It's Out!

Dear Lila,

Your front baby tooth had been loose for a long time. And I mean seriously long--it had been wiggling for over a month! I told you to jiggle it with your tongue, I gave you apples and carrot sticks to eat all of the time, I tried brushing it a little harder . . . it was so stubborn and wouldn't come out and you gasped in pain whenever I tried to touch it. Your baby tooth took so long to come out that your permanent tooth actually started growing in behind it; I didn't even know that could happen!

But finally, finally, when I was flossing your teeth tonight, the loose baby tooth popped out right into my hand (and it had a longer-than-usual jagged piece at the bottom, which is why it had been so anchored in your gum). The funniest part? You didn't realize what had happened, not even when you looked in the mirror! You tasted some blood and rinsed your mouth a few times and then looked in the mirror. I was waiting for you to gasp at the finally freed baby tooth but because the permanent tooth is already growing in that space (albeit set back further), you thought that was your baby tooth. You didn't know you had lost your tooth until I opened my hand and you saw it in the middle of my palm!

But whew, it's out and you can finally go back to eating the normal way instead of awkwardly gnawing your food near the sides of your mouth!

Love,
Mom

Can I Tell You Something?

Dear Lila,

I don't know why this habit suddenly started but now you often preface your statements to me with, "Can I tell you something?" I have never said no to that and I have already told you multiple times, "You don't have to ask if you can tell me something! Just tell me!" But you keep doing it! And it's driving me crazy! :-P

Love,
Mom

Dream Girl

Dear Lila,

You have told me that you like to daydream a lot. Sometimes you daydream about your toys coming alive or you think about books/movies you have read/seen but you change some of the characters and plots. I think it's really cute, especially today when you finished reading a book and told me, "Mommy, I'm going to daydream now."

Dream away, little girl.

Love,
Mom

Put A Ring On It

Dear Lila,

We had this conversation on the way home from camp today:

You: None of my counselors are married.
Me: How do you know that? Did you ask them?
You: They don't wear weddings rings.
Me: Not everyone who is married wears rings.
You: Then what's the point?

#onlyinitforthebling

Love,
Mom

Her Honor

Dear Lila,

Your teacher assigned a "Wax Museum" project in which you had to choose a real-life person, learn about that person's life and accomplishments, dress up like said person and recite a dozen facts from memory about him/her during a presentation at your school today. You chose to be Ruth Bader Ginsberg and you totally looked the part:

On the flip side, you didn't totally sound the part. You and your classmates stood in spots around the school gym and when a parent walked up to you and made you "come alive" (by doing what each of your signs said, whether it was "Shout 'fly!'" for Amelia Earhart or "Bang my gavel!" for you), you had to recite your memorized facts. You had no problem saying your rehearsed speech but in true Lila fashion, you spoke at an incredibly soft volume. Even with me, you talked so quietly that I couldn't hear what you were saying despite me putting my ear about six inches away from your face. Over the course of the morning, I worked my way around the gym to listen to your classmates' speeches and every time I looked over at you, every parent that stood in front of you was leaning in so close to you to hear what you were saying. After the parents left, other classes went to the gym to participate and you told me that two boys banged your gavel. When they couldn't hear what you were saying, one said to the other, "Maybe if we bang her gavel again, she'll talk louder." Hahaha! Oh, Lila!

I am super proud of you, though. There was a time when you wouldn't have spoken up to so many strangers at all, so to recite your speech over and over all morning (you probably had to say it about 30 times to all the parents and kids!) was a huge accomplishment for you. And you worked so hard on this project. You read multiple books and articles about Ruth Bader Ginsberg and practiced for days to memorize facts about her--and you memorized a lot for your speech. There were a lot of times you were tired of rehearsing but you did it anyway and your effort really paid off this morning. You were an excellent (albeit nearly mute) RBG!

Love,
Mom

Happy Return

Dear Lila,

Daddy and I went on a trip to New Orleans for a few days while you and your brothers stayed home with PoiPoi and GongGong. We were only away for four days and we video chatted with you every day but you said you still missed us so much. And that was pretty evident this morning--Daddy and I didn't arrive back home until after midnight last night, so all of you kids were fast asleep. When you woke up this morning and realized Daddy and I were sleeping in our bed, you ran into our room, climbed into the bed next to me and just *beamed* at me for like 10 minutes. You looked so happy to see me, which so warmed my heart. Daddy and I had fun in NOLA but we missed you guys a lot!

Love,
Mom

Speaking Up

Dear Lila,

When Daddy and I walked into the parent-teacher conference with your teacher this afternoon, the first thing she said to us was, "Lila has blossomed like a beautiful flower!" Not a bad opening, huh? Then she followed it up with, "Lila is kind, thoughtful, helpful, sensitive--all of the positive words I tell my kids to be she is. You have a remarkable child. Go ahead and smile. You deserve it!"

Your teachers have always raved about you but your teacher really raved about you today and she--and Daddy and I--could not be more proud of you! You are already reading at a second-grade level, your writing skills are impressive, you are doing well in math and you are always kind and helpful toward your classmates. The biggest improvement, however, has been your desire to participate and speak up in class. You have always been quiet in class and nervous to answer questions but your teacher said that has drastically changed in just the past few days. You are now waving your hand enthusiastically in the air to answer questions and explaining concepts in front of your entire class. Your teacher is so impressed by how outspoken you have become and so am I. I am so happy that you have become more confident!

I saw some of that confidence firsthand earlier today when you were a mystery reader for DiDi's class. DiDi's teacher invites parents, grandparents--and siblings--to be a special "mystery reader" and visit the classroom to read a book to the kids. I had told you that the older brother of one of DiDi's classmate's had been a mystery reader last semester and you had been asking me ever since if you could be one, too, so I asked DiDi's teacher if you could come in today since you had a half-day for the conferences. When you walked into the classroom and Ms. Kaitlin revealed you as the mystery reader, DiDi was so happy and ran right over to you and gave you a big hug.

I could not stop beaming as I watched you sit in a chair in front of the class and sweetly read one of DiDi's favorite books, an Elephant and Piggie book called Let's Go For A Drive, to DiDi's class. Your voice was super low and I'm not sure how much the kids could actually hear but they all sat quietly and listened and you looked so comfortable and confident. Beforehand, a part of me thought you might get stage fright and that I'd have to take over reading the book for you but you didn't seem the least bit nervous. You really seemed to be enjoying yourself, actually, and I was so proud of seeing how far you have come from that shy, withdrawn girl who couldn't even look people in the eye and talk to them. (Cute side note: At bedtime tonight, Sawyer was sitting on his bed with Let's Go For A Drive, holding it up and pretending to read it to an imaginary class. He wanted to be just like you!)

Nice work, Lilabear!

Love,
Mom