Sister Sister

Dear Lila,

For the past few years, you and I have been outnumbered by the boys in our family, 3-2. But things are even now because you have a new baby sister! Your MuiMui was born one week ago and you have been so loving and sweet toward your new sibling.

I always wanted a sister and I know you had been wishing for one as well, so I am so happy that I was able to give you one! I remember when I first told you that I was pregnant again and you said you hoped it was a girl. When I told you it might be another boy, you said you already had too many brothers! When we found out that the baby was a girl, you were beaming and jumping up and down with joy. As one of the nurses in the hospital put it, "You gave your daughter a best friend."

You actually met your baby sister before either of your brothers did. DiDi came down with a fever the day I gave birth, so he stayed home with GuhGaw and PoiPoi while Daddy brought you to the hospital. I so wish I'd taken a video of you walking into the hospital room and seeing your sister for the first time. You looked so happy and eager and smitten! You put your face right up to hers and just smiled at her for the longest time.

MuiMui and I came home on Monday and it is really cute how you have been marveling over everything about her. You love holding her and I have loved watching you fall in love with her!

Love,
Mom

Favorite Family Member

Dear Lila,

You: Mommy, who do you love more? Me or DiDi?
Me: I can't answer that.
You: Who do you love more? DiDi or Daddy?
Me: I can't answer that, either.
You: Why not?
Me: Because I love all of you. Who do you love more? Riley or Taeryn?
You: Riley.
Me: Me or Daddy?
You: You.
Me: Me or DiDi?
You: You. See? I can answer all of your questions.

Well played, counselor.

Love,
Mom

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