Dear Hazelita,
It was time. School was starting. Kindergarten. Your long hair, though beautiful and your favorite toy to flip around to express yourself was easily a tangled snarl of sticky food crusted vines, on a good day. Washing, conditioning and combing was a task of will and yelling... so about 6 inches or more, had to go. I was sad to depart with what was essentially your baby hairs you entered into the world with, soft and delicate. You are no longer a soft and delicate baby though and a big girl cut was the plan.
We went to Parlor Royale. You love the fancy shop and all the women there with unique do's of every color. You sat up in the big chair and shewed me away as I tired to take photos of the important moment. You had chit chat to do.
You were excited as she swung the chair around and the mirror revealed a swingy below the shoulder hair cut. Still long, but shorter, manageable and super cool.
You shouted out with the upmost glee, "I love it!" and you obliged the stylist with a picture or two as you spent the next 5 minutes flipping it around. I think it looks fresh and full of life, and other than pictures to the contrary you hardly notice it isn't down to your butt.
Sweet sharing these style mile stones with you, the next step was to bleach out part of it and make it vibrant red. Those photos to come.
I love you,
Mama
Hey there 1st grader,
Today was your first day of 1st grade! The week before you were all over the place in your behavior; talking back, laughing, challenging, testing, having fun, working so hard at swim lessons, resistant, loving and SO EXCITED to start school again. No chalkboard markers for the start of the year for you. You had to create your own sign. We picked out the pieces and placed them together.
I didn't even ask you to get it this morning as you readied yourself in the speedy way a race car reaches its finish line. We got your pictures and you wanted to include Hazel, who was less than excited to be up a bit earlier than in the past 8 weeks.
We loaded up all of your supplies and pulled up with time to spare. We all unloaded the car and entered a very excited classroom of kids and teachers entering the 1/2 classroom.
Greeted by Ms. Alana, experiencing growing pains of her own as she leaves her newborn son to return to work...and I am so grateful she is and is teamed up by Ms. Em who will be a team full of care, concern and enthusiasm with no tricks getting past them you sure to have a sensational year.
You played with a crew of old buds making dinosaurs attack pigs and then tossing them aside, and you had no concerns allowing little sis sit in and have a go at it took. As we were leaving at the last chime moms and dads were standing to the side waiting to detach and leave our babies to start their newest acquisitions of knowledge, friends and experiences.
Mommy Brook, Lily's mama, left and we caught eyes...and forever we know our stories of becoming families and forever we share the honor of being the mamas and papas to be able to see you off through your firsts, our eye catch pulled out some tears of gratitude and honor to be there in this moment. You and Lily are next to each other in your circle spots.
It seems like yesterday we were bringing you home. We know you are going to have a wonderful year. I can't wait to see you when you get home!
Love, Mama
Dear Henny,
Today you learned to tie your shoes! We set the goal on Februrary 1st, 2015 to learn to tie your shoes on your own by your 6th birthday. It seems like with many things we've worked on over the years there is a period of tumult and unraveling just before a break through. Today that happened. We had been having you add a step every couple of days. It seemed to be working, but today on the drive home from school I suggested if you could tie your shoes you could get something sweet at the convenience store. Apparently the prospects of sweets or not was more than you could handle. Fearful you couldn't do it, you started shaking and crying as your first two attempts didn't end as you had hoped. You confessed and screamed about just how hard it is to tie ones shoes. As you calmed down we discussed effort and attitude count for a lot. Then we came home. I had some little Jawbeakers that looked a lot like bribery material. After dinner I figured out that some of your efforts appeared to be purposely muddled. Yeah, I know, hard to believe you would avoid tying your shoes when such a reward was at stake. I called you on it. I said, "You know Hen, I think you could tie your own shoes but you're not because you don't want to give up Mommy helping you with it." You looked at me and tried to remain dead pan but a smile cracked your face with a little giggle, "Maybe?!" So, when 4 Jawbreakers were on the table to fortify the challenge you did it 4 times in a row with no faltering.
So freakin' proud of you! I texted JoJo to share the accomplished milestone. We called Bahboo and Grandma P to share the news. They had you tie them again while you were on the phone. They waited, you said done and they cheered.
A repeat performance for Grandpa Tim and Trish in Florida with a visual via Skype. For even more praise we called Grandma LaJean.
We are so proud of you! Goal set, goal accomplished! I am so excited that you over came your block and pushed through. So, what's going to be next??? Love, Mama
Dear Peep,
My sweet, exuberant, humorous and intelligent boy you are now out of my daily care and in the care of two sharp, caring and thoughtful teachers in a room with 39 other kids, one of which is a pretty and creative little blonde named Lily. When Daddy and I dropped you off for your first day you weren't showing any nervousness, any reservations. You walked in donning a new and shiny Minions backpack, you won't allow me to call it a book bag. You don't really need this bag as your school doesn't give homework for kindergarten and first grade, but you carry it proudly into your first day.
Daddy, Hazel and I stuck around for a while with lots of other anxious parents checking to see if our little chicks would make it in the new nest.
You, we didn't have to worry about. You immediately saw your preschool bud C and following directions you both sat down to play with some blocks together. Picking up where you left off, we stuck around for our own hearts.
If we could have picked on kid for you to grow up in school with it would be C, he is such a wonderful, kind and joyful kid. As I watched the big kids in the room and looked at you and Lily I felt pretty emotional. I was having strong flash backs to the day we brought you home and the evening our adoption support group sat around a dinner table listing to a cell on speaker catching all the details about a two day old baby girl named Lily waiting to come home.
It is overwhelming how fast the last 5 years have gone, after more years than that waiting to be your Mommy and Daddy. You made it through the day pretty easily, except for lunch. You weren't going to eat lunch. You didn't. You were not in a good mood after school. I came to pick you up and received a very bright smile of recognition and a solid squeeze. By day two you were hyper overwhelmed and were crying, screamin' and laughing all at the same time! Exhausted eyes and a restless body were more than you could handle and you went to sleep quickly each night. Now we are at day 4.
You're a super star at getting up quickly and totally dressed. Yesterday when I picked you up day 3 and you proclaimed, "The burrito was great! I loved it!" I am so proud of you because you also came up with a smart compromise to the lunch at school stand off. You proposed that we read over the menu and on the days when it is something you like you will eat there and on days you don't you bring lunch. Reasonable, verses refusing to eat lunch at school at all. You're coming around, getting comfortable and enjoying yourself, even if you won't yet show us that. As circle time was called you found your name and sat, a little stress showing on your face, checks puffed out and head hangin' a little low. It is a big adjustment for all of us but looking forward to all of your accomplishments that will happen this year. My growing boy.
Love, Mama
Dear Hazel Pants (Henry's latest name for you),
This past week was a big one, we've worked a LONG time for it in therapy. You are cruising minimally, yet you decided to take three steps on our own. Yep! So proud of you! Henry was sitting next to me on the couch and you were standing, holding on next to the foot stool. You stepped out with one hand and demanded our attention. When you had it, you took three steps and applauded for yourself. Way to go small fry! a couple of weeks later and you're still at 5-6 steps, but you're workin! You're improving! We are so proud of you.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10153513506720484&set=vb.598475483&type=2&theater
Love, Mama
Dear Hazel,
Just before your birthday we took you to Tamara at Boomerang to get your first haircut. It was pretty tame... Your hair wasn't that long but the texture kind of changed all at once and it was hanging in your face down your nose, making it difficult for you to see when you are crawling. It was quick. You stood at the couch and she went... snip, snip, snip... and it was all over! And you looked cute and I could see your sweetie pie face. There were a few barely there wisps to put in two plastic bags, one for us and one for WW.
Love the look of it. The first hairstyle of many. At least someday the perm trend won't make you a victim. haha You're such a beauty.
Love, Mama
*Henry's first haircut.
Dear Hazelita!
Last night, it happened! You crawled, three little crawls, but it was movement! We've been working for months with the OT trying to teach you to be on all fours and alternate picking up your hands off the floor, to sustain staying up longer, and building strength. In one weeks time after one PT appointment and two pool visits you did it. You also said duck, duck, duck as you went after one of the little foam duck stickers Grandma P gave you. You've been sitting up and pulling to your knees in the pack and play. Saturday you were not going to go to sleep. You played and played with me on Daddy's office floor trying out the new things from PT. The next day you were a little ball of weak. Your body just melty and tired. It took a lot of energy for you to do all that moving. We went swimming Wednesday and you grew weak quickly there, but you enjoyed it. Then, today you were sitting on the floor digging through my jewelry box in front of me (using your left hand and right hand fairly equally) and I saw you quickly crawl across the floor right there! I screamed out, "Hazel crawled!" Daddy and Henry rushed into the room. This time it was four or five crawls before you crashed or opted out by sitting up. That was before big brother got involved and started cheering you on with a megaphone.
When he discarded the megaphone in the bathroom and ran down the hall you laughed and went after it...and got it!...and tried to use it like he was. You explored the different floors and seemed very satisfied with yourself.
So exciting! Henry is such a great motivator and has you laughing your head off as you come closer to him. He has been waiting to play with you more. We are all so proud of you. What a great cheer block you have.
Now only 9,999,980 more first to go! I am so honored and grateful I get to be there for them.
Love, Mama
