I had a $20 bill leftover from my trip. I told her she could have $10 of it, but she’d have to bring me change. “Be sure to hold onto that, I don’t want you to lose it. Got it?”

“GOT IT!” And with that, she was off.

Annabella is a marketers dream. If she’s seen the commercial, she needs it. Ergo, no broadcast or cable television in our home. She sees signs at school for the school store and MUST have money for it. Only to buy dopey little trinkets that break before the day is over. Not my idea of a sound investment.

She walked out of the building after school with the biggest grin on her face. She said, “Mom, I only spent $9! And I’ve go a receipt for you in my backpack.” She was carrying a large poster with a kitten on it.

I asked, “Did you get anything besides the poster?”

“Well, my friend (her best friend, actually) lost her money. But I was able to buy her a poster and me a poster and still spend less than the $10 you said I could. Your change is in the backpack, it’s $11 exactly.”

What a beautiful heart my girl has.

But I promise you, that you are going to get the hang of it. You’ll figure out a way to either make your writing meet expectations or to squeak through like your mom. Dad is helping you with this because I understand all too well the desire to make your letters look like everyone else’s and no matter how hard you practice, that is just not what comes out the end of your pencil. But nobody really worked with me, so maybe dad can help. It’s worth a shot, and you deserve it. You deserve to give yourself the chance to grow beyond this trouble spot. It may not be easy, but if you can get past it, you will be rewarded in small ways for the rest of your life.

So many things in life are like this. They look insurmountable. Until you take it one step at a time, or someone shows you the way, or you just have a breakthrough. Just keep plugging away, OK?

You’re so amazing. Everything that comes to you so easily. It just takes my heart and squeezes it, in a good way. Possibly, those things that come easy make the hard stuff look much harder than it really is. Just keep at it. Don’t give up.

One more thing. I want you to know how lucky your brother is to have you. He’s 4 and he’s doing addition, and he figured out reading on his own… He makes everything look so easy. Do you want to know why? Because he has you. You show him things that Dad and I can’t. You are there for him, to challenge him and keep him learning new things. He wants to be just like you. You are a role model and an inspiration that he can totally relate to. And you? Had to figure it all out, with just Dad and I to lend a helping hand. And as much as we love you and want to help you, we are just not, well, kids.

Keep going, kiddo. I know that once you get some of your third grade challenges tamed, you’re going have a blast at school again.

Love you,
Mom

#4 is Good Cook, which is rather a shock, since Annabella is all about chicken nuggets at this particular moment in her life.

But it’s the last one that really makes my eyes misty. My girl thinks I have a big heart. How wonderful is that?

The “Just Mom and Me” American Girl book is her most favorite thing in the world right now. I highly recommend it.

I do not love that they are so delighted to be together that Annabella goes to the bathroom with the door open and Redding can’t wait to spend time with her, so I find him camped out on the floor with his snack, waiting for her to be done, so they can play some more.

Goofy little bastards.

I love you

ilove is higher than mteverest and deper thanthe deeper than the deepest ochen

Seriously, is there any mom out their luckier than me? I think not.

First, during breakfast the Florence and the Machine song “Dog Days are Over” came on. Annabella said, after the song went off, “Mom! I finally figured out what that song is about!”

“Really honey?”

“Yep, the lady’s dog hid in the souffle pan, while she was baking. And she accidentally… BAKED HIM! That’s why the dog days are over. She killed her dog in the oven!”

Oh, the drama is strong with this one.

Later, on the way to Life Time, we drove by the site near the creek where they are building a new gas station. You know, across the street from the gas station that has been there for like 10 years?

Red says, “They sure are using a lot of sand…”

“Yes, they have to, honey. They decided to build a gas station on a wetland. Isn’t that a tragedy?”

“Actually, Mom, I have been thinking. I think we should go over there later with our sand toys and see if we can give them a hand. This building is taking an awful long time…”

Hilarious.

Unfortunately, while I was making note of that cuteness for posterity, she got bored. What does my 8 year old do, in the backseat, when she is bored? Well, today, she leaned her head forward on the back on the front passenger seat and proceeded to spit. She spat several times before Andrew asked her loudly, “What in the world do you think you’re doing?”

I’m not 100% certain, but I’m pretty sure that’s something she picked up her first week of 3rd grade — at school.

Now, I don’t want my kids spitting. I find it highly repulsive when people spit in pubic. However, I wish for my daughter to have the ability to spit without dribbling on her chin, something her Mom is an utter failure at.

Literally, spit, out of the mouths of babes. Sheesh.

You remember and share interesting facts. Like chewing gum while chopping onions will stop you from crying and a coconut is actually the largest seed on earth.

Part of me wants to keep you a little girl forever. Because you don’t care what other people think. You are probably the least self-conscious person I know. I hope you stay that way forever. Likewise, your tenacity in tackling challenges is remarkable, even if you complain a bit.

You are strong. Probably even stronger than I’ll ever know.

You are sweet and kind. The depth of your compassion (for cartoon characters and real people) astounds me.

I love reading books with you, especially how much you love the C.S. Lewis books we’ve been reading together. I enjoy talking to you about school, life and friends, I hope we can always share like this.

Watching you grow as a person continues to dazzle me everyday. As much as you grow, you’ll always be my girl. My little, teeny, tiny, amazing punk rock girl. I love you. Happy Birthday.

I love when my kids just roll with what the day brings.

Meanwhile, earlier today we saw a poster for a Red Cross Blood Drive on July 30th. Annabella asked what that was all about and I told her, “Sometimes when people are sick or injured they need blood. In order for them to receive blood, someone has to donate it. That’s why they have blood drives.”

“How do they donate it?” She inquired with wide eyes.

“It is kind of like when they draw blood for a blood test, only the needle stays in longer, until a pint bag is filled.”

“Whoa! That’s a lot. I don’t want to do that.”

“Well, you don’t have it, it’s not required. First of all, you have to be at least 17, and even then it is voluntary. People do it because it saves lives.”

“Like superheros?”

“Kind of, just less dangerous. One blood donation can save up to three lives.”

“Really? I hope I never need blood.”

“You did when you were a baby. And because someone, like your Poppa or like me, donated blood, it was available for you.”

“Why did I need blood?”

“Because you were very early, and preemies aren’t able to make their own red blood cells yet.”

“Why? Is being a preemie rare?”

“Because ordinarily, they wouldn’t have to. They’d get them from their mom. And no, being a preemie isn’t rare, there are about 500,000 preemies born every year.”

“HOW do they get blood from their moms?”

“Through the umbilical cord.”

“How do they cut the umbilical cord?”

“With sharp surgical scissors.”

So yeah, we had that whole big conversation. Then when Bel’s friend came over, she recounted it, almost word for word. She got all her numbers right, too. It was wild.

Her friend has two little brothers and one on the way. She was a riot, telling Annabella all about things. Then, next thing I know, the two of them are carrying around baby dolls and telling each other, “I think I’m going to have a baby!”

So much pretending! So much talking over what is going on in their lives, recounting their recent conversations with adults.

Another great reminder, that when we talk, they listen. We help shape their experience of the world and what they share with others.