Claire Turned Seven and Mommy Blew It

Dearest Claire,

Please pay no attention to the date on this post.  I know that your birthday was a week ago.  I'm sorry to be posting this so late.

School Picture

On Thursday, your actual natal day, I worked, and then we went out for dinner.  You chose Pizza King where they have trains to deliver your drinks - not because it's your favorite, but because you knew it would delight your brother.  That sums up the kind of kid you are nicely.  You are always thinking of other people, and rarely think of yourself first.  I think that's a really rare quality in a 6 or 7 year old!

On Friday a bunch of your friends came home from school with you, and we had cake and ice cream and watched Frozen and played video games.  You have such wonderful friends, and everyone was super good and we all had a wonderful time.

Friend Party - slightly blurry

Saturday we had your "family party," including both the family we were born with and the family we've chosen.  Then Saturday night I had a party to go to, we had a reunion in Zionsville on Sunday, we went to Grammaland Monday (it's spring break), I worked Tuesday and Thursday, we had a bunch of errands to do on Wednesday...  Which brings us to today and here I am, FINALLY getting around to your birthday post.

Family Party

Frozen has been really popular all winter, and you got two sets of the "Elsa and Anna" Barbie dolls for your birthday.  I've been SO PROUD of the way you've shared them with your sister.  You've been extremely generous and kind to her.  Again, that's just the kind of person you are.

Even though you spend so much of your time worrying about other peoples' feelings, you're not a doormat! When you play you are a real leader, often scripting the dialogue between dolls and telling the other kids what you want them to say.  It makes me wonder if you're going to be a scriptwriter, or maybe the CEO of a huge corporation when you grow up.  Because you balance being compassionate and caring with being assertive, people are always willing to go along with what you want to do. 

The First Warm Day of the Year at the Park

You have gotten really into video games this year - you and Mary Grace play Wii Infinity almost every day.  I will confess that I have no idea what it is that you do with the Infinity.  To me it looks like the characters just run around an island, climbing things and jumping down.  I must be getting old, too, because I just don't get the appeal.

You started piano lessons this year, and you really love it.  I often have to chase you away from the piano because it's time to get ready for school, but you'd rather be playing.  I hope you keep that commitment to practicing as you get farther in your learning.  I love to hear the house fill with music.

Dr. Seuss's Birthday

We're so proud of you, Claire.  You're such a fun, caring, loving person.  I can't believe you're already 7 years old.  Try not to grow up too fast, ok?

Christmastime at Grandma Susan's

Here's the checklist I started when you were a baby:

Your favorite toy for playing is: Wii Infinity, Barbies

Your favorite toy for snuggling is: Biscuit went missing this year!  :(  You most love to snuggle with Jack

Your favorite food is: "Panda Chicken" (orange chicken from Panda Express), and crepes with Nutella

Your favorite book is: You've been reading The Hobbit with Daddy.  You read a hundred books this school year!  

Your favorite activity is: Wrestle Night 

Your favorite place to go is: Chuck E. Cheese and Dave & Busters

Your best friend is: Jack, Mary Grace, Jocelyn, Emma, Caitrin, Juliet, and Cameron, and UNCLE CHUCK

Something new that you're doing: playing piano

Something you've mastered: fashion - you have a strong sense of your own personal style

Something people say about you:  People are always telling us how kind you are to all the kids around you

.

Something that you're saying is:  Last year I wrote, "you're SINGING.  You are really good!  You have a natural ear for music.  I can't wait for you to start piano lessons next January.  You're going to be amazing."  I'm proud to report that you're still singing and you love playing piano, just like I knew you would!

Something Dad and I are proud of you for: your selflessness

Something surprising about you: you are very, very consistent.  Some of the answers on this checklist have been the same for years and years!  (I'm leaving this one, also, because it's still true!)

We love you, Claire Bear!

Love,

Mama

Happy Birthday Kate!!!

Dear Kate,

You are ONE!  I just can't believe it, because this...

...seems like just yesterday.

All babies change and grow so much during their first year of life, and you are changing and growing faster than I can keep up.  You were a very early walker - starting at 9 or 10 months old.  I loved watching your face when you were beginning to walk, because you were just so tickled with yourself.  "Look at me go!" you seemed to say.  

You are such a good girl.  You're a great sleeper (a very important quality in a baby) and a wonderful eater!  You LOVE food.  I think you get that from me.  You have such a sunny personality, and a big smile for everyone you see. 

My favorite part of the last year, other than all the snuggles you and I have enjoyed, has been watching your mom and dad become parents. You really lucked out, kiddo, because they are amazing.  I always knew they would be.  They love you so much, and they are doing such a great job.  I'll tell you what, though. it's been kind of weird watching my baby sister, who I played dolls with growing up, have a real baby of her very own.  I'm sure she felt the same way about me with your cousins.  I hope someday they'll give you a sister so that you'll know exactly what I mean.  Sisters are cool.

Meanwhile, though, you have your cousins.  You and Claire have a really special relationship.  She and I came up to visit once without the others, and you two really bonded.  Maybe it's because you look alike, or maybe it's because she saved you from going down the stairs in your walker, but you two have a special connection that is so cool to witness.

Claire's 5 years older than you, just like I'm 5 years older than your mommy.

When I think about how much the world has changed in the 37 years I've been in it, and then I try to imagine what the future will be like for you and your cousins when you're my age, I get a little dizzy.  Some things will never change though - your family will always love you, and we'll always be in your corner to support you and guide you and help you become the amazing person that you were born to be. Even if we end up with flying cars, a colony on Mars, and Google enabled contact lenses in the next 35 years or so, many fundamental things will remain constant - love, family, kindness, connection, compassion - those are the things that really matter and always will.

I have this checklist that I fill out for my kids on their birthdays, and your mom emailed me to say she filled it out for you.  I'm going to do it, too, and we'll see how many answers I get right.  Maybe she'll post her answers in a comment.

Your favorite toy for playing is: Tupperware, your walker, your dogs

Your favorite toy for snuggling is: Biscuit Jr., the stuffed cat I bought you after you fell in love with Biscuit Sr., who belongs to Claire

Your favorite food is:  all of them, but your mom told me that you're a really big fan of the Gerber Wagon Wheels - which are these giant, dry cereal wheels

Your favorite book is: hopefully the one I recorded for you!  Ha ha!

Your favorite activity is: walking!

Your favorite place to go is: work with Mom and Dad

Your best friend is: Julie, your babysitter, and your cousin Elise

Something new that you're doing: walking!  

Something you've mastered: wrapping people around your little finger

Something people say about you: "She's so pretty!"

Something that you're saying is:  Mama and Dada

Something I am proud of you for:  you're fearless and strong

Something surprising about you: you have blue eyes!  I got really used to brown eyed babies before you were born.

What you want to be when you grow up: hmmm...  I'm going to have to guess because you haven't said anything about this issue yet...  you'll probably start by setting tables, then you'll be a server at Aberdeen when you're old enough, then a bartender when you turn 21, then maybe a chef for a while before you take over for your folks and they retire.

Happy first birthday, sweet girl!  Auntie Amy and Uncle BJ, and all of your cousins love you SO much!  See you at your party on Sunday.

Love,

Aunt Amy

America's #1 Game

Mary Grace:  JACK! Jack! JACK! Jack! JACK!

Jack:  YAH YA YAH YA YAH WAhahahahhhaHAHAHAH!  Woah woah woah woah woah!!!!

Mom:  Mary Grace?  Mary Grace.  Mary GRACE!

Mary Grace:  What?

Mom:  It's time to start calming down.  Please play something quiet with your brother.

Mary Grace:  We're going to play hide and seek!!!!

Mom:  No, you're not.  Do something quiet like reading a book to him.  It's getting close to bedtime.  Hide and seek is not quiet.

Mary Grace:  But it's America's number one home game!

Mom:  Go read a book. (straight faced)

Mary Grace:  Ok.

Mom:  (dies laughing)

***

In other news, Claire lost a tooth at school today, and her teacher suspects that she swallowed it.  Mrs. O made her a paper tooth to put under her pillow, but she got it wet on the way home and came in sobbing.  Luckily I heard her before she hit the door, so I had time to stick a Magical Golden Dollar Coin (tm) in my pocket.

I used a little sleight of hand, and now she totally believes that the Tooth Fairy came and put magic in Mommy while she was at school, probably during rest time, and that Mommy used that magic to find a coin in her mouth when she got home from school.

Phew!

***

PS - they're still not quiet and no one is reading anyone any books.  Mary Grace is teaching Claire how to play the piano (Mary Grace's first lesson was today) and BJ is swinging Jack upside down and throwing him at the couch.

Happy 2nd Birthday Jack!

Dear Jack,

You are getting so big!

We had your birthday party yesterday, and it was warm enough for all the kids to play outside.  That was so much fun.  We had a Thomas cake and Thomas balloons and you got a lot of Thomas presents, and it was a very Thomas birthday!

Your silly Mommy has lost her good camera, and the pictures on my phone didn't turn out very well (Mommy has too many chins) so you'll have to trust me when I say that they exist but I'm not putting them on the internet.  Sorry, buddy.

Your language is coming along nicely.  You're not as talkative as some of your girlfriends, but I understand that that's to be expected with boys.  You can say everything important, "Choo choo, apple, num!"  You manage to get your point across and we always know what you want!

You absolutely love trucks and trains and anything with wheels.  One of your favorite activities this summer was pushing your big dump truck up and down the street.  You also love your dog, and spend lots of time wrestling with her, Daddy, and your sisters.

Your smile lights up the world, and you have a wonderful laugh.  You love to read books.  You have several favorites that we rotate through.  One of those is Little Quack.  You like to do what he does - kick your feet to "paddle on the water," sniff the water, touch the water with your foot.  We also have a book about the moon and you like to find the things in it by pointing to them.  I'll say, "Find the bear," and you'll point to it, and so on.  Your sisters just love reading that one to you.  I love the way the three of you play together and encourage each other.

You have a really special relationship with Papa.  He says that it's because you two are the same age.  

Your favorite toy for playing is:  trains trains trains

Your favorite toy for snuggling is:  trains.  It doesn't matter that they're hard, you snuggle with them at night.  We got you a soft Thomas for your birthday - hopefully that will replace the others at night. 

Your favorite food is: apple

Your favorite book is: Little Quack

Your favorite activity is: playing trains

Your favorite place to go is: our PIT class on Fridays

Your best friend is: your "Rah Rahs" (sisters)

Something new that you're doing: talking, finally!

Something you've mastered: flirting

Something people say about you: you're handsome and well behaved

Something that you're saying is: hot dog, uh oh, mine, no

Something Dad and I are proud of you for: you are a good listener

Something surprising about you: you love babies, and especially love playing with Lexi when Erin brings her over

I am so proud of you!  You are so special, and your dad, your sisters, and I just think that you're the best boy in the whole world.  I am really lucky to be your mom.

Love,

Mommy

First Day Of School

The kids woke me up at 6:45 this morning.  They might be a little excited.

I made them a hot breakfast (pancakes and bacon), got MG showered (Claire had a bath last night), got everyone's hair brushed, remembered to send all the things (lunch, smock, backpacks, etc.).

 They were outside in plenty of time for the bus.

And for just a couple pictures...  :)

We arrived at school at the same time they did, and met them outside their classes.  We wanted them to practice their routines.

Everything went perfectly.  They were confident and excited and ready to rock.  I managed not to cry until we got outside.

I can't wait to hear about all of their adventures.

Birthday Stuff

We recently survived Mary Grace's Friend birthday party.  Her Family birthday party is tomorrow.  There were 22 kids here from 2 - 4:30.  We've got 22 relatives coming tomorrow.  You can see why the parties needed to be divided.

I went rogue and I didn't plan any activities.  I didn't have goodie bags for the kids to take home, either.  I also asked our guests to bring donations for the food pantry in lieu of gifts.  With 22 relatives coming tomorrow, Mary Grace really didn't need gifts from her friends.  A couple of our friends have done similar things (donations of books or school supplies), and I thought it was a very good idea.  The kids just went nuts and played.  We served apples, grapes, watermelon, chips, snack mix, popcorn, and of course cake and ice cream (actually, we forgot to get ice cream so Colleen ran out to get some - thanks again!).  It was very simple and very nice.  The kids were really good.  Everyone got along.  Mary Grace had a great time.

Simple parties are where it's at, y'all.

Yesterday, on her actual birthday, we took her to Dave and Busters down in Indy, which would have been a lot of fun except for two 12 or 13 year old girls stole all of Mary Grace's tickets.  They came over and asked us "Who's winning?" while we were playing a driving game, and swiped the tickets while we were distracted.  I had a rough idea of their size and age from their voices, so I went looking around for them.  They made eye contact with me and then ran - guilty behavior if I ever saw it!  I told the girls, "Go find Daddy!" and took off after them.  They sat down in a booth and I said, "Did you come up and talk to my daughters and me while we were playing the driving game?"

"No, that wasn't us."

"Then why did you run when you saw me looking for you?"

"Because we're leaving, it's time for us to go."

"Really?  If you're leaving then why are you sitting at an empty booth looking guilty?  Where are your parents?"  I marched them over to the table where their family was, and when their mother appeared I told her what I suspected and why.  I said, "I don't want anything from you, but I thought you needed to know what they did."  She said, "I'm sorry that happened to you," but didn't accept responsibility.  I walked away feeling shaken and sick.  The hostess took me outside to calm down.  She said, "If some stranger was accusing your kids like that, you'd stand up for your kids, too, wouldn't you?" and I agreed that I probably would, but I would grill them later and extract confessions, and then I would punish them severely - once for stealing and once for embarrassing me in public!  I didn't expect her to beat them senseless right there in front of me or anything.  But I sure hope they were suitably punished when they got home.

After talking to the hostess, Danielle, I went back in to find BJ and the kids.  Mary Grace was sobbing, and even though the restaurant refunded her tickets (we guessed that she'd had between 500 and 1000, so they gave us 750).  She didn't understand at first that they'd put them on the debit card thing and that's why we didn't have a bucket of tickets anymore.  The whole thing cast a dark shadow over what was otherwise a really good time.

I just don't understand people.  I hope those girls learned a good lesson.

Monica was impressed, when I told her the story, that I had confronted them.  She said, "Weren't you afraid of getting punched or something?"  It never even occurred to me to worry about it.  The police and the manager were standing right there by the time I talked to the mother.  I guess the pain of getting punched would go away in a day or two, but the anger I would have felt if they had gotten away with what they did would have lasted a lifetime.

Teachable moment for the girls, too, about why we don't take things that don't belong to us, and why we need to take good care of what does belong to us, because there are dishonest people, etc. etc.  Ugh.  Heck of a lesson to learn on your birthday.

Anyway, I'm exhausted.  I have some new books downloaded, so I'm going to go lay on the couch in the family room and read until I can put the kids to bed.

Mary Grace is SEVEN!

Dear Mary Grace,

Holy guacamole.  Seven.

Official Kindergarten School Photo

This is the part where I go on and on about how hard it is to believe that you're already seven, and you were just born yesterday, and so on.  It's all still true, but it's not very creative to repeat the same thing year after year after year.

I don't write about you very often, anymore, because you're getting so big and your stories are really your own now.  Don't ever think that it's because you're any less interesting than your brother and sister.  I just don't want to tell you who you are, anymore.  You are writing your story every day, and it's such a joy to watch.

I love to watch you when you don't know that I'm watching.  I love the way you lead when you're playing with other kids, but you're always careful to give everyone a turn and be fair.  You get your sense of right and wrong from your dad, I think, and you remind me of him in the way you treat other people.  I love to watch you work on something challenging.  You have such perseverance!  You get that from Daddy, too.

You and Claire and Jack are so close.  The three of you remind me of Aunt Mimi, Uncle Chuck and me.  

I hope that never changes.  It just melts me when you read to Jack.  You're such a lovely little mother hen with him, and it's a HUGE help to Dad and me.

You are exceptionally tall!  A full head taller than all the girls in your class last year, and you're already wearing size 8.

You absolutely loved your first year of school, and your teacher Mrs. O (and she loves you!).  Claire has her next year, too, and you're a bit jealous.  I know that first grade is going to be every bit as much fun as Kindergarten was, and that you're going to have another great year in school.  I can't believe school starts in 5 days.  It's going to be so quiet around here with just Jack, after I've had you three around all day all summer long.

You discovered Girl Scouts this year, and got to try all sorts of things you've never tried before, like archery.  You want to take up archery as a hobby, because of scouts and the movie Brave, which makes me a bit nervous.

Like your dad and Grandmother Diana, you are part fish.  You love being in the water, whether it's a pool or the gulf of Mexico like in this picture, and you are fearless.  You've been taking swimming lessons, and your swimming skills are really coming along.

You are so many awesome things, Mary Grace.  You are kind and helpful, you are funny, you are a hard worker and a great student, you are smart and insightful, you are beautiful, you are good at so many things...  Most of all you are adored by everyone who knows you, but especially by me and your dad.

Here's the checklist:

Your favorite toy for playing is: Star Wars guys, the toy bow and arrow you got for your birthday

Your favorite toy for snuggling is: your panda bears

Your favorite foods: spaghetti and pizza

Your favorite book is: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew

Your favorite activity is: recess at school

Your favorite place to go is: Christos for birthday breakfast

Your best friend is: Claire and Nala

Something new that you're doing: learning to ride a bike without training wheels

Something you've mastered: reading

Something people say about you: "She's so tall!"

Something that you're saying is: you've been singing Christmas carols all summer, I still haven't figured that out 

Something Dad and I are proud of you for: I can't pick just one thing.  We're proud of EVERYTHING you are, Cuppycake.

Something surprising about you: you have a sense of style and you're very serious about your clothes.  I'm a jeans and t-shirt mom, so I don't know where you got that.

What you want to be when you grow up: an astronaut

Love you bunches, Peanut,

Mom

Jack - 18 Months

At Mary Grace's school last month, being a big boy

Dear Jack,

I got distracted with father's day and I totally forgot to post your 18 months update.  Whoops, sorry!

You're growing and changing so fast, that I want to capture a bit of who you are before you get any bigger.  Your language is just starting to emerge.  You say "Mama," and "Dada," and "Papa."  "RaRa" still means "sister" although I would swear I heard you say "Mary Grace," clear as a bell, the other day.  Your babbling is starting to sound a lot like sentences.  The word "Go!" is one of your favorites, and sometimes it sounds like you're saying, "When are we going to go?" which is a mouthful for someone so little.

You're such a little snuggle bug.  You like to have your back and head rubbed, just like your dad.  You like to give kisses and hugs.  Sometimes when Dad and I sit on the floor, you'll come up behind one of us and hug us.  It's very sweet.

You weaned last month - the earliest of all three of you.  It was bittersweet for me.  It's exciting that you're growing up, getting bigger and less dependent on me, but it's hard that you're not a baby anymore.  You're so big!

You absolutely LOVE playing outside.  And when your sisters go out but I can't take you out with them, you get really, really mad!

Speaking of outside....

Your favorite toy for playing is:  Your big truck - you just love to motor up and down the street pushing that thing! 

Your favorite toy for snuggling is: your "nah nahs" - cars

Your favorite food is: grapes and blueberries

Your favorite book is: Good Dog Carl or Five Little Sleepyheads

Your favorite activity is: playing with cars

Your favorite place to go is: outside!!!!!

Your best friend is: your "Rah Rahs" (sisters)

Something new that you're doing: babbling in what sounds like sentences

Something you've mastered: walking, running

Something people say about you: "He's so talkative!"

Something that you're saying is: We suspect that you might be fluent in a language that we just don't speak.

Something Dad and I are proud of you for: you play so well with other kids, especially your sisters, and we rarely have any problems with sharing toys or other issues that are common with toddlers (so far!)

Something surprising about you: you LOVE Penny so much.  She puts up with a lot of eye poking, tail pulling, and back riding (or trying to, anyway) from you.

Love you so much, Jack Rabbit!

Mommy

Happily Ever After

Eleven years ago today we said "I do."  What you read here every day is our Happily Ever After.

May 26, 2011


I love you, B.J.!  Happy Anniversary!

Leadership and Responsibility

I got four hours of sleep last night, so I was running on fumes and caffeine all day.  But the weather has been unseasonably beautiful here, and the kids wanted to go to the park.  I gave them the old "We'll see..." and said, "It depends on Jack's nap..."  Last time we went to the park we took the neighbors (N & S) because their mom is pregnant and is still puking in her third trimester and girlfriend needs a break, plus they're great kids and no trouble, and the girls play really well with them...  So it's a win/win/win.  Anyway, I told MG to go to the bathroom and get her shoes on, then Claire, then I realized we needed dog food so I was going to change the plan.  I was going to say, "Let's go to the fun pet store with all the critters and get dog food, and then we'll go to Sonic," because I knew they'd like that equally as much as they'd like going to the park, and it would require a lot less maternal energy.

Meanwhile, MG had gotten shoes and used the facilities and run outside in her enthusiasm to go.  And when she got out there she saw N & S and invited them along to the park.  So I come outside with Claire and Jack, prepared to offer this New and Improved Plan, and here come N & S running down the street.

"N & S can come with us, they asked their mom!" she said.

"Mary Grace!" I said through my teeth, "What did you do?"

"I asked them..."

"You KNOW you're not supposed to make plans or invite friends along without checking with me first!  I wanted to go to the pet store and Sonic instead, and now I have to disappoint your friends and be the bad guy.  I am not happy with you for putting me in this position!" I whispered, as the girls ran down the block.  "Now I have to tell them they can't come!"

Here's where it gets good....

"No, Mommy," she said, "I created this problem.  I'll take care of it."  She had this resigned look on her little face, and she kind of sighed as she undid her seat belt and started to get out of the car to tell her friends they couldn't come to the park.

And thank goodness I was able to take a step back and stop being tired and selfish for a minute, thank goodness I was able to say, "No, no...  Just...  It's ok.  Sit back down.  We'll go to the park," just as N & S got to the car.  "I have to go get Mary Grace's Daisy stuff," I said, "You guys get in, and I'll be right back."

I called BJ and told him the story while I was inside.  "Wow," he said.  "There are high school kids, college kids...  Heck, I know ADULTS who can't say, 'I made a mistake and I'll fix it,' and take responsibility like that!" he said.

"I know," I said.  "I was impressed."

Even though I was SO tired, we went to the park.  I even stopped and got drinks for the kids and an enormous coffee for myself (caffeine is almost like sleep, right?)  I called a friend and she met us there.  We met some other little girls at the playground who were about the same age as our kids and wanted to play.  And I got to stand back and see Mary Grace as the leader she's becoming - as someone who isn't afraid to make things happen and be spontaneous, someone who wants everyone around her to have a good time, someone who will take other kids who are shy or uncomfortable under her wing to include them in everyone else's fun, someone who is going to be a really cool adult someday (sooner than I think).

When I had a minute to talk to her privately I said, "I want you to know that I was really proud of the way you took responsibility for your mistake, today, and that was why I decided to go ahead and take you guys to the park.  You're growing into such a wonderful girl, and I'm really proud of you."

So we dropped her off at Daisies, I took the neighbor kids home, then Claire and Jack and I went to the pet store and got the dog food while MG was busy, and we picked her up on our way home.  It worked out better, that way, than it probably would have the other way.

It occurs to me that in order to raise a child, especially a girl, to be a good leader, you have to actually let her lead.  I am so grateful to the Patron Saint of Parenting (Erma Bombeck?) that I had the sense to let her lead today.

And now I am going to go to bed.

Claire's Birthday - Five!

Pre-school picture - 2011

Dear Claire,


I'm not sure how it's possible that five years have passed since you were born.  I can't believe that you're going to be going to Kindergarten this year, and that you're so grown up already.  Where has the time gone?


I just went back and read your checklist from last year, and it's surprising how many things have stayed the same!  I promise that Dad and I didn't read it before filling out this year.  We copied and pasted your 3 year old list, because it came up first when I Googled.  I think that says a lot about you as a person - you're very consistent.  I'd guess that you'll still like spicy food and wrestling when you're a grown up.  You'll probably still love dresses and hate jeans (although you've lightened up on that rule quite a bit this year, and I appreciate it!).  


Something funny that I hadn't realized until re-reading those old checklists - when I was pregnant with Jack, we used to play "Ninja Baby" with one of your dolls (and that was still your favorite toy after he was born).  Now that he's getting bigger, one of his tricks is to do "Fruit Ninja," where he waves his hands around in the air like he's playing the video game.  I wonder if that started in utero?  You LOVE it when you can get him to perform, so you'll say, "Fruit ninja!" to him, or you'll say, "Jack, are you going to sleep tonight?" to try to get him to shake his head "no" and make everyone laugh.  You're such a terrific big sister.  You love your real "Ninja Baby" almost as much as you used to love the pretend one.  Maybe more!


At bedtime now, instead of playing Ninja Baby, we like to "talk to Biscuit."  I'll put on a silly low voice and pretend to be your stuffed cat, Biscuit.  I love making you laugh when we do this.  You have such a wonderful giggle.  It's gotten to be our little bedtime tradition.  


You're caught in between wanting to be a big girl like your sister and wanting to stay a baby.  You're excited to go to Kindergarten this year (I can't believe it...) but you don't want to leave your preschool behind.  It seems like you feel pulled in both directions, and that it's hard for you, sometimes, to figure out how you fit in.  I hope that this year Dad and I can help guide you to just be where you are, and to learn that you don't have to be big like Mary Grace or little like Jack - that we love you just as you are, and where you are, and when you are.  


Your favorite toy for playing is: Star Wars figurines and Peter Pan Polly Pocket-sized "guys" 


Your favorite toy for snuggling is: Biscuit


Your favorite food is: "Panda Chicken" (orange chicken from Panda Express)


Your favorite book is: Do You Do a Didgeridoo  


Your favorite activity is: Wrestle Night 


Your favorite place to go is: Chuck E. Cheese


Your best friend is: Mary Grace (and Cameron W., Juliet S., Caitrin D., Sarah P., Hudson M., Jack D.,  Sutton C., ... You have a TON of friends!)


Something new that you're doing: your drawing has really improved a lot this year, you're starting to draw recognizable things rather than scribbling!


Something you've mastered: sleeping through the night - please teach your siblings!!


Something people say about you:  Mrs. D at school told me the other day that you have prayed for Jack at preschool every single day since school started.  When he's sick you pray for him to get better.  When he's healthy you thank God for him.  I think it's wonderful that you love your little brother so much.


Something that you're saying is:  "Lovin' it!"  When I played the Adele CD for the first time, you would listen to each song for a few seconds and then say, "Lovin' it!"


Something Dad and I are proud of you for: that you love school so much and love learning.  You are always full of questions and we just love your inquisitive mind and how you soak everything up like a sponge.


Something surprising about you: You're absolutely fearless.  I don't think anyone would expect someone so young and so little to be as brave as you are.  Also, you're exceptionally good at using iPhones and iPads.  Technology seems to come very naturally to you!  I can't imagine where you get that...


Love you bunches, 
Mommy