Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Closing Out

Dear Mackenzie,

Current interests: drawing and making art; listening to the Hamilton soundtrack; playing with dolls and stuffies; reading Babysitters' Club graphic novels; reading Anna Banana books with me at bedtime; eating chocolate in every possible shape and form; closing app windows.

Closing app windows? Yes, you read that correctly. One of your favorite things to do is swipe away all the open app windows on people's phones. Daddy doesn't close his app windows very often and you absolutely love taking your little finger and swiping them all off the phone screen. My friend Luna never closes her windows and when you looked at her phone a few weeks ago and saw that she had some 100 windows open--girl, your eyes lit up as if you'd hit the jackpot and you gleefully swiped them closed until I took the phone away from you (you could have sat there all day closing the windows but we had places to go!). You also genuinely enjoy x-ing out tabs in people's browsers. Haha, so random!

Love,
Mom

Monday, May 4, 2026

Staying on Schedule

Dear Mackenzie,

You came down with strep throat last week, so the doctor prescribed a 10-day regimen of a daily probiotic (which I have you take with your breakfast) and a daily antibiotic (which I give you with your dinner). Last night, I didn't eat dinner with you but you remembered to ask Daddy for your antibiotic. This morning, I told you to take your probiotic and you chirped, "I already did!" Thank you, sweet girl, for being so mindful and responsible!

Love,
Mom

Sunday, April 12, 2026

Talk Less, Smile More?

Dear Mackenzie,

Funny quotes from today:

Me: Alex, I need space in the fridge for your chocoflan [birthday cake] later.
You: You were supposed to surprise him!
Me: I can't surprise him. He's going to see me making it today.
You: You could have told him to go to work. You could have told him, "I need more money!"

You, after seeing Sawyer playing when I'd been telling him all day to study for his upcoming state exam: Mama, what's Sawyer meant to be doing? 

You: Mama, I don't like it when I have a sore throat. When I have a sore throat, it hurts when I talk, so I can't talk that much. And I really like to talk. (Haha, I know you do, sweetie!)

Love,
Mom

Saturday, March 21, 2026

My Little Chatterbox

Dear Mackenzie,

We were eating breakfast the other day when you said to me, "I'm good at talking, drawing and then dancing. I'm really good at talking. You know how sometimes you tell me that I have to stop talking for a little bit? It's so hard!"

Hahaha, I am well aware!

Love,
Mom

Sunday, March 8, 2026

Where Is the Underwear?

Dear Mackenzie,

I usually help you after your showers: I brush your hair, put lotion on you, help you put on your pants. You are old and capable enough to do all of that on your own, but I think we both like that I still help. Today, though, Daddy showered you while I was out and then left your room while you did your post-shower routine. Everything was all good until I took you to the bathroom after I came back home. You did your thing, got off the toilet and bent down to pull up your underwear--but you didn't have underwear! Surprised and confused, you asked me, "Mama, where is my underwear?" Also confused, I replied, "What do you mean, where is your underwear? Are they in your pants?" They were not because after your shower, you had forgotten to put on underwear before you put on your pants! Hahahahaha! I laughed a lot but you giggled SO much at your blunder and thought it was the funniest thing ever! After we got you some underwear, you couldn't wait to run off and tell Daddy and your siblings! Haha!

Love,
Mom

Sunday, March 1, 2026

Counting On

Dear Mackenzie,

I asked you to spell the word count and you said, "c-u-n-t." And then you looked confused because you didn't understand why JieJie and I were clearly trying to stifle our laughter.

Love,
Mom

Sunday, February 15, 2026

Bursting with Love

Dear Mackenzie,

When we finished brushing our teeth this morning, you said, "I love you so much, I just want to scream it!" You had the cutest smile on your face and bunched up your fists as if you really were about to burst. Then you ran to your room screaming, "I LOVE YOU!!!!!" Day made!! Also, can I just say how much I like it that when we brush our teeth together, you always hold my hand while we do so? It's so sweet!

In other cute news, you later showed me how to add two-digit numbers and kept saying "and so" while you explained to me, which I just thought was so adorable. You are and always will be my favorite little girl!

Love,
Mom