Another 18 months goes by and WHOOPS GLOBAL PANDEMIC

WHOOOOAAA, things are super nuts! What happens when I don't update your blog for 18 months? A global pandemic, I guess.

Before all of this happened, a lot of other major changes went down. We had been really enjoying our first year of homeschooling and traveling a lot. I think our family favorite was spending all of February in Puerto Rico. We all are pretty obsessed with the place. 

I wanted to update your blog so you will have a little snippet of what our lives were like during this quarantine. As I type this, we have stayed home for a SOLID MONTH. We have actually done really well since we were already homeschooling and used to being together all day every day. Our days haven't changed all that drastically, but it is very weird to eat every single meal at home, never go to restaurants/movies/coffee shops/friends houses and not make any travel plans. We get our groceries delivered so we don't even go to the grocery store. Our stay at home order began on March 24 and now they're saying it's likely to be extended into May. I have never seen anything like this!

We have come up with some fun things to do and you're baking up a storm. I should have taken a picture of the eclairs you made the other day (YUM)! You have a gift! We have been using the Marco Polo app to send videos back and forth to Grandma Patty, Grandpa David and Aunt Jess. We spend a lot of time outside. Today, for example, we went on 3 scooter walks (you and Junie scooter, I walk)! You play on the swing, hang in the hammock and one day we made our own birdfeeders. We had the tent up for a week or so in the backyard and Zinia and Willa had theirs up about 8 ft away. You guys have gotten pretty good at playing without being too close to each other, which actually really amazes me. Honestly, you're better at remembering to stay 6 ft away from people than your dad is! He forgets!

One thing that has made things more fun is your parody songs. You are writing songs that are about Covid-19 to the tune of popular songs. You have one called "Corona Corona" that is a remake of Hakuna Matata (this one is my personal favorite). "It means you worry...for the rest of your days...." :) You have another called "Stay Inside" that is to "Show Yourself" from Frozen 2. There is at least one more but I don't know the song so I can't remember. This is where Junie would roll her eyes and say that I'm "not an internet mom" which seems to be some kind of insult. Cuts like a knife. 

Well, I love you, you almost-teenager. It's funny - you're actually approaching 13 and are acting less like a teenager than ever before. You acted more like a teenager at ages 3-11. Life is weird.

xoxoMama

I may or may not have just skipped two entire years on this blog

Dear Zoe,

Tonight I was thinking more about what tattoo I should get to represent you (it has to be perfect!) and doing a little online research. I decided to look at your blog to see if there's something I'm not remembering...and I was slightly embarrassed to see I haven't updated this freaking thing in TWO ENTIRE YEARS. Ouch.

This is one of the advantages of waiting until you have a fully-developed brain to get tattoos - you understand the way time works enough to know you really have to put some thought into it or you'll end up with a tweety bird on your lower back. You don't like my opinion on anything ever, but I'll just leave that bit of wisdom here in case this is the ONE thing you take to heart.

You are almost 11 years old, my love. It is soooooo weird that you're a tween suddenly. And it really was SUDDEN. At the start of 5th grade, you started setting an alarm and getting yourself up for school. Wearing deodorant. DECIDING to shower. Whaaaaaat?

It's fun because we can do things together like go see Crazy Rich Asians - which I would have gone to with friends - but now I can go with you! I think we will have a lot of fun together when you're not following me around the house telling me I'm doing everything wrong. It's ok, I think most people are doing it wrong, too, I have just learned I probably shouldn't tell them all the time. I still slip up from time to time, ask your dad or any of my friends. :)

I'm really proud of how driven you are. You started your own company called Look Shades. You bought cheap sunglasses in bulk from Amazon and rebranded them with Look Shades labels and you sell them for a profit from an Instagram account and via word of mouth. Mostly our friends buy them, but you have made really decent money and manage to keep suckering them by changing up the colors/styles. Who can pass up cute $5 green sunglasses?

 Next month we are going to Portland to see Grandpa David, Aunt Jess, Charlie Coconut and baby Banana-Pants who is still hanging tough in Aunt Jess's belly. Last year when we visited, we went to a fun pumpkin patch - this year I hope to go to the coast. We haven't been to the ocean in a few years and even though I won't swim in that garbage salt water, I love to be near it.

One thing that is making me feel incredibly proud is how you seem to float above some of the more annoying social drama with the girls at school. You have absolutely no problem saying no to an invitation if you think you won't have fun - no FOMO for you. The other day I asked you wanted to go to a birthday party and you said, "Mom - it's too many girls. They divide up and leave people out and there is all this drama. No thanks." Can't argue with that!

I am feeling incredibly proud of MYSELF for jumping back into this blog after a two year drought. I recently found my old journals from when I was 20-23 and though it is painful to read them (and I mean PAINFUL) I am so glad I have them. Life is so full and you just don't remember everything no matter how hard you try. Plus, you grow and change and it's just fun to have a little glimpse of yourself when you were younger. Sort of like time travel.

I love you, Bo. I think these tween and teen years are going to be an adventure for us but we'll have fun. Even if you roll your eyes through every minute.

xoxoxo Mama

Zoe B, third grader

Dear Zoe B,

You are so much like me I can't even handle it sometimes. I went up to the school the other day to take care of some forms and it happened to be your lunch time. I decided I'd pop in and say hi to you and your friends. You just looked at me in this perplexed way and said "Um, I don't really want you to stay. Thanks." Ha! I was the same - school was MY thing and I did NOT want my parents there gettin' all up in my biz. I love that you're that way, too.

You're quickly approaching 9 years old, which is TOTALLY WACK. You are so funny, though, and you get funnier as you get older which makes it easier to take. You made this hilarious commercial for school the other day and you added in all of these clever little touches that made the whole thing hysterical. I wish I could post it, but it's on your school iPad and it's at school with you as school iPads should be.

You have Mrs. Wright for 3rd grade and you seem really happy with her. It's a big year at Briarwood for you - a ton of cool field trips to all kinds of Kansas City hot spots, a big chili cook-off,  the whole grade makes a huge replica of Washington DC and then a big Washington DC trip at the end of the year. Heck, I'm excited and I'm just the mom.

We had a great time in Michigan. We did about 4,000 things which is just the way you like it. You drove the boat with uncle Colin, we kayaked, canoed, floated in tubes, etc.




Charlie was there for 10 days and you LOVE being the oldest. So many people to boss around! Heaven! You're so sweet with little kids, though, and you were very sweet with him. It makes me so proud.

I love you so much, my sweet girl. Sometimes I feel like I forget you're still little - you act so grown up sometimes and you're so independent. But really you're still a pretty little kid. Growing fast, but still my little girl. Which you will always be. Sigh. I love you so much. I hope you know that every minute of every day.

xoxo
Mama

Zoe B - 7 years old

 Whoa, you're 7? What?!?

I remember being a little kid and thinking that 7 seemed old and that when I finally got to be 7 things would really start picking up for me. And now I have a kid that's 7? Things picked up, indeed.

The last few months have been busy and so much fun. Although you were sick on your birthday, which I honestly can't believe. You had the flu - you woke up in the middle of the night of your birthday with a killer headache and a fever. You were out of your mind disappointed because you had been looking forward to it for months. The week that you were sick, 26% of the kids at Briarwood were sick. NUTS!

You had a pretty awesome birthday party, which fortunately was planned for a few weeks after the real day. You and 3 friends went to see Annie on the day it opened. You had a blast. I thought the movie sort of sucked, but shockingly you never asked what I thought. :)

Suddenly it was Christmas time, and Grandma Patty came to visit. We had a great time. There were Christmas jammies and cookies and we drove through Candy Cane Lane a hundred times (or at least it felt like it). It was magical, as Christmas tends to be.

You are such a smart little cookie and often times really think you have things handled and that I could just resign as mother because you'd be happy to take over. You love to read (lately it's Junie B Jones books) and you're an amazing reader. You also love to watch not-so-amazing YouTube videos made by children whose parents give them free reign with a video camera and internet connection. But I'm trying REALLY hard to just let you be you and to let you like what you like even though there are all kinds of cool things you could watch on YouTube that don't involve weird strangers video-taping themselves doing handstands. NEVERTHELESS!

You're super sweet with your sister, who is mostly super sweet with you, too. You guys seriously melt me into a giant puddle you're so cute together. It snowed the other day and I saw you out there pulling her in the sled and I wanted to lay down and the floor and sob because it's so lovely to have a sister and I'm just so happy for you. I'm emotional. I know you understand - you're an emotional lady. You come by it honestly, as your dad likes to say.

You keep talking about the 10 year old trip you'll take with your dad for your 10th birthday. Now you're considering Mexico and Tokyo (even though it's supposed to be continental US) because I think you've got your Dad's number. I love it. The other day you had a day off school and we had to take Junie to preschool and you said you'd rather stay home with Dad. When I told you Dad was going to work, you said, "That's ok - I'll go to work with him. I like elevators and being in New York." So I said, "Dad doesn't work in New York." And you replied, "Well, it's LIKE New York with all the tall buildings and stuff."

We went to Arizona a few weeks ago and we went to the Phoenix Zoo. You totally shocked me because the first thing you wanted to do was ride a camel. I was like, "really?" and you said, "I'm brave now." And yep - you got right on a camel.  You're brave now. For sure.

I love you, my sweet 7 year old. You are, as always, the light of my life.
xoxox
Mom

Well, I'm the worst blogger to ever have lived

Dear Zoe,

You know what? We moved! And moving is stressful and time consuming and nutty and it makes you feel frazzled and just leaves very little time for blogging.

And we had a crazy fun summer and crazy fun also leaves very little time for blogging.

But here we are now and school is in full swing (um, first grade?) and we're mostly settled into our new house and things are starting to settle down.

Here's our new house. We love it.

Here's your room (that you share with Junie - her bed isn't pictured, obv).

Here's a shot of you having fun on the beach. Never mind that this skim board purchase sent you into a whirlwind temper tantrum because it wasn't YOURS ONLY. Ha. 

Here you are on your first day of first grade. Ack!

It's weird how I am just in utter disbelief that you are in first grade. You get up early and you walk to school with Gabby (we walk with you guys, of course) and you're gone all day and it's nuts. Your teacher's name is Mrs. Boetcher and you really seem to like your new school. Phew! Also, I'm so impressed with how well you read. You're reading fluently now and a year ago you were hardly reading anything at all. 

Your Aunt Jess and baby Charlie came to Michigan when we were there. That was so much fun. You just love that Charlie Coconut. I think you wish you could just pick him up and walk all over the house with him like the babysitter that you dream of being when you're older but of course he was just too tiny for that. 

The other big thing that happened is that you lost tons of teeth. You are the cutest little rascal. 

Well, I love you my sweet girl. You are hilarious and precocious and feisty and determined and persistent and willful and independent and sweet and sensitive and I just want to eat you sometimes. I guess that never wore off from when you were a chubby little baby. 

Love, 

Mom

Zoe B 6 year old

Well...guess who is 6 going on 16? Or even 26?

Yeah, you. 

Where do I even begin? You are doing SO well in school. You LOVE it and never want to miss a day. There was a day last week that you had a fever and I told you that you had to stay home from school and you lost your mind with anger. You HAD to go to school! YOU HAD TO! I'm so happy that you love it so much. I hope that lasts a while. 

You're reading up a storm - I can't believe how much you've learned in such a short time. I also can't believe that Kindergarten is already more than half over and that you'll be in first grade next year. I guess I can't believe a lot of things. Don't want to get me started on that. I mean, Sam Brownback is our governor? Why? 

You had a great 6th birthday party at SkyZone with all of your friends. When you were smaller you used to kind of freak out about a lot of attention but man, you have really grown up. You loved every second of it. Basked in all the attention.

We have been/are traveling maniacs. We drove to Michigan for Christmas this year which was really fun. We haven't been there for Christmas EVER since you were born so it was a big treat for me. Aunt Jess was there with her cute little baby bump (you've named the baby Coconut) and you had a great time sledding with Uncle Michael.

Next we are off to France Cancisco in a few weeks for Aunt Jessie's baby shower. We're meeting Grandma Patty there - it's going to be awesome. February makes me crazy so it will good to get the heck out!

Speaking of France Cancisco, Junie and I went there a few weeks ago and it's the first time I've ever left you! Well, aside from the one night I spent in the hospital when I had Junie. I was really, really nervous about it. But you did REALLY well - you hung out with Grandpa David during the day and daddy at night and you had a blast. You're amazing. You really roll with things well when you have to. I love that.

Ok - right now I have to run and pick you up from school. It's so cold I want to freak out. I think we should move to Hawaii.

I love you so much. More than you could ever imagine.
xoxoxoxo
Chelsea Mama

A Letter from Grandma Patty

Dear Zoe,

I loved my visit with you and all your family. Of course, you and I get to sleep together and so many other things. It is very special.

What a treat it is to be your Grandma! I mean it. I get so excited to be with you. Making a pumpkin pie from scratch - that was great - we did a great job! You are such an awesome pie crust roller, and pie crust is not that easy. It turned out so well and it tasted so good! Let's make another one at Christmas, ok? Perhaps we'll even cook the pumpkin. How about that cow cake? I liked making that with you. You weren't so sure about how good I was at doing that, but I wasn't so sure, either. I had never made one before. It just looked like fun and don't we just have to try new things? It turned out pretty darn good, I'd say.

Everything about spending time with you is fabulous: the park, building Kiwi Crate craft activities, stories, games, pretend, swings, and just hanging out with you and Juniper!

I am very excited to spend Christmas with you this year. We will get a real Christmas tree - we can cut it down if you want to, or I'll get it ahead of time and we can decorate it when you get here. We can make cookies, gingerbread people and do all the fun Christmas stuff that your Aunt Jess and I like to do. Santa will find my house and bring you gifts!

You are such a big girl now. I was so glad to be there when you received your first report card and to see that you are doing so well. Congratulations. My sweet baby. I am proud of you and your achievements. Of course, I knew that you would do well, my bright shining star of a child!

Grandma Patty loves you so...just like a red ribbon bow.

Magic

Zoe: I learned that trees are part of the earth.

Mom: Yep.

Zoe: Also, houses are part of the earth.

Mom: Houses? How are houses part of the earth?

Zoe: Um....magic.

Zoe's Twitter

A friend of mine emailed me the other day and told me that Zoe was spamming her on Twitter (or is it twamming?). I had completely forgotten that Zoe had a twitter account that I set up to record the funny things she said when she was around 2.

Here's a little snapshot (click to enlarge):

Zoe B Kindergartener

Dear Zoe B,

Guess who goes to school now? REAL school? YOU. Kindergarten. What the what (this is something you say now and I think it's hilarious)?

You are in Mrs. Garey's afternoon kindergarten class at Forest View. You seem to really like it and you're making lots of new friends. We miss you in the afternoons, but you were so ready to get this school thing going. I don't blame you.

We had an amazing Michigan summer. We were gone for 6 weeks this year and it FLEW by. Too bad that as I write this (IN SEPTEMBER) it's approaching 100 degrees. Ugh. This place!

We did all of the things we love to do in Michigan. Sailboating, SUPing, tubing, lots of beach time, rides at the Cherry Festival, hanging with cousins, dog-walking with Grandma, making new summer friends, eating tons of ice cream, and swinging on the swing in Grandma's front yard. I'm so happy we're making all of these great summer memories (if you don't mind me getting all sentimental on yo ass).

Then of course you were glad to get back to KC and see your BFF Gabby and sleep in your own bed and stuff. 

You're hilariously high-intensity, kidlet. Whenever we have any kind of conflict lately and you're mad at me, you say things like, "Is this how you treat your DAUGHTER? Your CHILD?" I love it because I'm usually mad and it makes me laugh and reminds me that whatever was making me mad is probably not that big of a deal. 

I'm very proud of what a good big sister you are. You are really able appreciate Junie for who she is and you are (mostly) very patient with her. I know how hard it can be to have a little sister gettin' all up in yo biz and you're so good with her. Go you! 

I love you, my sweet growing-up-girl. A few weeks ago you got your first wiggly tooth. I almost cried. But I don't cry about that kind of stuff because I'm awesome that way. I can reign it in (or maybe I'm trying to convince myself I can). 

xoxoxoxo

Mama