Thanks Jo Ann – you’re the BEST!!!

Not only did you get to help sell tickets, you got to go up to the control room and start the movie!! You were so excited – talked about it for weeks…

(Back in September I think…)

we had some very treasured time on Wednesday –

it was just you and me as Daddy Jim was on a work trip.

we came home from school, and I had invited you to help me make dinner. We got out of the car and the outdoors sucked you in!

“Mama, play with me outside.”

“I have to start dinner, Baby. It’s 6 o’clock.”

“Come on, Mama – for just 10 minutes?!?!?”

I start to remind you of my grown-up responsibilities, thinking about how you might melt down if you don’t eat soon, but you were so convincing…

Long story short, we laid down next to each other in the grass and watch the clouds roll by. We named the clouds with familiar shapes and giggled hard. What a treasured moment….

Thank you Peanut. I love how you show me so many things I would otherwise miss… And you don’t just help me notice, you help me treasure.

While rocking tonight, “Guess what I did today Mama?!?”

“What Sweetie?”

“I kissed Patrick – Little Patrick.” (big smile)

“What?!?!”

“Yep… Twice.”

Sigh… and so it begins…. at 4.

[Since that day, you have told me many times how you plan to marry Patrick, that you drew a picture of the 2 of you and your “baby girl,” you had a play date at his house that ended with me asking you how it went in front of Patrick and his Mom:
Me: “How’d it go, Maya?”
You: “Terrible. He pushed me and hit me with a stick.”
I look at P’s Mom… she shyly nods: “Yes, it’s true.”
But you recovered… a few days later, your teacher said she saw Patrick standing behind you at storytime playing with your hair. Sigh. One conversation we had in the car went something like.”
You: “I’m going to marry Patrick, Mama.”
Me: “Why are you choosing Patrick to be your husband?”
You: “He thinks I’m pretty.”
Needless to say we had an extensive conversation about setting the bar much higher.]

I love you Baby Girl!!

A woman who works at your school and has gotten to know you through after school time told me today that she talks about you all the time outside of school – she said something like, “She is so very interesting…. she is so very special.” You are. Intriguing. Talented. Empathetic. Smart.

I cannot believe I get to be your Mom.

Here are some of the things you are doing and talking about lately:

* “I don’t be-member.”
* “I don’t know where it went, Mama. It dissed-appeared!”
* “I acc-cil-enty dropped it, Mama – sorry.
* “Can we go to “Welcome to Moe’s!” tonight?”

You are still collecting rocks and leaves for me.. almost every day You are still such an outdoor girl.
You are drawing people – faces and arms and legs… It’s so fun to see you grow.
You can name all of your letters, and count to 30 (although you consistently skip 13 and 15 – you don’t seem to like those numbers.)
You love school – and excitedly tell me about things like today’s report “Mama, I learned something today – the inside of an apple is called flesh!” You love the roles you get to play: “move the arrow,” “clipboard,” “dustbuster” or “calendar.”

Here are some random pictures I haven’t shared with you but wanted to:

Life is so fun with you!!

In a couple weeks, you will be the flower girl for my cousin Jonna’s wedding. She is marrying Rob in NYC the weekend of 10/17. While Oma and Opa were here, Oma and I took you to try on some “Princess Dresses.” The bridal store blew your mind!! There were so many women and little girls all dressed in princess dresses completely surrounded by mirrors. What a trip!!!

Here are some pictures from our adventure:

Nice shoe!!

You certainly ARE a princess!! I couldn’t love you more!