To Stella, seventy months
Dear Stella, age 5.10,
Your time at preschool was a truly extraordinary one. Your growth from the girl who screamed as Daddy walked down the hall "Please, Daddy, just one more hug" "I love you, Daddy" and other equally heart-wrenching things to the little girl who wrote amazing thank you cards for all her teachers (including her beloved last year teacher) saying things like "Thanks for a great year", "Hope you have a good year next year without me" etc. is nothing short of extraordinary. You have made many wonderful friends and been a wonderful friend. You don't leave other kids out and are conscientious about being kind.
Towards the end of the year, there were a couple really special days for us. In mid-May, Daddy and I went in to your classroom to help make scenery for the Rainbow Fish play. You and all your classmates were so enthusiastic and diligent about coloring in different fish and shells.
I was also one of the lucky moms chosen to accompany your class on a trip to an aquarium in Connecticut, a super fun day. You loved having an opportunity to touch some different sea creatures --- especially the sea star. It was fun for me to have the opportunity to see a little glimpse of what you are like during the school day. You and Jane were partners and it was my job to keep track of you both. I only lost Jane once (when she went to the bathroom with a different grown-up) so I felt pretty good about that.
You were also the very last shabbat kid so it was late May before Daddy and I got to come to your classroom for that very special occasion. We chose to read "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" because it had good parts for all three of us. You memorized all of Sylvester's lines and did a perfect job. I gave you a little tap each time it was your turn to speak and you never missed a beat. Daddy did all the other voices (plus sound effects) and I was the narrator. It was a hard choice, which book to read, because the Red Room tradition is that the family buys a copy of the book for the classroom. But for some reason, you were convinced that you were going to have to give your copy away. Your friends interviewed us, asking very good questions like what is your favorite African animal and what is your favorite restaurant. Yours is, of course, the Mermaid Inn.
You brought in two toys to share with the class-- an ice cream cone where the ice cream flies off the cone when you push a button and your dog that walks. These were very popular with your friends and you were great at sharing with everyone. I loved watching you walk your dog around the circle and letting each of your friends pet it which they all did enthusiastically. We also brought in M&M cookies which we baked together. Yum. You chose Millie and Jasper to be at your table but then it turned out that Jasper was at the shabbat table last week so Liam joined us instead (at your invitation) and we had a lovely conversation.
About ten days after your shabbat day, you graduated from Nursery School. I was expecting to cry my eyes out, that it would be the saddest happy day of my life. I've just loved sharing your nursery school experience with you and I didn't know how I would make it through the day accepting that you are growing up. But when I saw you performing your Rainbow Fish play and walked around your classroom with you and listened to your teachers talk, I felt some sadness, yes, but mostly so much pride and happiness for the girl you are. I have no doubts at all that you are ready for the next thing and so I could hardly feel sad at all. I didn't cry (well, not much). I was just proud beyond words to be your mommy.
After school we went to Central Park for a class picnic which was fun but very very HOT.
You have grown up so much in the past few months. You definitely don't say as many cute things but you come out with some amazing comments. Out of nowhere the other day you said to me, "You know what I like? I like when we are walking down the street and I'm on Daddy's shoulders and you are pushing Vivian in the stroller and you and Daddy are holding hands." Daddy and I love and appreciate how much you enjoy our small family and there was something about the way you said this, about your just loving the four of us all together that made me really happy. You miss Daddy a lot when he is away so I think this comment was, in part, just acknowledging how happy you are when he is home.
You've taken to saying "Oh for heaven's sake" a lot. Like at the beginning of 1/2 your sentences. Either that or "Oh for the love of peak". We were on the subway not too long ago and there was a homeless man asking for money. He told a story about how he was down and out and trying to turn things around. After we got off the train, as we were walking up the stairs you asked me, "Mommy, why was he trying to get back on his feet?" It really struck me how well you listen to everything and that you had spent so many minutes trying to figure out what that expression meant.
Your art explosion continues and your work is getting better and better. You still love to draw rainbows and flowers and hearts but you have expanded considerably and do draw many other things now too. Not too long ago, you drew a picture and the whole bottom was brown. Usually the bottoms of your drawings are green (grass) or blue (water). When I saw the brown, I assumed it was wood and so I asked you why there was wood on the ground. Without hesitation you answered, "Because it's a porch."
We went to the doctor for your 6 year old visit right when you turned 5 3/4. You were still telling people at that point that you were 5 1/2 and I wasn't ready for this to end so I hadn't told you your new age yet. Dr. Kligler did, though, and ever since you have been saying "5 3/4" when people ask you how old you are. Also you were 46 3/4 inched tall and 50 lbs.
Your amazing athleticism continues. You practiced your cartwheel like crazy until you finally perfected it. You also have been practicing headstands, handstands, back walkovers and other gymnastics moves. Stephanie, your coach at Chelsea Piers told us that if you mastered the back walkover and a pull-over on the bars that you were definitely ready for the advanced class. And in soccer Coach Bright told me that he wanted you to go into the premier league of Super Soccer Stars next year. When you heard these two things, you said to Daddy, "Stephanie wants me to go to Advanced Gymnastics and Coach Bright wants me to do Advanced Soccer. What's going on with me?"
What's going on with you is lots of fabulousness. You are so grown-up in so many ways but your childlike sense of fun and wonder and adventure is as great as ever. I'm loving being your mom more than I can ever say.
I love you.
Love,
Mommy
Your time at preschool was a truly extraordinary one. Your growth from the girl who screamed as Daddy walked down the hall "Please, Daddy, just one more hug" "I love you, Daddy" and other equally heart-wrenching things to the little girl who wrote amazing thank you cards for all her teachers (including her beloved last year teacher) saying things like "Thanks for a great year", "Hope you have a good year next year without me" etc. is nothing short of extraordinary. You have made many wonderful friends and been a wonderful friend. You don't leave other kids out and are conscientious about being kind.
Towards the end of the year, there were a couple really special days for us. In mid-May, Daddy and I went in to your classroom to help make scenery for the Rainbow Fish play. You and all your classmates were so enthusiastic and diligent about coloring in different fish and shells.
I was also one of the lucky moms chosen to accompany your class on a trip to an aquarium in Connecticut, a super fun day. You loved having an opportunity to touch some different sea creatures --- especially the sea star. It was fun for me to have the opportunity to see a little glimpse of what you are like during the school day. You and Jane were partners and it was my job to keep track of you both. I only lost Jane once (when she went to the bathroom with a different grown-up) so I felt pretty good about that.
You were also the very last shabbat kid so it was late May before Daddy and I got to come to your classroom for that very special occasion. We chose to read "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" because it had good parts for all three of us. You memorized all of Sylvester's lines and did a perfect job. I gave you a little tap each time it was your turn to speak and you never missed a beat. Daddy did all the other voices (plus sound effects) and I was the narrator. It was a hard choice, which book to read, because the Red Room tradition is that the family buys a copy of the book for the classroom. But for some reason, you were convinced that you were going to have to give your copy away. Your friends interviewed us, asking very good questions like what is your favorite African animal and what is your favorite restaurant. Yours is, of course, the Mermaid Inn.
You brought in two toys to share with the class-- an ice cream cone where the ice cream flies off the cone when you push a button and your dog that walks. These were very popular with your friends and you were great at sharing with everyone. I loved watching you walk your dog around the circle and letting each of your friends pet it which they all did enthusiastically. We also brought in M&M cookies which we baked together. Yum. You chose Millie and Jasper to be at your table but then it turned out that Jasper was at the shabbat table last week so Liam joined us instead (at your invitation) and we had a lovely conversation.
About ten days after your shabbat day, you graduated from Nursery School. I was expecting to cry my eyes out, that it would be the saddest happy day of my life. I've just loved sharing your nursery school experience with you and I didn't know how I would make it through the day accepting that you are growing up. But when I saw you performing your Rainbow Fish play and walked around your classroom with you and listened to your teachers talk, I felt some sadness, yes, but mostly so much pride and happiness for the girl you are. I have no doubts at all that you are ready for the next thing and so I could hardly feel sad at all. I didn't cry (well, not much). I was just proud beyond words to be your mommy.
After school we went to Central Park for a class picnic which was fun but very very HOT.
You have grown up so much in the past few months. You definitely don't say as many cute things but you come out with some amazing comments. Out of nowhere the other day you said to me, "You know what I like? I like when we are walking down the street and I'm on Daddy's shoulders and you are pushing Vivian in the stroller and you and Daddy are holding hands." Daddy and I love and appreciate how much you enjoy our small family and there was something about the way you said this, about your just loving the four of us all together that made me really happy. You miss Daddy a lot when he is away so I think this comment was, in part, just acknowledging how happy you are when he is home.
You've taken to saying "Oh for heaven's sake" a lot. Like at the beginning of 1/2 your sentences. Either that or "Oh for the love of peak". We were on the subway not too long ago and there was a homeless man asking for money. He told a story about how he was down and out and trying to turn things around. After we got off the train, as we were walking up the stairs you asked me, "Mommy, why was he trying to get back on his feet?" It really struck me how well you listen to everything and that you had spent so many minutes trying to figure out what that expression meant.
Your art explosion continues and your work is getting better and better. You still love to draw rainbows and flowers and hearts but you have expanded considerably and do draw many other things now too. Not too long ago, you drew a picture and the whole bottom was brown. Usually the bottoms of your drawings are green (grass) or blue (water). When I saw the brown, I assumed it was wood and so I asked you why there was wood on the ground. Without hesitation you answered, "Because it's a porch."
We went to the doctor for your 6 year old visit right when you turned 5 3/4. You were still telling people at that point that you were 5 1/2 and I wasn't ready for this to end so I hadn't told you your new age yet. Dr. Kligler did, though, and ever since you have been saying "5 3/4" when people ask you how old you are. Also you were 46 3/4 inched tall and 50 lbs.
Your amazing athleticism continues. You practiced your cartwheel like crazy until you finally perfected it. You also have been practicing headstands, handstands, back walkovers and other gymnastics moves. Stephanie, your coach at Chelsea Piers told us that if you mastered the back walkover and a pull-over on the bars that you were definitely ready for the advanced class. And in soccer Coach Bright told me that he wanted you to go into the premier league of Super Soccer Stars next year. When you heard these two things, you said to Daddy, "Stephanie wants me to go to Advanced Gymnastics and Coach Bright wants me to do Advanced Soccer. What's going on with me?"
What's going on with you is lots of fabulousness. You are so grown-up in so many ways but your childlike sense of fun and wonder and adventure is as great as ever. I'm loving being your mom more than I can ever say.
I love you.
Love,
Mommy
posted by Carolyn at 6/24/2011 10:54:00 AM
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