4 birthday!

Dear 4 Year Old Zoe,

Wow, I just typed that. Weird.

How are you FOUR? HOW, I ask?

It feels like just a few months ago I had a little tiny cry that I weaned you at a little over 2. And only a few months ago that you learned to walk. Holding up your arms like a little ape.

Time flies, kid. You don't think so now but holy shit time flies. You'll see.

The 4 year old you is delightful. You're not as defiant as you were at 3.5 and you're sassier than you were at 2. You're spunky and sweet and hilarious and so much fun to be around. The other day you told your dad he smelled like armpits and then smiled at him with your sweet little cherubic face - as if you'd just told him he'd won father of the year. Atta girl.

You have learned to write your name (still have a little bit of trouble with the Z - sometimes it looks like ...well, not exactly a Z) and you can write out words if I help with spelling. It's amazing. One day you could suddenly do it. Funny how that works.

Your 4 birthday, as you called it, was SO much fun. You were so into it this year and we celebrated the crap out of it. Three big, huge celebrations for your birthday. We decided to forego the "kids party" after last year's Chuck E. Cheese debacle and opted to take you and Gabby to the mall to do lunch, Build A Bear, carousel rides and ice cream. You guys had a BLAST.

For your family party, we had Grandpa David, Grandpa Russell, Grandma Jackie, Aunt Jill, Uncle Mark, Sophie, Dominic, Jack and Josie and we did a Hello Kitty pinata, pizza and pumpkin pie. Pumpkin pie is your new favorite dessert and you requested it in lieu of cake. 

Since your birthday was on a Tuesday, both of the OTHER celebrations took place on the weekend so we celebrated AGAIN on your real birthday. You took cinnamon bread to school (your choice) and we had lasagne for dinner and cupcakes for dessert. You only ate the frosting. 

We are having so much fun. We're all going bananas with excitement over Christmas (everyone's coming here this year). You have a preschool Christmas program on Thursday in which you'll be singing Christmas songs - only you can never seem to remember which ones. 

I love you so much, my peanut. These last four years have been the best of my life. I am so lucky. 

Love, 

Mama

A letter from Grandma Patty

November 19, 2011

Dear Zoe,

I am writing to you on what would have been my Momma’s 93rd birthday. I know she would have loved YOU! And you would have loved her, she was great fun – ask your Momma.

My recent visit with you was SO much fun. I just can’t wait to come back at Christmas. I especially miss our night time snuggles in bed together. I loved watching you and your Momma playing soccer; it was so funny when she snuck up behind you and pulled your pants down and you laughed so hard. I don’t know
if you realize how much fun your family has together. Lots of families don’t laugh nearly as much as you guys do. Or put up silly and loving things on the blackboard wall.

It was a special treat for me to be a guest at your preschool last week. Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I was honored to sit in Mrs. Hawkins chair and talk with your class about your Michigan summer and show them your Michigan book.

Breaking that piñata with you was so much fun and my hand didn’t hurt a bit after taking a hit. The ice was a charm.

When you read this, I hope you will have gotten your birthday present from me. I can’t wait to see you with it! Please send me a picture or show me on video chat. OK?

I talked to Jessie today and told her what a great big sister you are to Junie and how much you make her laugh. I told her about us seeing the deer and squirrels at the Nature Center, as well as the snakes and owls and the red-tailed hawk. She will likely want to go to the Nature Center when she comes at Christmas too. Won’t that be fun?

I want to plan to make gingerbread people with you, as well as Christmas cookies when I come back in December. I’ll bring all the decorations. (Are you sure you can’t talk your Mom into letting me bring Sammy?)

You are Grandma’s special treat. Every time I see you,Angel, you have grown and learned new things, but you are always that same sweet, loving, fun girl and I feel blessed to be your grandmother.

I love you Zoe-B.

Grandma Patty

Zoe B, 1 month shy of 4 years old

Dear Zoe,

I am SO behind on this blog and DAILY you do and say things that remind me that I need to get all of this down but life is crazy with 4 kids in the house. Ya hear? CRAZY UP IN THIS BITCH.

As an almost 4 year old with a birthday one month away, you are busy planning it all out. You insist that all birthday celebrations need a piñata with candy AND toys that fall out. I'm with you, kiddo. The more Mexican celebratory events, the better. You were going to have a Totoro/Hello Kitty party but after last year's total disaster of a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese, I pitched you the idea of taking Gabby to the mall and doin' it up just the two of you. Luckily, you'll all over it. Score one for Mama.

You're asking for a Sit n' Spin and a Barbie Jeep. A huge ride-on Barbie Jeep. Way to aim big! I can't believe I'm actually typing this way but I'm going to try and dissuade you from the Jeep and point you toward the .... wait for it... ESCALADE. Not only because - duh - the more bling the better but because it actually looks bigger and not like a toddler toy. But we'll see.

You're also very excited about Christmas coming up. So much so that you walk around singing, "Decorate the halls with jolly" which is probably the best Christmas song ever. This Christmas is going to RULE because all of our family is coming to our house. It's going to be a lot of decorating the halls with jolly.

You're trying out a bunch of new words these days. Phrases like, "I am going to address that this bike is bigger than that bike." or "Look at my compression ball." or "Daddy, let's play Ardamendo library." Ardamendo? Huh?

Some of your pronunciations are also awesome - instead of "also" you say "oh so", so it sounds like you're adding emphasis instead of meaning in addition to. "I oh so oh so want you get orange juice at the store." I love it. You also say "last day" instead of yesterday or a few days ago. "Gabby and I did that last day." One of your new favorite things to say is "aye yai yai" (how the eff do you spell that?). Junie will spit up and you'll say, "aye yai yai, Junie, stop puking!"

You are LOVING preschool and you do a lot of pretend playing that you're at school. You even asked me if there is an iPad app where you go into the Elephant room and find your hook and have a job like counter or weather girl, etc. Your best friends at school are Carly and Abby - but ESPECIALLY Carly. You adore her.

There's a lot more to say but right now you're wanting me to play with you on the iPad and Junie is screeching like a pterodactyl because she's sleepy.

I'm having so much fun being your mom, kiddo. I love everything about you. I love that you're strong and bossy and funny and weird and awesome and sweet and sharp as a tack. I love that when you're mad sometimes you say, "I need some Zoe time" and you go into your room and slam the door. I love it even more that sometimes when you're having a hard time you say, "I think I need some Mama-Zoe time."

I love you, baby. My big almost 4 year old baby.
xx Mama

Already?

Tomorrow Zoe is starting her "lunch bunch" at preschool. On Thursdays she gets there a few hours earlier for more play and then gets to have lunch before her regular class starts.

Tonight we were packing her lunch and I snuck in a little drawing of a heart around her name on a post-it note.

She said, "What's that?"
I replied, "A little heart so you can remember how much I love you."
She nodded her head and walked away. I started to talking to Travis about something.

A few minutes later she walked up to me with the post-it note in her hand and said, in a very teenager-ish voice, "It was really nice of you to draw that for me, but...I don't want it." Dropped the note on the floor and walked away.


WHAT!? I can't even stick a note in your lunch when you're THREE?!

Zoe B, preschooler

Hi Kiddo! Time is flying by - I'm sorry that I'm such a slackerific blogger these days but we have been BUSY. First, you started freakin' preschool, dude! Look at you!

I was more than a little nervous about the separation because it's an entirely new experience for you to be away from a family member or close friend but YOU ROCKED IT! You just went right in and did your thing and didn't even look back.

Your teacher's name is Mrs. Hawkins and she is VERY nice. She's got that magic preschool teacher thing going on - she got you to open up right away. Your classroom is called the Elephant Room and right now you have 3 other girls and two boys in your class. Today is actually your first show and tell, I can't wait to hear how it goes.
(Speaking of the word ACTUALLY, it is your new favorite word - you say it ALL THE TIME. "It's not dessert night, ACTUALLY.")

I'm SO proud of you. Also a little teary because I can't believe my little bean is already in preschool, but mostly I'm excited for you. Life is full of new adventures and you're diving in. That's the best way, pumpkin.

We spent three awesome weeks in Michigan and you loved it, of course. You cried when we left and it just cemented for me that we need to spend at least a month there in the summer. It's part of who I am and it's becoming part of you are, too. Hooray for Michigan!

We also just got back from a whirlwind trip to NYC for Aunt Jess's wedding. You are such a good traveler. You hang right in there with early morning flights and subways and all of it.

You were the flower girl in the wedding but you hated it. I don't blame you. Not only did you not know what to expect, it was a lot of the stuff you hate; people making a big deal out of you. You and Grandma P walked in and everyone starting hootin' and holleriin' and you burst into tears. But later Aunt Jess said it took some of the pressure off, so there was a little added bonus to your little meltdown. You had a great time after the ceremony, though. Especially with the photo booth - check this photo out.

You're digging being in charge of the camera, Junie is drinking beer, and I look exhausted. So perfect!
I love you, beanie. You're such an awesome little human.

xxMama

Zoe B : The Holy Terror Edition

Dear Zoe,

Today Grandma Patty posted this on Facebook,"You're nobody until someone calls you bossy." -Tina Fey

I think that pretty much says it all. Right? What I'm saying is YOU'RE SOMEBODY, KID!



I am pretty sure I don't have to worry about you growing up to be a pushover, which is good. I'm glad you are following along in your mother's, aunt's and grandmother's footsteps. Bossy broads unite!

I have to say, though, things are a little difficult these days because you're constantly bossing me around, yelling orders at me and scowling up a storm. I know it's hard when people don't do what you want them to do. I struggle with this STILL. I KNOW BEST - JUST DO WHAT I WANT! Yet, it doesn't work that way.

I think right now you're sort of stuck in a funny place of wanting to still be a little one and at the same time wanting to be a big kid. You still want a ton of attention and are now wanting us to do things for you that you used to beg to do yourself. On the other hand, when you are with your friends or Jack and Josie or your cousins, you are so eager to be JUST LIKE THEM. Sleep upstairs, watch big kid shows, play by yourself outside. Plus, you're so smart I think sometimes we forget you're just a little wee girl.




Preschool starts in a few months and I'm very excited for you. I think you're a little nervous about separating from me, but I think once you get comfortable you're going to absolutely LOVE IT. You've been taking a tumbling class with Gabby and you adore your teacher and are totally comfortable there after just a few classes. So I have high hopes. It will be good for all of us.

You are such a good big sister, Zoe B. You LOVE your little Junie so much. Sometimes when she cries you say, "Oh! I think she needs me!" I bet in a few years you guys are totally going to team up and take us on. I know I'm in trouble. BIG trouble.

Pretty soon things are going to kick into high gear - we're going to New York for Jessie's "brivate shower" (as you say), then two weeks later we're off to Michigan for three weeks and shortly after we return we're back to New York for Jessie's wedding. ROCK AND ROLL!

You are so much fun, Zoe B. You say the funniest things. The other day when your dad was in the shower you opened the bathroom door and said, "FART!" and closed it and ran off. You are clearly our daughter. As if there was any question.




I love you so much, kiddo. I look at you sometimes and wonder how on earth you've turned into such a brilliant, hilarious, determined, and loving person in such a short time. You've only been on the earth 3.5 years and you are such a FORCE! I love it. And I love you. So much I could cry.

Love Love Love,

Mama

my sister's blog

Junie has a blog, too!

Check it: Junie Beth.

Zoe Says....

"I love shorts. They have pockets and you know me - I just love pockets!"

Z: "Can I have an ice cream sandwich?" T: "You haven't had dinner." Z: "But it's my life's dream to have an ice cream sandwich!"

"I am the team champion. Now get me some orange juice."

Zoe B, 3 and 1/2

Dear Zoe,

Remember when you were two and a half and you used to say, "I'm Zoe B, 2 and 1/2"? Like it was your credentials? Well, now that you're 3 and 1/2, you don't do that any more because you're practically an adult. More teenager-ish than your 12 year old sister these days, I swear.

The other day I asked Josie to set the table and you flipped out because YOU wanted to set the table (I didn't ask you because the last time you set the table you burned out after you did the napkins and a table with only napkins and plates isn't exactly SET if you know what I mean). Josie, being the agreeable person that she is, handed the plates over to you so you could set the table. But the whole thing was so offensive to you at that point that you no longer wanted to set the table and while I was in the pantry getting out dinner ingredients you opened the pantry door, threw the paper plates at me and walked away.

See? What are you, 14?

You are SO MUCH FUN, though. I know I'm biased, but there has never been a funnier kid than you. No kid has ever been so much fun. Almost everything is fun with you - you just have such a knack for making everything awesome. I'm not surprised or anything because you've been like that since you were born.

One of my favorite things that you do right now is pretend to talk on the phone. You say things like, "Well, Aunt Jessie, I don't know when you're coming here but when you do I'm going to play princess phone with you and then we can twirl and everything BUT (tons of emphasis on the "but") you live in New York and you're there and how's Sophie?" You kill me.




You have also decided that the word "dude" has some sort of negative connotation - probably because of me. I say things like, "Dude! Slow down!" to other drivers and what not. So when Josie and Jack bum you out in some way, you call them dudes. The other day you said to me, "Josie and Jack are dudes because they ate all the popcorn."

Here's a question: what is with all this clothes-changing? You probably change your clothes 7 times a day and that is NOT an exaggeration. I guess it's probably because now all of your clothes are accessible to you and you can dress yourself completely. I'd say about 1/4 of the wardrobe changes are due to potty accidents and the rest are purely for practical or fashion purposes. It's funny. And kind of annoying because with all of this clothes changing and Junie's constant spitting up, we are drowning in laundry. But whatever - you'll only be 3 and a half and maniacally changing your clothes for a short time. I can live with it. I know someday I'll be wishing you were still little and changing your clothes 40 times a day instead of all grown up and too cool for me.

Speaking of Junie, you are such a good big sister. You love her so much - you love to make her smile and I can tell you're very excited for her to grow up a little so you guys can play. When we wake up in the morning, you're usually much more excited to see her than you are to see me. You have had a few episodes of blaming something on having a baby sister, but that's mostly stopped and I know you didn't really feel that way. Well, maybe you did for five minutes. But I know you know Junie is a little sweetie pie and that you'll be BFFs soon.




Guess what? I love you TO PIECES. You're magic, Zoe B. You really are.

Love,
Mama

Move Your Body

guess who's a big sister?

Zoe B is a big sister!

Juniper Elizabeth was born on March 28, 2011 (also big sister Josie's birthday!) at 2:13am. She weighed 9lbs 13oz. and was 21 inches long.

Of course, Zoe B is ROCKING this big sister thing. She loves Junie and can't wait to teach her all of her tricks.





Here she is with her BFF Gabby - they're both big sisters now!

Dear Zoe

Dear Zoe,

God I SUCK at this lately. When you were a baby it was so much easier...we weren't so busy and I had tons of time to sit and blog about how you were growing. Now, we are on the move all! the! time! it seems and the longer I go the more I know I should write and then it all becomes very overwhelming.

You are a very big girl. Which makes me want to curl up in the corner and sob sometimes because I can't believe how fast you've grown, but in other ways it's so much fun to be able to do all kinds of new things with you. It's so fun to pick you up from Grandpa David's and say, "Let's go get root beer floats!" and have you say, "Great idea!" It's awesome, for instance, that you are big enough to grab my car keys, open your automatic car door and go get your Barbie phone out of the car by yourself. By yourself! It's awesome that you say funny things like, "Let's go, turds!" when it's time to get in the car.




You are very independent most of the time - when you want to be. When you don't want to be, well...watch out. You have been known to get right in my face and say things like "I want milk RIGHT NOW and I'M NOT WAITING." Hmmm.....

Every time I say something about you being bossy, your dad says, "Weird, I wonder where she gets it?" The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, kid, and you come from quite a line-up of bossy broads. Your Aunt Mary Ann told me recently that someone told her she seemed like the kind of person that likes to try and control everything - to which she responded, "And there's something wrong with that?" I say go with it.

You are overall SUCH a happy kid. I LOVE how happy you are - and it's contagious. In February we spent a week in Detroit with Grandma Patty, Aunt Jess and our Bauer family because our Aunt Barb passed away. It was a really sad time for all us but having you there made it all so much easier. You were like a little ray of light.




I have to mention this love/hate relationship you have with people in costumes - like mascots. You hated Chuck E. Cheese but you love the dog mascot outside of PetCo waving at cars. You really hated the timberwolf and dog mascots at Jack's school carnival, but you somehow found this video on the internet of a person dressed as bigfoot parading through New York City that you love to watch. You talk about them all the time - how they are just people under there and how they are NOT coming to our house. I guess I get it, when I went to Alaska I was terrified of grizzly bears but I couldn't put down this book called Alaskan Bear Tales.

Right now we are waiting for a new baby to join our family. You are very excited. You keep saying, "when our baby comes I'm going to teach her _______". It's very cute. I really think you'll do great and you'll be a much better big sister than I was in the beginning. You have been very sweet to me as I've gotten bigger and bigger and less able to do fun stuff. I think the big sister role will come quite naturally to you.

We are also gearing up for Aunt Jessie's wedding in September. You want to be the flower girl and so you're planning what dress you'll wear. Every week or so it changes and you pick out some dress you already have and declare that to be your dress. I imagine we'll have a lot of fun picking out the real dress you'll wear.




You are also VERY excited to start preschool in the fall. You talk about how you'll learn all kinds of things in preschool and how you'll have one teacher just like Jack has one teacher. I can't believe you're old enough now to start preschool - arrgghhh! HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?

I love you so much, my sweet bean. Sometimes I just look at you and marvel at how much joy you've brought to all of us. I am so blessed to have you in my life. I know you'll read this someday and roll your eyes because your mom's a huge sappy loser, but it's all true so you can just ... stick that up your butt and blow it out.

Smooches,
Mama

p.s.
Here's a photo of you and your dad bowling. Check out your stance - sass!

A Letter from Grandma Patty

Dear Zoe,

It’s been 8 days since I kissed your little face goodbye at the airport. We were both sad because we knew that we would miss each other. I really wish we lived closer together too. Someday I hope to have so much time off that I can go to your house whenever I want to and stay as long as I want; and of course you’ll keep coming to see me in the summer for a month or more.




We are having a big snowstorm here; it has snowed all week long, a little bit each day, but now it’s going to be really deep. Tonight, Sam loved it outside and wouldn’t come in. He was covered in snow and looked like a white dog when I finally got him inside the house.

Are you enjoying all your new toys? You got some great gifts. I am enjoying my gifts also, but my best present was being with you and your wonderful family. I loved being on the carousel with you; wasn’t that a beautiful panda that you rode?! I really like to go to the playground with you; it’s nice to have that so close to your house. Are you still playing the Kai Lan Super Game Day on the Wii? You are really good at that. I bet Josie and Jack play with you too.




Is Momma’s belly getting even bigger? It won’t be that long before you’ll have a new baby at your house and you will be the big sister. I’m sure that will be exciting. I will come and play with you and help your Momma when she needs me. So, look for me in March or maybe sooner.




I’d give anything to send this letter through the mail slot on your pink house.

All my love, and kisses and hugs.

Gramma Patty

1/7/11

(68 years ago tomorrow my mom and dad were married)

the awesome things you say

Last night when your dad and I were headed out for dinner, Grandpa said, "Where are you guys going?" and you said, "...out to shake your butts?"

You had your friend Helen over and you guys were finished playing play-doh. I said, "You need to clean it up now." You put your hands on your hips and said, "Helen will." and walked away.

A while back you said, "I want to go outside now. Mama, tell my cereal I'm done eating it."

I said, "Zoe, I love you," and you said, "Me, too, but I'm sorry I just don't like you."

Zoe B, 3

Ah, it's been way too long. Life has been NUTS around here.

Beginning in November, we had a lot of visitors and LOTS of action. Aunt Jess surprised me for my birthday (and you!), which ruled.



Then, we found out you're going to have a little sister. I am SO excited for you (and for all of us)! I hope having a little sister turns out to be as fun for you has it has been for me. I bet you'll be a lot easier on your little sister than I was on mine, too.



For Thanksgiving, we went to Branson again with Grandma Jackie, Grandpa Russell, Uncle Mark, Aunt Jill, Caitie, Sophie and Dominic. You had THE GREATEST time. You are a total Sophie groupie and was so excited to be staying in a hotel with her. You woke up every morning and said, "Where's Sophie? Can we go to her room?"

While in Branson, we went to Silver Dollar City and you rode your first real rides. You went on the teacups, the elephant ride and the haunted mine. You were all over it. Here you are with your handsome daddy on the elephants.



Next comes the best part, your BIRTHDAY. You had been talking about your birthday since...um, September? "When I turn into 3, I'm going to get a pink house." Some neighbors up the street had a pink playhouse on their driveway that you thought was the bee's knees. So, we had a lot of buildup. Pink house mania was reaching fever pitch. God, I'm glad Aunt Jess was here for the first week of pink-house ownership because she plays anything you want all the time so you were in heaven.




We had your birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese, which turned out to be both awesome and horrible. The first half was awesome - you were so excited, you played games with your friends and then...it went to shit. A person dressed up in a Chuck E. Cheese costume came out to your birthday table and scared the crap out of you and continued to scare the crap out of you for the following few weeks (well, the memory of him did). Hell, it's January 17 as I type this and every now and then you still mention how much you don't like Chuckie.


I'm so far behind this is going to have to be a two-parter. I'll go ahead and post this to get your Grandpa David off my back and then I'll come back and work on part 2 - St. Louis and Christmas!