Mercedes - First Day Of Junior Kindergarten!

Dear Mercedes,

My darling big girl - the day has finally come. Your full-time education begins now! Today was your very first day of 'big' school, as you've been calling it; full-day, every day, Junior Kindergarten!

It may seem like no big deal to some, and perhaps even to you, considering that you have basically been in a JK class for the past year already at Peekaboo. But this is different - this is the REAL DEAL. Public school. No nap. No provided food. No hand-holding from Mommy or Daddy. No early pick-ups or late drop-offs or staying home because it's convenient. SCHOOL.

September was always my favourite time of year (in fact, I think it probably still is!) - the weather cools off a bit, the sun is still shining, and best of all, the new school year begins - full of promise and opportunity and endless possibilities. I loved picking out a new outfit, and spending a sleepless night excitedly wondering who would be in my class, and what my teacher would be like. Organizing all of my shiny new school supplies, blank notebooks waiting to be filled with knowledge. I LOVED school, and if your experience at Peekaboo was any indication, you surely will also. I can't wait to see your future unfold - what catches your interest, where your path takes you.

We are so proud of you and how curious and inquisitive and sensitive and observant and emotional and considerate you are. It is a joy watching you grow and learn, and I can't wait to have many more first days of school with you, just like today.

(And for the record, there were no tears, from either of us!)

Love always,

Mama

Holden - 8 Months

Dear Holden (aka Holds, Holdy-Moldy, Rolds, Holders, Nedlohs, Mr. Nedloh, Neds, Nedders, Mr. Handsome...),

You are now 8 months old, and two days after celebrating that, you finally cut your first tooth! Not that you'd know it - you are as happy and agreeable as ever!

You aren't crawling yet (fine by me!) but you are super-quick and efficient with your rolling and pulling yourself around. Nothing is safe, and I can't leave you alone for a minute or you will be clear across the room. You are much steadier sitting now, and absolutely LOVE your food. I always find it so fun cooking for an infant - no criticism, no rejection... just pure joy at being given real food to eat!

And, as you have been your whole life, you are still a complete and total delight to be around. Smiley, happy, easy-going - any good-natured adjective you can think of? That's you!

Your sisters fight over who gets to open your door to greet you first after a nap, and they love fetching you toys and tickling you and making funny faces so you'll smile and laugh at them.

You can thank Mercedes for your main nickname of Nedloh (Holden spelled backward - she's a leftie, and very adept at the mirror-writing!), and all of the ways we've incorporated Nedloh into other nicknames for you :p

As always, thanks for being you <3

Love,

Mama

Mercedes - Preschool Graduate!

Dear Mercedes,

You are officially a graduate! Of Preschool that is, but it is what is hopefully your first of many graduations, and your father and I (and all the rest of our family) couldn't be prouder! You first started Preschool, full-time, in September. You had a typical transition - you were so excited to go at first, and then on day three reality hit, as did the tears. You cried on drop-off for a couple of weeks, but settled fairly easily and began to participate. Shyly, and tentatively, but you participated. You ate, you slept, you listened well, you played and best (perhaps most importantly) of all, you began to make friends.

We've seen an immense change in you over the past almost-year, as have your teachers. Of course, part of that is just natural growing up - you were 3.5 when you started, and now you are nearly 4.5, so of course you've matured. But I have no doubt that Preschool helped the process. You talk to and play with kids you don't know at the playground and can talk to adults with ease. You now know all of your letters and numbers and are learning to read - you know tons of sight words and LOVE pointing them out while we read chapter books to you at bedtime. You have learned basic math and graphing and all about lifecycles (watching tadpoles grow and eggs hatch into baby chicks) and dinosaurs and the seasons and been to see live shows and ridden a pony and, and, and... the list of what Peekaboo has provided you is long.

We love having conversations with you and hearing all about the things you've learned. We love watching your little friends squeal "Mercedes!" and give you a hug when you show up. We love seeing how voraciously you read books and complete activity worksheets and how much you love to colour and practice your writing. We love seeing how far you've come physically too - climbing play structures with ease and little fear, riding a bike (with training wheels) - all things that you were too scared to attempt on your own a year ago.

At your graduation, which we all attended with proud, happy tears in our eyes, your teachers read this blurb about you: "Mercedes loves to spend time in the writing centre with the other girls playing teacher and school. She has formed new relationships and gained self confidence in these games. When Mercedes grows up, she wants to stay at home and be a 'mommy'. With her quiet and compassionate personality and her need for knowledge, we think she is going to be a librarian."  Your teachers love you - even the teachers from classes you aren't in love you (Miss Nicole misses you when she doesn't work mornings, and brings you special treats - I even noticed her holding your hand while you waited to cross the stage to get your 'diploma'). Seeing how much of an impact you have made on them, and how much of an impact they have made on YOU makes me swell with pride. You should have seen our reaction to your Progress Report!

You are still staying at Peekaboo over the summer, even though the Preschool program is now finished - going to the splash pad and playing soccer and enjoying time with your friends. Saying goodbye at the end of the summer will be bittersweet for us all - I have NO doubt that you will flourish and excel in Junior Kindergarten in September (although I'm primed for another 'transition' period), but I know that it will be sad to say goodbye to the second family you've created at Peekaboo over the past year. I'll never forget how much you've grown there.

Love,

Your ever-proud Mama

Holden - 6 Months Old

Dear Holden,

Happy Half Birthday! On Monday you turned six months old and it gave us a chance to reflect on how busy and full and wonderful the past half year has been. You are such an absolute delight - everyone you meet falls under your spell. Smiley and happy and content to just watch the world around you. You aren't very active (you roll around quite a bit, and move a ton in your crib at night, but during the day you are happy to just lie/sit and relax), although you do kick and wiggle a lot. So a wonderful blend of busy but stationary ;) You can't REALLY sit up on your own yet, although you try. Which has thrown a wrench in our introduction to solids - we do 'baby-led weaning' and one of the readiness factors is being able to sit up unassisted. We tried to give you some pepper earlier this week and you just toppled over too far in your high chair for us to feel comfortable with it. So we wait a bit, despite the fact that you are super-interested in whatever we happen to be eating. I am sure once you start you will be raring to go!

No teeth yet, although I do believe that a few are on the horizon. You are still nursing well, and sleeping well (three naps a day, and usually one wake up overnight), although you are an early riser just like your sisters. I guess your father's genes were dominant with all of you on that trait! You love to babble at us - babababa and mamamama are frequently heard. You weigh about 18.5 lbs (more than Lexi weighed at one year, ha) and are chubby and roly-poly with not very much hair, but delightfully large eyes and cheeks.

All in all, you have made our family more complete than we ever could have imagined. We love your sunny, gummy smile and the way you pause when someone talks to you - as if deciding your next move - before always, inevitably, lighting up into a gorgeous smile! You love to watch your sisters play, and your eyes glow when they play with you. We can't wait to watch you grow and become their playmate!

Happy half birthday Holders - we survived half a year with three kids!!! :D

Love,

Mama

Alexis - 2nd Birthday

Dear Lexi,

Happy 2nd Birthday!

Time is such a funny thing - it moves so slowly, yet flies so quickly. There is a saying about parenthood that 'the days are long, but the years are short' and in so many ways, it is very, very true. Our days together often seem to be one long chore - between you and your brother and your sister there are endless diaper changes/bathroom breaks and naptimes and feeding and snacks and requests for one thing or another. Your father and I are exhausted by the time the three of you are in bed. But when I reflect on how quickly the past two years have passed, and how much of an amazing ride it has been, I feel lucky beyond measure.

Yesterday was your second birthday, and it was much like any other day - you are delightfully funny and sweet and make me laugh, but you have also driven me nuts: danced in the dog's water bowl, taken a header off the couch, stolen your brother's toys, thrown a toy full of water out of the bathtub, insisted on wearing a plastic crown for your nap, spit food on the floor, fallen asleep in the car and tried to resist your nap, taken off a poopy diaper and gotten it all over your hands... the list goes on. Despite how 'two' you can be, I am loving having you home with me. It's most certainly not relaxing, but it is always entertaining!

At two years old, you love practicing going up and down the stairs (with some hand holding, because you have my short legs) and riding your tiny balance bike. Bubbles are like, THE best invention and you absolutely go nuts for the park and going down the slide by yourself. Fruit of any kind makes the world go round, and you eat fun stuff like sushi and crab but turn up your nose at most vegetables (hmm, wonder where you got that from?!) You have SO many words and seem to learn something new every day. You are currently obsessed with a purple crown that you wear everywhere (including the doctor's office and to bed!) and you love 'reading' your favourite books. You are waking up ridiculously early but still taking great naps (thank you for that!) You say such cute things like 'Aww, kiss!' every time you kiss someone - you torture the dog and cat daily, but think you are loving them. And your sun rises and sets on your sister and brother - watching you all together warms my heart daily (when you aren't fighting for toys/attention/space).

Lexi-Bexi, you are a joy and a delight to be around - tantrums notwithstanding. We love you so much and can't wait to watch you grow this year.

Love,

Momma

Holden - 3 Months

Dear Holdy,

Yep, sorry, it's official - your nickname is Holdy (often Holdy Roldy, ha). I know it doesn't sound especially masculine, but it suits you and your sunny, easy-going personality. I don't know if it is because you are a boy or because you are the third and sort of 'forced' to go with the flow... but man, you are an easy baby (knock on wood). It is hard to believe I was ever concerned about dealing with a third. Of course, it's early days, and your personality will develop as you grow, and at some point, you will move (that'll be fun). But for now, we are enjoying the 'honeymoon' period as your fourth trimester draws to a close. I've absolutely loved the past almost three months with you. You are smiley and happy and sleep well (again, knock on wood - do you hear me?! I'M KNOCKING ON WOOD) and love just chilling and watching the world (aka the tornados known as your sisters) around you. You haven't laughed yet, and you haven't rolled over yet - despite trying. You do like to talk and coo at objects on your playmat, and you love trying to hit them with your hand. The look of concentration is priceless! But by far your favourite thing to look at is your own hand. You hold up your right hand in a fist and stare at it until you are cross-eyed.

I love snuggling you and rocking you gently to sleep in your quiet room. In fact, despite being the opposite of my 'parenting philosophy' you are sleeping in your own room for the entire night already (and have been for a few weeks now). Your sisters didn't go to bed at an early hour until about 6 months, and they were in our room (and often in bed with me) on and off, but mostly on, until 9 months! You go to bed in your crib peacefully around 7ish, sleep 6-8 hours, and then back in your crib for another few hours. I have to admit, it is pretty great, but I do miss seeing your sweet face beside me in the bed. However, I know all too well what developmental milestones, illness and teeth can do to sleep - I am sure it won't be the last of our co-sleeping days. Until then, I'll relish the quiet moments we do have together during middle of the night feedings (we don't have too many quiet moments otherwise!)

Love,

Mama

Alexis - 22 months

Dear Alexis,

It is hard to believe that in two short months you will be TWO. Although I have to admit, you are showing a lot of signs of the 'terrible twos' already.

You have been home with me full-time since your baby brother was born, but a month ago your grandparents generously offered to pay for part-time daycare for you - we all figured that, supermom though I am, it would help you tremendously to have some kids your own age around, and to get out of the house and do some fun stuff. We are in a pretty good groove (for now, while your brother doesn't move!), but it is nice for you to have lots of exciting things to do, and it is nice for me to have a couple of days of peace and quiet with just your brother around. We do get out though - playdates and momstown events and running errands and next week you start a 'gym' class, which I am sure you will be thrilled with. But the daycare is doing great things for you - you love playing and they have said they wish every toddler could transition as easily as you! On your first day you ate and slept and played with no issues, and getting used to daycare when you only go part-time is even harder than full-time. Of course, you do have daycare experience already, but this is a busy centre (the same one your sister goes to!) - far different than a small, cozy home daycare. In any case, you love it, they love you, and we think it's doing great things for you.

Your language is exploding - every day it seems something new comes out of your mouth, and we can always see the wheels turning as you contemplate things. Your personality is the same as it's always been - this incredibly endearing blend of carefree and easy-going, and feisty and adventurous and stubborn. I love watching you watch Mercedes - you try to copy EVERYTHING she does and follow her around like a puppy, but you don't take any crap from her either. More often we are protecting HER from YOU, and not the other way around :p You have the cutest little face, very little hair, and this tiny sturdy body that is freakishly strong. You give the BEST hugs and nothing warms my heart like hearing you say earnestly "DANK you Bappy!" I can't get enough of kissing your chubby cheeks and hope you'll always let me.

Much as I enjoy the 'break' with you at daycare two days a week, I'm absolutely loving spending this extra time with you while I am off work. It feels like falling in love all over again.

Love,

Mama