Doodlebug - Tally Mark 84

 

Dear RieRie,

7 years old!  Wo hoo!  7 is an awesome number, and I know you're going to have an awesome year ahead of you!

You are winding up your first grade year at school and you have mixed feelings about second grade.  You think it's going to be hard but I have a feeling you're going to breeze through it like you did first!  When you started the school year, your spelling/writing/reading were a struggle.  We'll blame Covid on that one, since you had to do "school" from home for three months and not much learning took place.  But you worked so hard and your struggling scores shot up to outstanding.  You love to read and be read to.  Every math test you take has a "Wowza!" on the front of it because you got a perfect score.  Your teacher said you were perfect, and I'd have to agree (most days).

Speaking of school, we met with your Speech Therapist last week and she officially deemed you a graduate of speech!  I was watching videos of you when you were younger and it was so hard for me to understand what you were saying.  I know this was frustrating for you because you knew exactly what you were trying to get across.  I think that played a part in you being so shy, because you were afraid people wouldn't be able to understand you.  Now you confidently go to the snack bar at baseball and order a pretzel and Gatorade all by yourself.  This wouldn't have happened a year ago!  I'm so proud of how hard you worked and your enthusiasm to grow.

You decided to play baseball this season and you've loved every second of it.  You thrive at playing all the bases because you're such an awesome catcher.  At the end of every game, you remind us how far you hit the ball and that you're the best player on your time.  You love playing wiffleball with The Lime outside and going across the street with Daddy to the batting cages.  I know you'll make it far in baseball if you keep loving it and trying your best!

When you're not playing baseball, you're most likely on the iTouch watching YouTube.  Occasionally you'll go outside and play with the neighbor kids.  You've recently started asking if you could go with The Lime to his friend's house but he has a pool, and I'm not 100% confident in your swimming skills just yet.  Hopefully with lessons this summer, you'll get even better!  

You told your teacher the other day that you want to be a police officer when you grow up.  I suggested a K9 officer because you love dogs so much.  Aksel has been such a treat for you.  You want to be as close to him as possible, all the time, even if he doesn't want you to be close to him.  You two like to tease each other and sometimes it goes a bit too far.  Aksel really does see you as one of his littermates.  I'm so glad you two will be able to grow up together!

I talked about your tummy issues in last year's birthday letter.  Thankfully, it's not as bad as it once was but you still have flare ups every once in a while.  I'm beginning to think it might be linked to Red 40 dye, because anything red tends to immediately send you to go potty.  This means no red ICEEs at the snack bar.  Total bummer! 

You give Daddy and me a run for our money.  I often ask Daddy how we'll be able to handle you when you're 16 because we can barely handle six.  You know what you want, are persistent when you strongly believe in something, and rarely back down.  You have an amazing poker face.  I just hope it's a phase and not something you'll carry on with as you get older.  You insist on getting hot lunch at school.  Your art skills are out of this world, and you can draw pretty much anything.  You still give me hugs, tell me you love me, and let me hold your hand.  You can't go to bed without getting at least two kisses, because you claim to have not received the first.  You get afraid going into the garage by yourself, whether it's light or dark outside.  You say you're cold when it's hot outside, and hot when it's cold outside.  And you say you're cold if the wind is blowing no matter the temperature.  You get very enthusiastic when you tell stories.  You randomly scream in your sleep, usually telling The Lime to stop.  You've lost six teeth and are hoping number seven won't be too far behind.  You believe everything your friend, Tyler, tells you (he is not nine years old and he didn't move in down the street from us).  You're so darn cute, funny, and smart and I'm so glad you joined our family seven years ago.  I love you so much!

Love,

Mama

The Lime - Tally Mark 132

Dear Freddy,

Angel number 11!!!!  Holy cow, still shocked we're already to this moment.  We spent last night talking about the moments leading to your birth.  Your biggest concern was how your head came through such a small hole.  I love that you're comfortable enough to ask such a thing.

You came home this week, after playing with some friends at the park.  You told me one of the boys is in middle school and his voice sounded funny.  You openly asked him, "Are you going through puberty?"  He said yes.  That time is just around the corner for you, so I'm treasuring the time where your face is still silky smooth, and your little voice doesn't crack.

This is your last year in elementary school and, while it's not what we envisioned (still dealing with Coronavirus), you love it.  Mrs. Lara (Ms. Coulter) is your teacher, and as previous years, she was your number one pick.  You have meshed well with her and you're thriving!  We just got your progress report for semester two and you have all As and one B.  Going out with a bang!  You're learning that studying pays off, and you're so proud of yourself when you come home to tell me you got an A on your test/quiz/story/project.  I'm super proud of you, too.  You also dressed up for every day of Kindness Week, which has never happened.  I was thinking about it earlier this week.  Every year you have asked for a yearbook and every year we tell you you can get one when you're in 5th grade.  I'm so sorry you're getting a yearbook for a school year where nothing has happened!  I promise to get you a yearbook from now on.

You love playing with friends (Cohen, Logan, Jackson, Wyatt) and count down the minutes after you get home from school where you can knock on someone's' door.  Riding bikes or scooters is your activity of choice.  You've started going to the library park with Cohen and I think you love that bit of independence.  You also play Fortnite and your friends' houses because we don't let you play it at home.  You get excited to tell me about all of the kills you've made but I really don't understand what it means.  Thank you for telling me anyway!

Many people have commented about your style.  You take much pride in your outfits and ensuring they match.  You've started rolling up the cuffs on your pants and don't care if they're rolled extremely high.  You would wear everything Vans if you could, and you hope to work there when you're 16 so you can get an employee discount.  And so you can smell the shoes and new clothes.  That's your favorite smell!  

It's been a struggle for a while to get you to push yourself, try a little harder, and see your potential.  We were doing sit-ups and push-ups the other night, and you couldn't do either.  With a lot of encouragement, you've seen your potential and we now do a round of push-ups, sit-ups, and planks every night.  Sometimes we throw in a wall sit for fun.  You've already improved so much!  And it's exciting to see you get past the negative thoughts in your mind, telling you you can't do something.  

While you still watch plenty of Dude Perfect and Fortnite videos on YouTube, you've started watching videos linked to law enforcement.  Live PD was one of your favorite shows before they stopped making it.  You've mentioned a carrier in this field might be something you'd like to pursue.  But you think it might be scary.  And you get scared really easily, so that gives us something else to push through.  It would be neat if that's what pans out.  You've played and pretended to be a police officer for so long, it really might be your calling.

You still have Lucifer and sleep with it every night.  Its full of holes and the stuffing can be found all over our house.  It's been your pal and comforted you for so long, I can't imagine it not being by your side every night in bed, or on the couch with you while you're watching tv.  Daddy still threatens to throw it away, but I promise I won't let that happen.

We sat down this week and you decided you didn't want to play baseball this year.  Part of me is sad, but you want to try something new and I support you 100%.  You're thinking football or basketball.  Here's to hoping the world will settle down and resolve itself soon so you can get out and explore new adventures.

I love you so much, dude!  Your attitude and talking back stink sometimes but I suppose that comes with the age.  You try really hard to do good.  You watch our for others, always making sure they're safe.  You remember to say thank you after we buy you something.  You still want me to carry you to bed, but I have a feeling you'll be carrying me before long.  You eat all your dinner, even if it's gross and you don't want to.  You're simply the best and I'm so glad you're mine.

Love,

Mommy