heyMamas

It finally happened

My Sweet Lily:

Early Saturday morning your best friend's Mom texted me and asked if you would like to have a sleepover with Annie.   Annie has been your best friend since pre-k and you two talk about sleepover's all the time.  We tried once before on your sixth birthday, but it was botched. 

What happened was, Annie tried to sleep at our house and things were going well until about 3am when she decided that she wanted to go home.  At the time we only lived about ten minutes from Annie so her Mom came right over and got her. 

I finally went to sleep that night around  4am and quickly decided sleepovers at your young age were no longer negotiable.  That was May of last year and since then you girls have been plotting for the next sleepover.  For months you talked about trying again on Annie's birthday which was at the end of September.

Considering we NEVER leave each other on the weekend, I wasn't looking forward to trying the sleepover again although I never had to deal with it because September came and went and the logistics of the sleepover didn't quite work out.

So when Annie's Mom texted me yesterday morning and my heart palpitations finally stopped, I decided maybe today would actually be a good day to try this sleep over thing again and the ONLY reason I even considered it is because I know how desperately you wanted it.   

Maybe the fact that it wasn't going to be at my house and I would have a chance to get a good night's sleep made it sound even more like a better idea.  Monday morning comes real quick when you don't get a good night's sleep on the weekend.  And it also helped that I trust Annie's Mother completely with you.

So I thought about it and ran it by your Dad and he immediately said no as he does to most things, until I explained to him that this was about you and having your first real sleepover and not about us missing you. 

So there it was, TODAY was the day you would have your first sleepover.  January 9th, 2010.  Your first real all night not interrupted at 3am sleepover!  I explained to you that we live over thirty minutes away from Annie now and if you get sad or scared in the middle of the night Daddy and I were not going to be able to come and get you.  So if you decide to have this sleepover, this is it, you are sleeping over.  until the next morning.

You agreed and I could tell you were honestly committed to it.  You were ready.  So Annie and her Mom came over and got you and you headed off to see Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel.  You headed back to our old 'hood to see the movie and then went for pizza at our old favorite pizza place.  You then went back to Annie's, watched part of another movie and then went to bed. 

Annie's Mom and I texted back and forth during the night and she let me know when you were finally sleeping.   

 

You got up once during the night to go to the bathroom and Annie's Mom helped you back into bed.  Then you woke up VERY early in the morning because Annie's room gets the morning sun.  There's something about you that seems different when I haven't seen you for a little while.  I don't know what it is, but it happens every time.  

I always tell you that you just look more beautiful but maybe it is just the experience that you just had.  The knowing just a little more who you are, how tough you are and that you can sleep away from us and be okay.  That you can do alot of things without us and still always be okay.

All my love,

Mama 
  

Happy 9!

          

My Belle:

Today my sweet little Belle, you turned nine.  We have been celebrating your birthday for the last three days and it has finally come to an end.  We made your special birthday plate and decorated the house last night so when you woke up you knew this was your special day.

I came home from work just as you got off the school bus and we planned to go see New Moon.  We almost changed our mind at the last minute as Dad and I started googling whether this new Twilight movie was appropriate for a nine and six year old.  You saw the original Twilight movie and had trouble sleeping for a few days after.  Lily on the other hand, totally unfazed.   

Based on our research we decided, what the hell and we made our way to the theater.  Lily strangely enough, decided she didn't want to see it but you still did.  We armed ourselves with popcorn and our red Icee drink (probably your favorite birthday perk of ALL the presents you received) and made our way into the theater.

Since it was Monday night, raining, AND a school night not too many movie-goers were out.  Your Dad had us drive halfway around town before we ended up at the right theater but guess what?  Being thirty-five minutes late for a movie on a rainy Monday school night when no one is in the theater is not really thirty-five minutes late for the movie since they hadn't even turned it on. 

On our way up to the theater you reassured me that you would be fine and you were SO over being scared, that's so eight years old.  As soon as we heard the music for the PREVIEWS you stopped in your tracks and wouldn't go any further.  As I nudged you along you looked up at me and I could tell you were freaking out. 

And once we turned the corner and saw the empty theater, there was no way that was happening.  I didn't even say a word I just turned and walked right back down the stairs to the mean girl behind the counter and asked if we could get the 3D glasses also so we could go join your Dad and Lily in A Christmas Carol.  

And by the way, what is up with all of the 3D movies these days where they charge you like fifteen dollars a ticket?  Every movie we have gone to see in the last six months has been in 3D. 

So after the movie which was quite enjoyable and involved a small nap for me, we made our way to the Sushi/Chinese restaurant and got a smorgasbord of fun things to eat.  Lily of course, sat and watched the whole time dreaming of the pizza we would pick up for her on the way back to the house while I tried to shove scallion pancakes down her throat.

We arrived home and lit the third and last cake of the birthday celebration marathon and opened presents.  You had a great day and I will leave the story for how you ruined your brand new Ugg boots after wearing them for two minutes, for another time. 

I love you and thank God every day for bringing you into my life.  I look forward to the next nine years and am sure you will keep me laughing through every SINGLE one of them! 

Love always,

Mama

xox

Teacher's pet

To my beautiful girls:

Last week I met with your teachers and had my first Parent-Teacher conference in your new school.  I have not had the opportunity to speak one on one with your teachers at length so far this year and after doing so, I realized why you both love school so much. 

Belle, your teacher can not be older than twenty-six.  She is so adorable and full of spirit.  She is the perfect match for you and I am so excited for all of the wonderful things you will get to experience in her classroom. 

Your teacher said that you are doing great!  You are reading above grade level, interested in learning new subjects and you participate every day.  Overall she said you are a delight to have in the classroom.   The only issue that we have had this year other than wanting to wear leggings and tank tops everyday with no jacket, is that you get too much attention from the boys. 

They like to flick your hair, breathe on you and ask you why your last name is what it is.  Your teacher told me what we had already figured out at home, and that is that the boys like you.  I asked her if any other girls in the class were teased as often as you and she told me the following story:

Last week you had to leave class early to get your H1N1 mist (yes, I did it.....after careful consideration and reading through hundreds of pages of internet research I got my girls the flu mist, don't judge) everyone in the class began saying, "goodbye Belle, see you tomorrow.  Where are you going?  Why do you have to leave early?"  The teacher said she thought the Queen of England had left the room and NEVER had she EVER received a farewell like that and she is loved heavily by her students. 

She told me you were adapting beautifully to your new school and had made many girlfriends.  She also must have told some other parents about how special you are because we have had some mother's come up to us asking for a play date.  That your teacher told the other parents that you were a great girl and they should encourage their child to have play dates with you.  Not bad my crazy (remember, crazy in a good way people) unpredictable first born.

She also told me their is a girl in your class that has special needs.  She has trouble concentrating and that you of all the students are the one that helps her the most.  You are protective of her and always understanding of her situation.

And now on to your sister...

My sweet first grader Lily, the first thing I want to tell you is that your teacher couldn't say enough things about you.  I myself felt very special that she in such a short amount of time had also noticed all the little gifts that you posses that make you, you.  She GETS you, every part of you. 

She knows what you are capable of, she knows how generous in spirit you are.  She went on to say you take on new tasks with ease because you can, because you know you can do anything you set your mind too. She said you help other children with things like tying their shoes should their laces come undone.  You share snacks if other children have left theirs at home and always offer to help her when she needs something.  She knows how smart you are and most of all she said you were competent in a way that few children are at this tender age. 

For example, she is reading Charlotte's Web to your class and at Parent-Teacher night she suggested to the parents that it might be nice if we were to buy a copy for our children so that they could read along silently while she was reading out loud to the class. 

So I did.  I bought you a beautiful hard copy and you read 165 pages in a week, not to mention you have been torturing us with the movie.  You were determined to catch up to your teacher and then once you did and read past the class, you were intent on finishing the book.  She said she didn't know too many first graders who could read Charlotte's Web in one week's time and really know and understand what was going on in the story the way you do.

You, just like your sister, have this magical way about you and others gravitate towards you.  They always have, even adults. You are constantly surrounded by other children who want your attention and have never been anything but kind and caring to each one.  You don't have a mean bone in your body and I PRAY that we can maintain a majority of that kindness through the years.

 

I love you both so much and am so happy and thankful for the life we have started in our new suburban town.  It suits us on every level and we have already met some of the greatest people.  You have play dates with new friends every week and truly get along with each one.  You enjoy your teacher's and told me that you don't even feel like you are going to school but it feels more like camp.  Let's hope that feeling lasts as long as we can make it last.

Love forever,

Mama

 

And by the way, writing at a desk is so much more conducive to quick efficient writing than laying in a bed.

The first of firsts

My little Angels:

Today was your first day in your brand new suburban school.  You guys were so excited and it didn't seem to phase you at all that you were heading off into totally unchartered waters.  Which by the way is just one of the many things that I love most about both of you.  You guys are the very definition of resilient with just about everything you do.  You are always up for anything and if you were one bit nervous about today, you didn't show it at all.

You woke up, sprung out of bed and got dressed in your "normal" clothes.  Another first, no uniforms this year.  You get to wear whatever your little hearts desire or more realistically whatever my little heart approves of.  

We ate breakfast and started off walking down the street to your bus stop, another first.  What a nice concept.  A bus picking you up.  In the six years since Belle has been attending school, three for you Lil, we have always dropped you at school and picked you up.  I LIKE the bus.  Not having to parade through the sea of children and adults, school bags and double parked cars, it is really nice.

At the bus stop we met four little girls, all from the same family and when they found out who your teachers were, they told us that we had gotten so lucky because the teachers were both so nice.  We met your teachers the day before when we dropped off your school supplies and I have to say I agree with everyone's sentiments.  Your teachers are so awesome and you both are so blessed to have been assigned to their classes.

Back to the bus stop, I think tomorrow we may have to work on our strategy for the bus stop drop off/pick up since today Daddy and I went to the same bus stop that we dropped you at before school and you guys did not get off the bus.  I just about had a heart attack. 

The little girls that were at the bus stop that morning told us that you had gotten off the bus at the stop before the one that we were standing at.  Daddy and I jumped into the car and he backed the car up the very long street about a hundred miles an hour at which point I faintly heard someone yell "Mommy" and literally jumped out while the car was still moving.

There you were sitting at our neighbors house waiting for us to come home.  From the bus, Lily saw our house and decided to get off at which point Belle, you had to follow or you would have been separated from her.  So after we all calmed down and started breathing normally again, we spent the next twenty minutes talking about or more appropriately disagreeing about what drop off and pick up means. 

Belle you insisted that tomorrow morning you would get "dropped off" where we got on the bus this morning (aka, picked up) and would get "picked up" (aka, dropped off) where you guys got off the bus this afternoon.  Tomato, tomaato, we'll try again tomorrow.

I love you girls and am in awe of how effortless you make everything seem and I am so happy that together we survived your first day at your new school.

 

Love,

Mama

Thriller

      

My little dancing camper:

Your summer camp dance class put on a hip hop recital at the end of camp in dedication to Michael Jackson, the infamous King of Pop.  I laugh every time I hear your say that phrase and every time you start to do the Thriller dance.  

I grew up doing that dance.  My sisters and I knew every last step and would jump to our feet the second the video would start to play on MTV, and now seeing you do it gives me a chance to take in how far I have come.  How many years have passed and how some things never seem to lose their luster.  

Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that twenty-seven years later my six year old daughter would have just as much fun dancing to Thriller as I did so many years ago.  

The end of June saw the passing of Michael Jackson and during your recital you danced to a few of his songs and did his famous dance steps.  I can’t remember if I have ever written here before about your ability to move but you are some little dancer. 

I don’t know where your learned half of your moves, but man you know how to dance.  Some would say back in the day your Mama could also bust some moves on the dance floor but I won’t elaborate on that as I can already see your Daddy now, laughing hysterically at the mere thought of Mommy  dancing. 

Whenever we watch TV and we see back up dancers, Belle and I always tell you that you could be doing that in a few years if you work really hard.  I may stop saying that though because when we told you that just last night, you wanted to know why you couldn’t be more than just the back up dancer but that you wanted to be the singer as well.  

I back pedaled in my mind and decided maybe suggesting back up dancer was not quite the message I wanted to send to my young developing daughter so I quickly responded and said that you could be anything you put your mind too.  And based on what I have seen in the last six years I am confident that you will do just that.

I look forward to the many dance steps in your future.

 

Love always,

Mama