Famous Friends

Dear Mackenzie,

You have two best friends this year and their names are Elizabeth and Taylor. No one in your generation understands the humor behind that but it's amusing to the people in mine!

Love,

Mom

Mind the Gap

Dear Mackenzie,

It's out! You lost your first tooth today! When I saw you after school, the first thing you showed me was how loose your tooth was--you could practically push it all the way down. Then when I was showering you, I was worried that it might fall out then and go down the drain, so I asked you if I could try to pull it out. You said yes and with just the slightest tug, your tooth came right out! There was no blood, there were no tears--just a cute little gap in your mouth!

Love,

Mom

You're Six Years Old!

Dear Mackenzie,

You told me the other day that your friend was carrying her jacket, water bottle and papers on the way to the cafeteria, so you helped her hold her things so that she could get her lunch. Since you had her things, though, it was then difficult for you to get your own lunch. However, I know you weren't even bothered by that because you were happy to help your friend. You are always so kind and thoughtful to everyone around you and that's why everyone loves you!

Ever since you were a baby, I have always felt as if I'm hanging out with a celebrity when I'm with you. As a baby and toddler, you were exceptionally cute and people constantly gasped and fawned over how adorable you were. Now that you are older, people still gush about your cuteness but they also love how sweet you are. There is an aide at your school, Ms. Deep, who has told me on multiple occasions that "I cannot start my day without Mackenzie. If I don't get to see her smile and play with her, I do not have a good day." When Daddy drops you off at school in the morning, she always chats with you for a bit before letting you go inside the building. When I volunteer for lunch duty, I see how many of the girls in your class want to sit with you. When you have a play date at your friend Ksenia's house, she always hides your shoes and insists that you stay longer when I come to pick you up. When you have a play date at your friend Bobbi's house and I arrive to collect you, Bobbi often laments, "Already?! That was so quick."--even if the play date was almost four hours! JieJie's friends always want to talk to you when they FaceTime JieJie and have even bought birthday presents for you.

You are so popular, but that is just one of your many positive qualities. You are also incredibly responsible. You always start your homework immediately after you get home and shower, get ready for school and bed without me having to tell you to, study for your weekly spelling tests on your own and do extra workbook pages when you're done with your school homework. You now set an alarm on my iPad to wake up on school days and when it goes off, you get up and get ready--you've never plopped sleepily back into bed and made me drag you out, even if you're still tired. On Sunday nights, you even check the iPad to make sure the alarm is on for the week.

Since you are so responsible, you are also a great student. At school, you are doing well in math and reading and always behave. You've never had to move your behavior clip off of green and you are actually good to a fault--you told me that one time you got a papercut during a test but you didn't want to interrupt, so you waited until the test was over to tell your teacher, even though the cut really hurt.

You are quiet and serious during class but when it's playtime, you play. You love to run and jump. You love to be tickled and spun around. You love to dance like no one is watching and sing at the top of your lungs. You are loud, energetic and cheerful. You have the sweetest smile and the most contagious laugh. You are a big, dimpled ball of sunshine and you bring so much light to everything around you.

I used to watch this show called Jane the Virgin where they superimposed a glowing ball of light over a character's chest whenever he or she was feeling especially happy. I feel like I get that ball of light when I look at you. On top of everything else I already said, you are also so brave, determined, independent, respectful, insightful, funny, caring and affectionate. I am so lucky that I get to be your mama and I wish you the happiest of birthdays today, Kenziebear! Happy 6th birthday!!

Love,

Mom

All You Need

Dear Mackenzie,

When I tucked you in last night, I asked you if you needed anything. You replied, "I need Mama. I don't need anything else except for Mama." My sweet girl! You always make my day and I love you so much!

And oh my goodness, the first thing you told me when you saw me this morning: "Mama! Six days until I turn 6!" It's going by way too fast!

Love,

Mom

I'm Happy

Dear Mackenzie,

Things you currently like to do: draw (the stack of artwork on my desk--and Daddy's desk and JieJie's desk--just keeps getting taller and taller), learn viral dances with me (we've learned the dances for "APT" and "Fate of Ophelia" so far), read Dork Diaries books, look at the clock when it's 7:11 (fine, whatever, but do you have to point it out every time?!) and also when the numbers make a math equation, such as 3:36 (3+3=6) and 9:45 (9-4=5). 

Things you currently say: cimanim (cinnamon), restanot (restaurant), hanitizer (sanitizer)

Things you currently like to eat: anything chocolate and also scallions (you really like scallions and always pick them off of my sushi rolls or whatever else they happen to be on; one time I bought scallions, cut them up, presented you with a dish of them at dinner and your eyes could not have lit up more, haha!)

Things we currently do every night: cuddle, read a book, do our bedtime routine, which now includes me singing a song I learned in one of GuhGaw's toddler music classes a million years ago and that goes like this:

I love you, I love you, I love you, I do.

I love, you, I love you, I love you, it's true.

I love you, I love you, it's you I adore.

And every new day, I love you some more.

I'm happy, I'm happy, I'm happy with you.

I'm happy, I'm happy, I'm happy, it's true.

I'm happy, I'm happy and you are what for.

And every new day, I'm happy some more.

Sometimes when you wake up in the middle of the night and call out for me, I come into your room to check on you and tuck you in and you request sleepily, "Sing to me?" I sing you this song and you always look so content as you close your eyes and drift back to sleep. You are the sweetest! I love that you always want to cuddle and give me a hug and that you chirp, "I love you" at the most random times. I also love that when I ask you a question like "What do you want for dinner?" or "Where do you want to go on the weekend?" you joke, "Mama!" Everything is Mama, haha!

Love,

Mom