Cyan! I Am Glad to Meet You

Dear Henry, 
My lil dude so expressive and dare I say colorful?!  For a couple of years you have been quite fascinated with unusual color names. Chartreuse, Indigo, crimson and cyan, to name a few.  You settle on a solid love of all things cyan, quizzing people to answer to what they think your favorite color to be.  Your school has an ample supply of individuals and expressive appearances.  This is one of the many reasons we love it so much, growing up where differences were frowned on, or at least constantly questioned.  One of the trends at your school is stripes of hair colors or full headed green heads or purple dos.  This is the year you wanted to do yours.  We held off through the year and as summer hit we said let's do it.  You are pretty sensory sensitive and I worried the process would drive you nuts and we would abandon our efforts to a vibrant cyan mid lightening process and end up with a brassy orange.  We talked about this and you promised to hold it together long enough to get through so we proceeded through steps 1. cutting and step 2. bleaching.  

You were so excited about the initial results you delayed the coloring part, admitting that there had been a lot going on around your head and you needed a breather.  You made it through the first round by talking to yourself, asking lots of questions and giving a blow by blow of what you were feeling.  Nervous energy was never more cute. 

We also allowed Hazel to do a little stripe in her hair. Barely there, a pretty "little caramel stripe" she called it.  So, here we are a week later and you are ready for the dye.  We prep, get you outside and slather on this bright blue stuff.  

You handled it amazingly but we had to rinse it outside in the cold hose.  After much hooting and hollering you followed up rinsing off in a warm shower and we dried the finished product...a gorgeous poof of cyan cotton candy perched on your head.  

You feel you look very cool.  We think so, too.  You were more than amenable to pictures.  I will post them all here for future looksies.  

I posted on facebook and apologized to your grandparents whom all understand your personal drive to self expression but are a bit reserved for such a brightly screaming statement.  No worries, they will see how happy you are an melt.

I love you buddy.  This was fun doing this for you.

Love, Mama

First Day of 3rd Grade

Dear Henny, 
The years roll on and you grow...and when I say grow I mean you have grown 4.5 inches since you left school in May for summer break.  You went to bed last night with a headache and body aches so I checked on you while you slept to be sure you hadn't developed a fever and drew back for a split second when I saw your body.  Not because you were riddled with sweat or sickness but because you looked like a small adult sprawled there.  You are only 8!  But you fill the bed with awkward limbs flailed in bends and angles your baby body wouldn't have allowed, yet your space blanket is still keeping you warm rolled up in the crook of your arm.  You are stuck between ages of little boy and moving on to a more private life of your own.
So, starting 3rd grade came with many big changes for you. You are in a 3rd/4th grade classroom, which reunites you with all of the same 3rd grade buddies and back with the 4th graders you shared k/1 and 1/2 with.  You had slight anxiety surrounding the reunion as you forged a special friendship with a kid last year that you hoped could withstand the pressures of playing with your old best buddy in the 4th grade.  With great relief you volunteered at the completion of the first week that, in fact, you have all grown a little and there was room to play with anyone you desired with no problems attached.  How exciting that you're sharing more of your own initiative!  I felt so warm and happy last night when you brought me your assignment folder and explained to me what you had to do and how it needed to be done.  Your goal being 100 minutes of reading for the week, you had a plan on how you were going to do that and ended up reading way past your 20 minute a night goals yesterday, but I dare not tell you, risking hindering a repeat each evening.  

Another big move was leaving behind one teacher you spent 3 years with and another you spent 2 years with.  They were both such amazing influences on you and we miss them already, but happy to say you are going to gain so much from your three teachers for the next two years.  

We are so proud of you.  Your amazing sense of humor, your quest for the weird and unusual of the the world make you endearing to be around.  I am particularly proud of your personal sense of style which you showed off nicely the first day of school with a shirt filled with hot dogs.  Your sister, Hazel, is quite envious of your ability to go to school, next year you both will be there and I will feel lost for a little bit, the first phase of my parenting over. 

She misses you so much while you're at school and begs me to go and pick you up.  I feel happy when the time rolls around, too.  There isn't much better than that moment when our eyes are searching for each other, they meet and you skip along to my door and get in.  

Love, Mama

Last Day, First Day

Dear Henry, 

The growing is good, it means you're alive and thriving but it can have a way of twisting my guts up and giving me a sad little twinge that this thing where we are buddies is getting closer and closer to you building independent friendships and needing me less.  7. You're seven now.  You ended the first grade year well, at a start of third grade reading level and on point with math skills.  

Though we haven't found the right stories to create a passion for reading non-fiction, I am appreciating your passion for reading wacky, weird facts of the real world or scouring over books gathering stats and the habits and body peculiarities of natures creatures.  I'm not sure you show any sort of motivation to show your teachers or classmates the inspiring levels of knowledge and thinking skills you have but we enjoy your knowledge and learning from your independent studies.  One great example you hold on to with steal strength is the time you told us that pigeons give their babies milk.  Daddy and I were major doubters even after you continued to explain, figuring you must have something wrong there.  We gave our arguments that birds aren't mammals, they don't have breasts, they don't have hair, are you sure about that buddy?  I launched a google search and sure enough...pigeons do feed their young a milk like nutrient rich secretion they make in their crop.  You told us.  It only took us a couple of more times to understand that you know exactly what you are talking about.  Your 5th grade reading buddy told me she also tries to get you to read stories but you stick to any and all nonfiction, but she has learned a lot.  This year, 2nd grade started up on August 8th.  You made your sign for your first day picture, we bought supplies, chose and laid out your clothes for day 1.  Without a hitch you went to bed and got up and got ready to head off to school.  I appreciate that, I mean REALLY appreciate that ease at which you get going in the mornings, such maturity there. 

Daddy, Hazel and I took you in for your first day, our school encourages it, another thing to be grateful for.  Your school. The best fit for you and I feel sad for all of the families on the waiting list with such hope that they could get in, and we are there!  You found your cubby, scoped out your sitting spots on the floor and founds some friends to dig into some activities with.  The chime rings calling all the 1st and 2nd graders to their circle spots and the wet eyed parents leave to allow the first day of learning to ensue.  It doesn't pass me that I was chosen to do this.  

I was chosen to have this moment with you, with Daddy. That at one time I didn't think I would have a first day with my little buddy, of any sort.  I am grateful for how we became your parents because it creates a deep gratitude for the smallest of moments.  I love you buddy, and will miss you while you're gone during the day, but am certain you are in safe hearts and minds. 

Love, Mama 

Cool Like Mom

Dear Henny, 
This past weekend when we were waiting for our ice cream and food to ready at the Tasty Treat I was scanning around with my camera and this came into frame...

I nudged Daddy and said, "Hey! Look! He totally is me!" 
I love this.  I often see your birth family in your awesome looks and will comment but there was no mistaking this moment.  Mama has worn knee high socks with shorts forever and they way you're sitting, all me.  You've taken to pulling your long socks up. My lil dude. One of the reasons said she liked our profile letter for adoption was in one of our pictures of Daddy and Mommy camping I had funky knee high socks.  Passing it on down, JoJo. 
I love you.
Love, Mama

RIPPED.

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1pwSwDI

Saturday Afternoon Dance Party

Dear Peep and Hazelly, 
We had an AWESOME Saturday afternoon.  The rain was really pouring this morning so we decided to pick some sticks from our

rainy day jar we made 6 months ago and had never used.  It was great!  You chose the, "To Have a Dance Party with Outfits," popsicle stick.  I grabbed up what little (really old) make up I had and then some dollar select eye shadow from the grocery and you both intensely got to work dressin' up.  

Hen, you really messed up my crappy jewelery boxes dragging out bracelets, rings and necklaces, but I don't mind.  It was great watching you both but then Henny decided that it was Daddy and Mommy's turn.  Hen and Daddy went with a Adam Ant inspired look and Mommy and Hazel more of the Boca Raton bronzed up blue eyed thing.  We made it to the dance floor in full style and shaked it, spun it and flipped out heads for a good hour.  

 

With all of us pooped you two took a bath to wash up.  What a great Saturday surprise.  My lil' dance machines...

Love, Mama 

Crazy day at school.

Dear Henry, Today is crazy day at school. You are so excited and here are the choices you made.  You ran around collecting things for your crazy look, including darting out to the car to get some chain you stashed away for your scorpion necklace.  You have yellow and white make up around your eyes (disappointed that I didn't have giant eyelashes to put on your lids), snake tats with flowers on your arms and two bracelets.  You are really excited about crazy day!  As you spoke about your friends in class you were amping up thinking about the things they may have done...and yet when I dropped you off at school a couple of hours ago you were the only one in the class who had done ANYTHING, besides one of the teachers who had put her hair in pig tails.  You didn't seem to mind but had a little bit of a shocked look.  It makes sense.  Yesterday you were the only one to not wear PJ's to school ("Pajamas are for bed not for school").  You don't even go to school on Wednesday normally but you wanted to be there for crazy day.  I'm glad you're the kind of kid that wasn't/isn't normally swayed by the fact that everyone was or wasn't, but were happy with you doing you.  A solid lesson and reality to carry through life.  I know I had so much fun getting you ready today and taking a few pictures of you.  The poses were also your doing.  
Love, Mama

Henry Loves a Theme

Dear Peep, 
You sure do love a theme.  Your school has been having themes each week.  You get very excited about this and go all out.  Last week was camping week.  You were REALLY excited about this, gathering up your things the night before.  I had put out some clothes the night before and when I told you to go and get them you I heard a rolling thunder of steps directed toward me coming from the hall.
"MOMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEE!  I can't wear those clothes!  They are not camping clothes.  Camping close have to be blank and dark."  Uh, okay, so I went to your room with you and we picked together.  This is what we came up with, along with a lantern, sleeping bag, boots and ball cap.  You also brought out your book Gisby and the stuffed dude that goes with it, as well as another book about camping. You rushed me along to get you to school and you were full of such energy.  We get to your classroom and we talk to the teacher about your excitement and you share your books with her and she says, "Oh, you should have gotten here earlier.  We are cleaning up the tents now."  Your shoulders slumped and you went back to the cubby and put your hat in and took off your vest.  I had no idea that the themed stuff was in the morning.  I thought it was all day.  I do wish, however, that you at least got a little 'way to go kid' speech from the teacher.  She seemed to be a little stretched thin that day so I'll give her a pass.  Daddy not wanting you disappointed sent me a text to give to you letting you know when he got home the two of you would camp out in the basement and watch a movie together and eat hotdogs and beans.  This pumped you back up and for two hours prior to Daddy's arrival home every five minutes all I heard were, "Is it time for Daddy to get home now?"  That's love.
Today you created your own theme, checker board clothes (orange and white checker board shirt, sweaterhoodie, pants, and shoe laces).  You picked out this look head to toe, asked me to take your picture on your great grandpa's chair.  

I asked you what you're doing in the first photo you said, "I'm trying to look cool."  Lawd help us!
Love, Mama  

Baby Girl's Clothes

Dear Hazel, 
Your aunties did not leave you out at Christmas.  They added many nice pieces to your wardrobe, it just took longer to get most of them in a picture than Henry.  Here ya are.  Pretty baby lady!

Pretty Owl Barrette and Sweater

This cute sweater even has arm patches

Cool Girl Sweater

Hi! Was your first word :)

Turtle Dove

Ok, this is the best I could get, you had a feva, but you're gettin' better!

Love, Mama