Big Reader

Dear Mackenzie,

Oh my goodness, you say such cute things! All of the time! Here are the latest examples:

- "Mama, if I had a different mama that wasn't you, she would not be as good as you."

- "I knew there were Mickey Mouse pens in Ms. Gruber's bag because the bag was seeable."

You are the most adorable little girl--but you are not so "little" anymore. First of all, you are suddenly very tall. I blinked and you seemed to have sprouted several inches! Your size 5 shirts are like crop tops on you and you fit comfortably into size 7 clothes. You started sleeping in your own bed at the beginning of the month and within two weeks, you slept through the entire night without waking up and calling for me. In fact, when you did wake up one night and Daddy laid down next to you, you asked him, "Can you go?" When I talked to you about that in the morning and asked you why you had kicked Daddy out, you told me, "Because I'm a big girl."

And if that wasn't enough, on February 9, I found you in your room with a pile of flashcards. You were carefully sounding out each word and READING!! Baby girl, you can READ by yourself!!! It is always so magical to witness you and your siblings reading for the very first time and you rocked it, reading out words such as "not," "if" and "it." (And I like how your teacher has taught you to tap each letter sound on your fingers as you verbalize it--it's just so sweet.) A week later on the 17th, I heard you reading Can I Play Too? out loud all on your own--amazing!!!

In addition, your handwriting has gotten so neat! Even your teacher commented on how much better it is. You are growing up so quickly!!

Love,

Mom

No More Diapers!!!

Dear Mackenzie,

You reached a big milestone on February 1: You wore underwear to bed instead of an overnight diaper! Your overnight diapers have actually been dry when you wake up in the mornings for a couple of months now, so as you finished your last pack of overnight diapers, I didn't order more!

As you noticed less and less diapers in the bag, you got excited but also nervous. Excited because you could start wearing underwear to bed, be more comfortable and be a "big girl." Nervous because no overnight diaper meant that you could no longer come to my bed in the middle of the night and sleep with me. You have been sleeping with me every night since you were born, but I explained that if you had an accident with underwear on, it would be a huge mess--Daddy and I would get wet and would have to take showers, plus we have more pillows and bed linens, so it'd be a lot more laundry.

You understood that you couldn't sleep with us anymore but on your first night wearing underwear, you were very anxious about sleeping in your bed on your own all night and kept saying, "I'm scared! I'm not ready!" You cried but I reminded you about the many brave things you have already done (started a new school, ridden fast amusement park rides, gotten shots without a whimper). I told you that you couldn't get into bed with me if you woke up and got scared, but that you could definitely knock on my door and talk to me. And oh boy, you knocked on my door five times that first night. And you behaved and didn't climb into my bed or ask to. You even asked to use the bathroom one time. I walked you back to bed each time and tucked you back in and when morning finally came, you were dry!

It's been two weeks now and you've done so well with sleeping in your own bed and waking up and asking to use the bathroom when you need it. I'm so proud of you! And I'm so smitten with all of your cuteness! Here are some recent gems:

- "I spy with my little eye something beautiful that I love very much." (It was your turn while we were playing "I Spy" and you were talking about me!)

- When we were reading Corduroy, a Ken doll on your bookshelf fell over. You wanted to go pick it up and asked me, "Can you pause the book?"

- Whenever I ask you what you want for breakfast, you often chirp, "Mama hugs!"

- We were walking up the stairs when you just randomly said, "My mama is so beautiful and I love her so much." Awww!

- You say "I love you" to me all of the time and you constantly want to hug me and hold my hand. You often want to stay in whatever room I'm in and always insist on sitting next to me at restaurants. If there is an option of going somewhere with someone else or somewhere with me, you always choose me. Thank you, baby girl, for loving me so much!

Love,

Mom

Game Time

Dear Mackenzie,

I love the little games that we have invented, like "Find My Dimple!" For that, you try your best to make a serious face (which you make by scrunching up your nose and trying not to smile) and I tickle you and make you laugh so that I can see your dimple!

I do not love our unofficial game of "How Old." For this "game," you ask me, "Mama, how old will you be when I'm [fill in random age here]." I usually don't like the answer, especially if you say an age like 95! Hahaha! 

Love,

Mom

Staying Put

Dear Mackenzie,

Daddy and your siblings were all out this morning so the two of us were just chilling at home and cuddling on the couch. It was so peaceful and sweet just chatting together and you said, "Let's never get up!" A tempting suggestion, baby girl!

Love,

Mom

Making Up

Dear Mackenzie,

You told me that when you and your buddy Adriti get mad at each other, you make up by shaking hands, saying "Best friends again?" and then laughing. I love it! If only all disagreements could be so easily and quickly resolved!

Love,

Mom