A letter from Aunt Jess

Dear "The Most Awesome Person Alive: Zoe B., 2 and 1/2",

I just got back from spending the fourth of july week-end with you and your family and I have to tell you, you're basically the coolest person who has ever lived. You have gotten SO BIG that I cannot even believe it. The last time I saw you was at christmas, which was 6 months ago. It might as well have been 6 years - you are like an adult now. Except cooler than an adult. By a lot.




You and your momma picked me up at the airport and you were shy for about 2 minutes - then you remembered that we're best friends. I also picked you right up and smooched all over you and you looked at me like - well, ok, you seem to look like me and act like me - so I'll let you smooch on my cheeks. You were really excited about the planes and the buses all around us.
You said "I wish I could go on a plane.... I wish I could go on a bus.... Can I go on a bus momma?"
Your momma said - "not right now, but we will soon ok?"
You said to me "My momma says, not right now."
I can't believe she can say no to you at all because you are so absolutely adorable when you say it and make everything you ask for seem totally reasonable. The Bauer-Greene force is strong with you my love.

Anyway, right then and there I decided that I would do anything you wanted because we're soulmates and if I don't spoil you like the awesome person that you are then who will? So here is what we did

* We blew bubbles and you laughed and laughed - especially when you blew them right into my face.



* I pushed you on the swing and pretended you were crashing into me everytime and you laughed so hard.
* We twirled around to the song on your new princess phone, I made up the words and you and I danced to it for like 150 million times. It was so completely great. (The song was to a waltz and went like this: "we're twirling around...around...around, we're twirling around, around, around... we're twirling around and arounnnnd and we fall down on our butts bu-bu-butts.) Then you would say "LET'S DO IT AGAIN AUNT JESSIE!" and I would say "OK!"
* We went swimming at grandpa david's house and you showed me how really excellent you are at jumping into the water
* We went to the movies and saw what you called "Toys thattalk" which was Toy Story 3 and you thought it was fun - but we did have to take a break in the middle to go get some m&ms and run down the corridor a few times. But really, who doesn't need to do that at the movies?
* we went to a clifford exhibit downtown where you were the cutest of all the kids and everyone knew to get out of your way because you are so awesome.




* We went to target and got groceries to make cupcakes and you helped put all of them in the cart and on the conveyor belt to check out. While your momma paid you and I twirled around with you in my arms and i gave you smooches on the neck. You thought this so so tickle-y so you tried to lick my face to make me stop. Whatever dude, try and gross me out by licking my face - IT WON'T WORK.
* We took naps together where you would snuggle up to me for a little bit, but then scooch back over to your mom and say 'i want huggies momma. I want you momma.' I just about died from adorable.
* We also had slumber parties together - you and your mom and I slept in the same giant bed and you would want to talk and talk and not go to sleep. The best was when you rolled over to me, put your arm around my neck - patted my cheek and said "hey chubby". Good one kid.
* We read soooo many books and you read them to me too - you have the best memory ever, you can almost recite pages by heart! If I tried to jump in you'd say "Don't say MY WORDS Jessie!"



* We took baths and I let you pour in the bubbles...you of course dumped in ALL of the bubbles but I was like..that's cool with me, so we just took a bath with sky high bubbles. There really are no worries when you're with your best friend.
* We ate so much sugar your mom said I would be responsible for your diabetes when you get older - but she just doesn't get that soulmates like us can eat endless sugar - it just fuels the coolness you know?

I had so much fun with you sweet girl, you really are such a source of joy in my life. I thought you might be sad to see me go but you were all "BYE!" and I was glad because if you would have cried I would have had to stay to make you happy. I would do ANYTHING for that bright smile and high pitched laugh.

If I'm ever having a bad day I can pull up a movie of you and feel better after watching it, I can video chat with you and it reminds me of what the really important things are in life. I am learning those important things are to be happy, to enjoy every moment and to have a great sense of wonder about this crazy world we live in and I'm learning it all from you. Of course. You're Zoe B., 2 and 1/2.