Sunday, February 28, 2016

My Monkey is SIX

Today is Daisy's birthday. In lieu of a babybook, I ask the following 20 questions to my birthday girl (starting with the third birthday). You can see Daisy's previous answers, here, here and here. So, this afternoon while she and J built with her new Roominate Dollhouse I fired away: 
  1. What is your favorite color: yellow 
  2. What is your favorite toy: roominate (Note: She received this yesterday from a friend for her birthday - and Daisy is IN LOVE. It's basically building a dollhouse through circuit building. But, she also loves playing with her dollhouse and riding her scooter and roller skates).
  3. What is your favorite fruit: watermelon 
  4. What is your favorite movie: Kung Fu Panda (Note: She is still obsessed with all things Asia.) 
  5. What is your favorite thing to wear: rompers 
  6. What is your favorite animal: zebras. elephants. owls.  
  7. What is your favorite song: (Momma's Note: She didn't really have an answer for this. She pretty much loves all music and audiobooks. She, too, loves the Kids Stories Podcasts, and she has a playlist of relatively soothing songs that she listens too at night sometimes and she's learning "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" on the piano.) 
  8. What is your favorite book: Any of The Adventures of Sophie Mouse or Owl Diaries chapter books 
  9. Who is your best friend: Sadie. Karly. 
  10. What is your favorite breakfast: a bowl of Cheerios    
  11. What is your favorite lunch: peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Luke's cheddar clouds, fruit 
  12. What is your favorite dinner: quesadillas or cheese pizza or grilled cheese. (Note: basically anything that is heavy on the cheese is her favorite)
  13. What is your favorite snack: popcorn; grapes 
  14. What is your favorite dessert: rainbow sherbert  
  15. What do you sleep with at night: blankie  
  16. What is your favorite thing to play outside: in our playhouse or to ride my scooter
  17. What do you want for your birthday dinner: roasted cauliflower grilled cheese, salad and roasted sweet potato "chips" (and we will have leftover cake from her birthday party yesterday). 
  18. What do you want to be when you grow-up: an owl scientist 
  19. Where is your favorite place to go: to the Lindsay Wildlife Museum (Momma's Note: this is where the obsession with all things avian started) 
  20. What is your favorite game: sorry

This girls amazes us daily with her creativity and kindness. For her birthday, she wanted to donate and plant a tree for her community to enjoy, and yesterday at her birthday party, she and a few friends planted a Red Dragon Japanese Maple Tree. We are so fiercely proud of this girl and we love her golden heart. 

Sunday, February 07, 2016

Letter to my hazelnut: 18 months

Dear Violet,

Yesterday afternoon we were all playing outside. The big girls were helping daddy build the playhouse you three girls received for Christmas and you were playing on our little tykes slide. Up you climbed the ladder and down the slide, roller coaster arms and big smiles. Up and down. Up and down. Then you fell. You lost control and tumbled down the slide landing smacking your forehead against the concrete. I picked you up, offering hugs and kisses as I checked you over for bumps and bruises. Almost immediately after your fall you picked yourself back up, wriggling away from me, and tears still streaming down your face, and a large bruise already developing on your forehead, you climbed right back up the slide and did it all over again.

This is you in a nutshell: You fall down and before you even brush yourself off you’re back on the wagon. This tenacity, determination and spirit are characteristics I hope you never lose.  

In these last six months you have learned so much and are growing into a very independent little girl. Besides learning how to climb up steps and ride down slides, you learned to walk! And run! You can kick a ball. You can throw a ball (often better than your two older sisters!) You love to play with your musical instruments. You can stack blocks. Your favorite word to say is “sisters.” You feed yourself at nearly every meal. You’d rather sit in a booster seat at the dinner table than your high chair. You love bubbles and magnets. You love to sing and clap along with the music. You wave hello to people and blow kisses to say “thank you.” You love shoes. To say the word, to hold them, to try them on. But, you refuse to keep your own shoes on for any length of time. You love to push your pink Minnie Mouse ball in the baby stroller. You love to climb up the step stool and brush your four little teeth at every opportunity. You understand almost everything we say to you, honestly. Although, one of my very favorite things has been watching you play and interact with your sisters. You want to do EVERYTHING they are doing. Art projects, tree climbing, dress-up, and nothing makes you happier than being with your sisters, being a "big girl": just like them. 
You refuse to sit in the cart unless you have a snack you picked out from the store. It doesn't matter if we just ate, or if I brought a snack from home. Your favorite is bananas. A second favorite is cereal. 

I find you amazing little hazelnut. It warms the very corners of my soul to find that a sturdy and adventurous toddler has replaced the flimsy, helpless infant we first brought home. Everyday you make new connections that astound me. I know I’ve said this before and I’m sure I’ll say it again, but watching you and your sisters grow and learn is the greatest gift. At the end of the day, regardless of my exhaustion or frustration, I am struck by just how grateful we are to have you three in our lives.
Grow, little hazelnut, grow.

I love you more than all the stars in the sky and all the water in the ocean.

Love, Momma

Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Letter to my Bumblebee: Four Years

Dear Bumblebee,  
Last Saturday, on your birthday, you had a surprise party with a couple of your neighborhood and family friends. Traditionally, at a surprise party the guest of honor has no idea (well, at least in theory) that the party is going to happen. However, in this case, you planned the entire party: the guest list (your two very best friends, your sisters and the family friend who introduced you to surprise parties), the activity (drinking tea) and the theme (Frozen, naturally), including how you were going to walk into the surprise. The entire week before, you were so excited about THE! SURPRISE! PARTY! that you practiced your surprise face in front of the bathroom mirror many hours per day.

And the day played out like planned, your birthday morning included Daddy’s Pancake Breakfast and concluded the day with hamburger’s and French fries and a new book. It was the perfect way to celebrate four years of wonderful, darling, because it was everything you love in the world: cupcakes, people you love, a party and a controlled surprise.
You insisted on roller skates for your birthday, regardless that they are off-limits for another 4-6 weeks.  

At four you avoid washing your hair at all costs and love to sing “Happy Birthday to Me” all the time. You do not believe in sleep, and I’ll often find you happily having a dance party down the hallway at midnight. You want to wear sundresses everyday, maybe with leggings if it’s very cold. You almost never get in your car seat in a timely manner and you always forget your jacket. Pouches of pureed fruit and vegetables are your very favorite special snack. You ask to cuddle and to be read to everyday. But, my very favorite: You are the queen of spontaneous kisses.
Last week after a grumpy morning and a few days cooped up from the rains, we went out for a local hike. We tromped through the mud and rode dragons made of fallen tree logs. We fed imaginary baby dinosaurs, yelled at the top of our lungs and danced in the grassy fields. Sweet girl, I hope you never lose your adventurous spirit and your amazing creativity.

Two weeks ago you fell and broke your arm. You cried for a few minutes, and avoided using your arm, so the next morning I made you an appointment for an x-ray. At the doctor, when recounting the story, you told her: “I just tripped. I just tripped over my own two feet.” You were so brave and so calm in the midst of a very challenging afternoon. You were articulate in telling your story. You were so polite while even in great pain. I saw you a bit different in those four hours. You were mature, no longer my baby, but I saw glimpses of the woman you will eventually become. As we sat waiting for the cast to dry I declared a new family rule: Anytime you have to have a cast you should go out for a treat afterward. Would you like a scone or a milkshake? I asked. And you pondered momentarily, “Momma, can I get both? Please Momma? Look at my arm cast.”

And so, I saw you again, just as you are: my negotiating little three year old.

Three was cuddles and tears. Three was crazy outfits and strong opinions. Three was stories and books, chalk and paint, scraped knees and colorful bandages. Three was temper tantrums and hours of pretend. Three was dress-up and imaginary friends. Three was made-up songs and play-dough. Three was independence and dependence.
Oh how I love the sparkle in your eyes and the smile on your face

I wonder what adventures four will bring: I can’t wait to find out. I love you more than all the stars in the sky and all the water in the ocean.


Love, Momma