4.5 year old Zoe!

Dear Zoe,

Right now I'm sitting in a coffee shop and you and Junie are home with Leah, your high school babysitter. I came to this coffee shop for the sole purpose of writing to you guys because life at home is so busy I just don't have time or it takes me days and days.

This morning I spent some time with you trying to teach you to tie. You're aaaalmost there but you don't want an ounce of my help and in the end you said, "Here, I'll just show you how *I* do it." And then you tied the ribbon into the biggest, craziest knot you could. I guess that's one way to do it.


 In just about a week you turn exactly 4 1/2. I think you are coming out of your year of total wildness. I swear from 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 you were kind of a whirling dervish of emotion and intensity. Of course we did add a person to our family and you sort of come from people who are full of emotion and intensity so it's no big surprise. But now you rarely have meltdowns and you're very good at articulating your emotions and figuring out what to do with them - what works, what doesn't. Most of the time. At times you'll still say stuff like, "I can ride my scooter with no shoes if I want" and then when you bite the dust you'll say, "Why did you let me do that?" I bet you'll always do that, though, because I love to blame crap on other people. It's easier. 

This Friday is June 1 and I guess now it's officially summer. You have a totally kickass summer planned if I do say so myself. You have Ernie Miller Nature Camp with Gabby, Preschool summer session and 4 weeks in Michigan. Whhheeeee! 

Your Aunt Jess was just in town last week and she's moving to San Francisco in a few weeks. Yay - a new place to visit! You've been to New York enough, it's time to hit the west coast. Although when I told you she was moving you sighed and said, "I just like her in New York."


You're teaching Junie to do tricks. You say, "Junie, say AHHHHH!" and she opens her mouth and says "aaaaahhhh". Then you say, "June! Clap!" and she claps! You seem totally amazed. This morning you held you finger up in the air and tapped your foot and said, "She's learnin'! Yep. She's learnin'."

I'm really looking forward to this summer with you. I love you so much, sweet of the sweets.

Love,
Mama

Zoe B Big Sister

Dear Zoe B Big Sister,

A year ago today your baby sister was born. And 13 years ago your big sister was born! How cool that both of your sisters were born on the same day.

You and both of your sisters have a great relationship and I have to say I'm very impressed with you, kiddo. You are a great big sister to Junie - every morning you guys give each other hugs and I almost melt onto the floor. You and Josie adore each other and you miss her to pieces when she's at her mom's. How lucky you are that you get to be a big sister and a little sister at the same time. 

You have been saying the funniest things lately. I know I don't remember them all but here are a few good ones: 

Me: "Ugh, that cough!" 

You: "I know. I've been coughing for 20 years." 

Me: "What bathing suit are you going to wear for beach day?"

You: "Not my zucchini. Just my reg-li-er one."

Me: "How was beach day? Did everyone wear a bathing suit?" 

You: "Yes. And Carly even wore a BIKINA!"

As you can see, the word bikini is a bit tricky for you. I think I'll go ahead and take credit for the fact that you know the word zucchini and not bikini. Surely this nominates me for some kind of award. 

You're very into accessories right now. Headbands, necklaces, watches. You got a little watch the other day and you pretend it's a walkie-talkie watch and you talk into it. It's awesome. 

You and Grandpa went out and you picked out a birdfeeder the other day. You were SO excited and every morning you run to the door and check for birds. It's freakin' adorable. 

And in other news, you learned how to ride a mother-lovin' bike! A two-wheeler without training wheels! I think the balance bike really paid off. I told you when you could glide down the hill on your balance bike that we would get you a Barbie bike. One day you convinced me you could do it, so we bought the Barbie bike and you just got on and rode away! Hot diggity!

Here's a little video we did to showcase your new skills.

I love you so much, kiddo.  More every single day. I still stare at you in your sleep and get all gushy. I wonder if I'll still do that when you're a big teenager. Probably. 

xoxo,

M

Dear Zoe in 2012

Hey Awesomest Kid Around!

Get a little cuter, how about?

I wish I had time to update this blog more. Your little sister at 10 months old is giving me a run for my money. She crawls around and is getting into everything. You have gotten SO good with her, though. You have almost totally mastered the "giving her something new before taking something away" trick. You can make her laugh instantly. Sometimes you hug her a little tight and have some kind of weird desire to put your feet on her head but otherwise you are a dream big sister. Thanks, kid. Junie thanks you, too. 

The 4 year old you is really cool. You're fun and funny and strong-willed and funny and funny and funny. The other day I put this new "dry shampoo" in my hair (it's like powder that is supposed to suck up the oil in dirty hair) and I leaned down to help you with your shoes and you said, "Mom! What did you do!? Your hair smells like GASOLINE!"

When you set the table you do the funniest thing with the napkins. See picture below.  

That thing with the napkins is all kinds of awesome.

I love all of the things you're into these days. You are very into headbands and you got a few new ones the other day that you adore. So much in fact that when you get up in the middle of the night and come get in bed with me and June, you bring your headband and put it on my bedside table. That way, you can put it on the SECOND you get up.

You also love your Barbies and you're always changing their names. Sophie, Minerv (yes, no A), Cassandra, Bella, Dionna, Jillian, McKenna. Sometimes you change Junie's name, too. Gloria was her name yesterday. She doesn't really look like a Gloria to me, but you were convinced.

We got a Charlie Brown Christmas app on the iPad that you play with a lot. I didn't really think you'd be so into it but you think all of the things they say in that movie are hilarious. This morning I walked into your room where you and Junie were playing and Junie was messing with your dollhouse and you said to your Barbies, "See? I told you she'd goof it up."

I love you so much. We've been butting heads a little bit lately because let's face it - we're both strong personalities. There will probably be a lot of that to come. But I always love you. Always always always. You will always be my sweet little baby. Even when you're big and telling me that if I don't come upstairs and zip your sleeping bag RIGHT NOW that you will get REALLY MAD and even when I'm saying, "one more whine out of you and there will be trouble!". I love you always, no matter what.

Love,
Mama

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.