Getting ready for a visit!

I am so excited to come to your house during the holidays this year! It has been so long since I have hugged you! We have been keeping in touch using the computer. We video chat alot and I love to see you and Ben looking at the screen talking to me! We even take turns reading books to each other! I am so proud of you and your reading skills! You read the words then show me the picture. Usually you and your brother have a little argument but I know how much you love each other. Maybe you and I can go and see a movie together when I get there. Until then, I love you and am counting the days! Love, Grama

reading, writing, and all things kindergarten

Well you've hit that age where the drama increases quite a bit. We've been trying to avoid any confrontations with you to avoid the statement, "Why are you so mean to me, you don't love me." Exaggerations seem to be the norm. In school you are doing great. You really like math and enjoy doing math programs on the computer. You are still very quiet and don't jump into group activities. You like to go at your own pace and do your own thing. Reminds me a lot of your dad. You have a Thanksgiving play tomorrow and you will be an Indian girl. You have one line in the play that you wrote yourself that says, "I am an Indian." It takes everything you have to raise the volume above a whisper so we'll see how it goes when there is an audience. You have been doing a great job as a big sister, playing with your brother and also doing everything in your power to make him mad. You make me proud with how hard you work at everything you do.

queen of hearts

and she's off

I don't know when you decided you were so independent, but this morning we dropped you off at your friend's house and you stayed for hours. When you got home you just said you wish you could have stayed forever. It's great that you have such wonderful friends. School started two weeks ago and it's taken a little adjustment. You are excited about your teacher and your friends, but there are still tears most days. The reason for that is that I can no longer walk you to your classroom and give you hugs and kisses until you're ready for me to leave. You have a designated spot on the playground to line up with your class and I get to give you a kiss and hug and watch you walk away inside the building. You have a new best friend who's name is Olivia. Of course I bought you a pair of eggshells to wear to school, but they weren't quite girly enough for you so we decided to Bedazzle them and add puff paint and now you don't leave the house without them. I'm so glad you have stayed true to your sense of style.

summer fun

It's been pretty busy since school started. You have been going to a summer playgroup with the normal summer bunch and having fun and meeting new friends. We tried camping for the first time and although it took you a long time to ignore your brother and go to sleep in the tent you had a fantastic time. We hiked, swam in the lake, went tubing, and rode on the boat. You had a week long summer camp with your preschool teacher and three of your friends which you enjoyed so much. We've been relaxing and having so much fun this summer. We been attending many birthday parties, having house guests (couchsurfers and Westland family), and just enjoying our time together. You're growing up so fast I can hardly keep up, but it's been all fun and making memories.

curious cutie

The daily walks to school have recently become so much more challenging. That is meant in the most endearing ways. Your questions keep getting more complex and your intense interest in science and animals keeps mom on her toes.

You are becoming clear on the differences between mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects and moving on to more advanced subjects such as reproductive, digestive, and immune systems. You approached the subject of spreading disease across species of animals or varying ethnicities and mom decided it was time for a redirect.

It was a nice light conversation the rest of the way to school about your friends and who tells what lies to trick their friends. I really love your love of learning and will try to keep answering your questions. Keep it up kiddo!

mini-vacation

We recently took a little trip to Chesapeake Bay for a wedding and made it into a mini-vacation. We rented a small cabin, hotel room with a hot tub and you were in heaven. We walked along the beach, enjoyed the hot tub, danced the night the night away at a wedding reception, and spent another day exploring the beaches of the Chesapeake watching fishermen and eating delicious food. You had so much fun that you cried when you found out we would have to eventually go home again. You wanted to stay for 100 hours and never go home, but unfortunately all things must come to an end. It thrills me that you enjoy hanging out and doing things together so much. You make us enjoy doing things as a family with your fun-loving fantastic attitude.

You've also developed a deep love for our new pet turtle that you named Taco. The entire family shares your enthusiasm for making sure he is always happy and well fed. We've been talking about taking a vacation to Kansas this summer. Although you have been going on and on about how much you miss everyone we are only allowed to stay in Kansas for one day and one night because Taco will miss us. You've made a list of the potential pet-sitters that are responsible enough to feed Taco.

We've recently discovered why you enjoyed getting up early every day by yourself and spending about an hour downstairs exploring. The stash of cookie decorating supplies has been steadily declining because you've been sneaking into the cabinets and eating the tiny cookie decorating candies. Sneaky, sneaky.

my blossom

You have truly come out of your shell. You've always been a little quiet around new people, but that has all changed. Whether it is grammie and poppy coming to visit, couchsurfers, or strangers we run into at the park you embrace playing and talking with new people. It has been so much fun watching your confidence build and blossom. All this is fitting seeing as how it's spring and all the daffodils are blooming as well. You've made some great friends at school and look forward to getting there in the mornings and look forward to playing on the playground after school. Spring is finally here and you could not be more pleased. You've been waiting to get outside with bare legs and run to every destination. Of course you always have time to stop and smell the flowers and spent a lot of time planting them at the garden this last weekend. We're also waiting on your praying mantises to hatch so we can take them to the garden and set them free. One more thing that is worth mentioning is that you entered a drawing of your favorite animal into the Turtle Magazine cover contest. Your drawing that showed a mama and baby elephant surrounded by bales of hay made it into the issue with your picture and you were so proud and were we!

back to school

After a snow vacation (11 days) out of school, today was your first day back. You were so excited about seeing your friends again that you actually ran the last block to get inside the building. It will be a long day, but it's great to see you so excited. We had many adventures in the snow and you went sledding many times with dad. You even had your own igloo in front of the house with two chairs in it. It's obvious you are excited about spring through the oft asked question, "How many more days until spring is here?" I'm glad you are also enjoying the snow. We went to see Grandma Mae last weekend and you cried when we had to leave. It makes me proud to see you enjoy yourself in everything you do.

game lover

I've been noticing more and more how much you are like your dad, which I will add is a wonderful thing! Your dad has been really into strategy games and the two of you have been playing many together. Our collection of games is quickly growing and you are enthusiastic every time another game is taken out of its plastic. We've recently done a few fun things together like going to Baltimore for the day. You really enjoyed the Maryland Science Center and also the very silly street performer we encountered on his unicycle. You keep growing and getting smarter every day and I hope we can keep challenging you and introducing you to new things.

Another year past!

Eve-
So it is now 2010 and I thought it might be time to throw a few words at ya. You are now in your new house and although I haven't seen it yet, you and ben seem so happy there. You are always surprising me how many new and surprising interests you have! You had this fascination with Wonder Woman for awhile and then took on Irish Dancing lessons!! You never cease to amaze me! Your mom still keeps us updated with her awesome photos of you kids, but lately you have been calling a bit more. Mostly to Ichat with me but sometimes just to tell me about your day. You are usually showing off your new toys and attempting to get along with your brother when we chat! I think it took you a good hour to explain to me your latest toy! You were so excited and showed me every detail and character. It was some sort of carriage, maybe Cinderella, either way you were really excited to tell us about it!! Well either way it is always good to see you, even if it is on the computer! Well I am pretty late on everything--your christmas present, writing on your blog, etc., but I do think about you a lot and wish we could see you more, until then I look forward to Ichatting and your phone calls.


I am so proud of you and proud to be your Aunt! Love you lots.
Aunt Jill