderful seeing her trying to figure out her world, just as we do sometimes!

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  8. Love it. The mind is so literal at that (this - G will be three next month) age. I like the two 'voices' in the poem.

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    1. Thanks, Kristi. You know this conversation very well, don't you? Three year olds are so rapidly learning, yet there are still those abstract concepts that are elusive no matter how much explained. Have a fun birthday for your G, too.

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  9. The night before her party she said "Where are we going for my party?" and I said "People are coming here." She said "To my bed?"

    Her father said: "No Ingrid, we will NOT be hosting any parties in your bed."

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    1. Thanks, Sarah! With two daughters, I imagine Dave is already nervous, right? I hope Ingrid likes this little story about her special third birthday someday!

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  10. Adorable! I love how you captured that sweet exchange between your daughter and granddaughter. I imagine you received that story a through sweet mother/daughter exchange of your own. Sarah must be your daughter? Her comment is hilarious! I am fascinated by the way our minds work--at all stages.

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    1. Yes, Sarah is my daughter, & a wonderful one for sure. She is my storyteller most of the time about Ingrid, & she's a great storyteller too. Thanks Christy!

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  11. Oh, how I love the way three year olds think! I love her opening thought, "What, where Mama? I just see clouds" - from my vantage point, birthdays do drift by, like clouds! Your poem is precious; the photos are, too.

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    1. Thank you Maureen. I hoped you would stop by because I knew you would love this since you are the preschool expert. Birthdays coming up clearly mean "UP"!

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  12. Concepts of time and literal thinking, such big tasks for a three year old! Just loved reading this and the voices so clearly going in my head made it even better. Special little ending too. Looks like a sweet day for a sweetheart!

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    1. Thanks, Betsy. It is such fun to see those efforts at understanding, yet clearly she still wasn't getting it! She had a wonderful time at the party, however.

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  13. I enjoyed the way you showed both sides of this conversation. There is something exciting about a birthday when you are three. It can't come fast enough.

    Cathy

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    1. Possibly we thought that she shouldn't be told much at all. But there is also the fun of anticipation even if you don't quite understand. Thanks, Cathy.

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