January 6, 2017
I totally forgot to log this when it happened, but you lost your 5th tooth on Christmas morning! It had been hanging by a thread forever, and you finally got it out all by yourself in the downstairs bathroom at Grandma’s house right after we had come down when we woke up. I rinsed it off and put it on a paper towel on the kitchen counter to dry, and unfortunately it got thrown away. I felt so terrible! Daddy even dug through the garbage, but we still couldn’t find it. You took it surprisingly well, but the Tooth Fairy did bring you an extra-big amount to help make up for it. Now it’s only a matter of time until all you’re asking for is your 2 front teeth.
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January 24, 2017
2 updates here, little one. 3 nights ago, you lost your 6th tooth – the big front one that had gotten all scraggly since its neighbor came out on Christmas. I think I was more excited about that than even you were, because it had gotten really gross looking. It was literally hanging in the very center of your upper gum, and it was completely crooked. Yuck-o. Daddy helped get it out again, and the Tooth Fairy brought you a dollar! Lucky girl. It made me a little sad, though, because I realized that once your grown-up front teeth come in, your adorable Little Della smile will never be back. Waahh!! I don’t want my babies to grow up so quickly!
Next thing, last night was your first gymnastics class. You had so much fun! You were absolutely the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in your new little shiny leotard, bouncing across the mats and doing somersaults and cartwheels. I didn’t catch the entire class because I had to run out and pick something up while you were there, but what I saw was priceless. I love watching you have so much fun doing something entirely new and on your own, peanut!
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February 2, 2017
You are so cute, peanut. You and some of your friends at school have been playing “singing contest” at recess at school. One person is the judge, the others sing their songs, and then the judge picks the winner. All this past weekend you worked on writing a song about snow falling, playing in the park, finding a friend on the walk home, and how the snow was peaceful and calming. Today you took the paper you wrote your song on to school. I just love seeing how your beautiful little mind works. Don’t ever lose that, my love.
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February 15, 2017
Peanut, you might be a genius. Today on the walk to school, we were playing our “I’m thinking of a word that starts with the letter…” game. On your very first turn, you thought of an “S” word and announced you weren’t giving any clues. You always come up with really hard words, too, so I was guessing as obscurely as I could. I finally gave up and asked you for the answer, and your word was schema. Schema!? I barely know what that word means now, let alone when I was a 6 year old. I asked if you knew what it meant, and you explained perfectly correctly that it’s all the information and things that you collect to infer something. Seriously, what?? Plus you used “infer,” again perfectly. It’s amazing the knowledge you bring home from school, and I am so happy and thankful that we live in such a wonderful place where the public school system is fantastic. Keep soaking it all up, my dear, and it will take you farther than I can even imagine! I love you so much, my smart little cookie.
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March 11, 2017
You lost tooth #7 tonight, peanut. And you pulled it out by yourself – nice job! It’s the top left one next to your front teeth, and man was it ready to come out. All of a sudden in the past day or two it just started hanging by a thread. Then we were looking at your grown-up front teeth coming in, and they are so big! That poor baby tooth had no choice but to get crowded out. You had a Daisies dance party and movie night tonight, and one of the other girls actually lost her tooth in the bounce house and couldn’t find it. I had even said you should probably get that thing out before you went just in case it fell out at the party and it got lost, and then it actually happened. Here comes the Tooth Fairy again!
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March 19, 2017
This was a big weekend for you, peanut! Yesterday morning you had your fourth swim lesson of this session of 5, and afterward you and the other little girls in your class, one of whom is one of your good little friends from your class at school, went into the smaller pool to play because that water is much warmer than the water you have in the big lap pool for your lessons now. I was talking to one of the girl’s moms for most of that play time, glancing over and watching you every now and then to make sure you weren’t splashing on top of anyone or invading another class’s area. Then you girls started trying to swim back and forth, and you were doing pretty well. You were actually getting the hang of doing your scoops with your arms while simultaneously kicking to keep your body afloat. I had seen you trying it this week and last in your lessons, but you would take about one flailing scoop and that was the end of your “swim.” But that’s how it starts, so I was really impressed that you were trying. Then all of a sudden yesterday during this play time, the other mom and I were watching you guys as we were chatting, and you just took off swimming. I mean for real swimming. You swam almost halfway down the small pool, full on taking strokes with your arms and perfectly kicking your legs. I couldn’t believe it! You truly swam! And you did it again and again, and you were so excited. I was beaming, peanut. I was not expecting to see anything anywhere near that good for a very long time. That made me so incredibly proud and happy.
Then yesterday afternoon, you and Lana had classes out at the zoo. I stayed with her in the Junior Vet class, and you got to take the South Pole Expedition class by yourself. You absolutely loved it, and it was very timely, because you have been talking about Antarctica recently at school. You guys got to see a harp seal being fed, you visited the penguins, and you made some really cool projects. You came home with a little clay-ish seal (it’s made out of what appears to be the same white rubbery clay stuff i used to make your baby hand and foot prints that are framed in your room) atop an iceberg made out of packing peanuts, snowy glitter flakes, and a clear blue plastic wave; an orca whale hand puppet; and a cool sheet with pictures of a penguin, a seal, and a human that are each covered with a piece of clear plastic that you can lift to see the various layers to show how feathers keep penguins warm, blubber keeps seals warm, and layers of clothing keep humans warm. I must admit, though, that I think you had a little more fun playing with the little vet kit that Lana brought home from her class. That’s perfectly ok.
Today was another fun day. You, Lana, and I went downtown to see Odd Squad Live, which was part of Daddy’s and my Christmas present to you girls. We went to lunch at Rock Bottom, and you and Lana loved getting build-your-own-sundaes for dessert. We got to the theater really early and had to wait to get to our seats, but fortunately you were both still behaving great by the time the show started, even being tired and full of sugar from your lunches and chocolate milk. You had so much fun. Odd Squad is one of your favorite shows, and I loved watching you both get to see it come to life. You got to sing, dance, high five the agents when they came into the audience, and shout out answers to math problems. I even had a blast. It was obvious you were both exhausted by the end of the day, especially since the show didn’t start until 3, got over at 4:30, and we’d had a really long weekend, but it was all so much fun. I just love getting to spend special times like these with you girls. Seeing the happiness on your faces is one of my favorite things in the world.
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March 25, 2017
Congratulations, peanut! You moved up to the next level of swim lessons already, after only having a short, 5-session lesson this time. I couldn’t believe it when your teacher gave me your end-of-session report card today and said you were moving up to level 2. Wow, great job! I knew you were putting everything together to really learn to swim, but I had no idea you were doing it well enough to move up after only 1 round of level 1. Excellent! I am so proud of you, and I know how proud you are of yourself, too. Now we’re off to Florida to spend a whole week with a pool in our own backyard, and you can’t wait! I can’t either!
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April 18, 2017
Peanut, you were the most amazing helper over our trip to Tucson this past weekend. Daddy couldn’t come with us, so you were my go-to in the airports especially. You sat next to Lana on every flight, making sure she had everything she needed and telling the flight attendants whatever you guys wanted on the flight where you two sat in your own row. You helped me get everything together when I needed to get us all ready to go somewhere, and you even learned how to put your own ponytail in your hair. I can’t believe how mature you are for a 6 year old. Yet you still had plenty of kid fun over Easter, which makes me even happier!
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May 1, 2017
You had so much fun this weekend, peanut. Friday night, Daddy was the DJ for a Girl Scout dance at your school, so you went with him. Your best little friend Nora showed up, too, and Daddy said you guys were inseparable for the rest of the night. You couldn’t stop smiling and playing with the fairy wand you got when you got home afterward. Then on Saturday, you and Lana played over at Amelia’s house almost all day. I love how much fun you all have with all of our neighbor friends, and I especially can’t wait for summer when we’re all outside together all the time again. And finally yesterday we went up to your cousin Ethan’s first communion, so you spent the rest of the day playing with your cousin Gwen at Uncle Rich and Auntie Billie’s house. Now tonight you have a Daisies meeting right after school and gymnastics after dinner. Quite a busy little girl, but you love it all!
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May 9, 2017
Last night was your last gymnastics lesson for this session, and you were so proud when you got home because you moved up to the next level. Great job, peanut! You graduated to level B from level A. You have really loved gymnastics and want to keep doing it, but I think we’re going to take the summer off from all lessons. I really like having few commitments during our summer days together. But I already told you you can sign back up in the fall if you still want to.
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May 11, 2017
You’re funny, peanut. You’ve recently gotten it into your head that you want a milk card at school for lunches – $2 buys you a card that’s good for 20 milks. Never have you wanted one before, mainly because you’ve said you don’t like milk that much. Fine by me. You always take your water bottle to school, so you have something to drink. But within the past few days, you’ve wanted this milk card. Obviously one (or more) of your friends has one. So yesterday I let you start by taking 2 dimes, good for 2 milks. You bought one, and the other one was in your lunchbox last night. Then this morning I heard you scrounging around in your bank, and you came out of your room with 2 pennies. When I asked what you were doing, you said you were going to buy a milk card. Ok fine, but 2 pennies isn’t going to cut it. I said I’d allow you to buy a milk card, but you had to use your own $2 (partly because I currently have $0 in my wallet). So you happily got $2 out of your little change purse and put it on the kitchen counter next to your lunchbox. Then I asked what the process was to buy said milk card, just to make sure you didn’t hand your money off to some random person and get no milk in return. There are ladies in the lunch room who are in charge of the milks and cards and payments, so I assume they’ll help you figure this out. Then I realized there are only 19 lunch days left for the school year (!?!), so I didn’t want you to be out a dime and a milk by buying a whole card. Can you carry your last milk over to next year or do they not sell the milk cards once you get to a certain number of days left in the school year? I tried to explain this to you, how I don’t want you to waste money on a milk you won’t even be drinking, so hopefully some of it sunk in. Never too early to learn the value of a dime. So you ended up putting a couple options in your lunchbox – the $2, in case you can still buy a milk card and save whatever milks you don’t use until next year; and one dime, in case you can’t buy a full milk card anymore so you can still buy a milk for today. I’m very curious to hear how this all goes today…
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June 10, 2017
Yesterday was your last day of school, so congratulations, peanut – you are officially a 2nd grader! We did have a tiny mishap on the way to school, though. It was the only time all year you’d worn flip-flops for the walk, and of course they busted about 4 blocks from our house. Thankfully we were a few minutes early because I’d cut peonies and a sprig off the pretty pink bush in the backyard for you to take to Mrs. Tauscher, so I sprinted home and back to get you a regular pair of shoes and socks. Then after school we walked to the library to renew our library cards and sign you all up for the summer reading program, and we celebrated the end of school with a lunch of cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, french fries, and ice cream down at a little burger stand by the lake. You had so much fun!
You are so very excited for summer vacation and working on your school workbook and writing journal all summer, but you have already been sad about missing Mrs. Tauscher. She really was an incredible teacher for you this year, and you truly loved her. Don’t worry – I’m going to get her address and we’ll email and you can send her letters all summer. I’m so proud of you, sweet pea. Every teacher so far has said what a wonderful student you are and kind friend you’ve been to everyone, and that makes me so, so happy. We love you so much, Squeaker, and we can’t wait to watch you keep growing and learning every day!
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July 5, 2017
You are having such a great summer, peanut. Tons of playing with friends, sending pictures and letters to Mrs. Tauscher, and lots of late nights, you lucky duck. Today you actually got 2 little cards from Mrs. Tauscher, and you were thrilled! You’re also very excited, because you’ve been swimming by yourself again without a float. By your last swim lesson, which was the last week of school, you got your arms and legs going together again for full strokes. The fear you had and the dependence on the wall were gone! Then we went on a little family vacation up to Door County a few weeks ago, and you swam in the pool again without your puddle jumper or floaties. And you are so looking forward to testing it out in Canada by yourself in the little beach area I made for you guys off Frog City last year. I sure hope the weather cooperates, because you said again today how you hope it’s warm for good swimming weather. I am so incredibly proud of you, my love, and I simply adore watching your confidence grow and grow. I love you so much!
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August 1, 2017
Happy 7th birthday, Squeaker!! You are such an absolute joy of a child, and I adore seeing the wonderful girl and big sister you are. For your birthday present from Daddy, you requested he teach you how to make lasagna, so tonight you helped make it for dinner for all of us. He said you did about 85% of the work, and it was amazingly delicious!! I am so proud of you, my love, and I can’t wait to see you grow over the years. You are very excited for 2nd grade, and I know you’ll do as well in it as you have in everything else over the years so far. I love you so much, peanut!
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August 30, 2017
We had your 7-year well check on Monday this week, peanut, and you absolutely love going to the doctor. Here are your official stats:
- Height: 50.75″ (89%)
- Weight: 54 lbs. (67%)
- BMI: 14.7 kg/m2 (30%)
- Blood pressure: 97/55
You had a great checkup! Vision is 20/20; hearing is perfect. The only thing the doctor noted is that you have the tiniest curve to your spine, which she said is nothing at all to worry about right now because it is so slight, but to just keep an eye on it over the next year. Congrats, love, healthy as can be!
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September 6, 2017
Today was your 2nd day of 2nd grade, and I’m so excited for this school year for you. I know you were sad you didn’t get your amazing, much-loved teacher from last year, Mrs. Tauscher, because she moved up to teach 2nd grade this year with you guys. But the teacher you did get, Mrs. Brody, comes with really good reviews from other people, so I know that made you feel good. Your best little friend from last year, Nora, isn’t in your class, but a couple friends from previous years are, so I know you’re happy about that, too. Oh, my love, you’re such a great student and so happy to be back at school, I just can’t wait to see this year unfold and bloom for you. Happy 2nd grade, sweet pea!
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September 18, 2017
We have your 2nd swim lesson of this session tonight, and I was amazed when you hopped back in the water last week. You took right off swimming like you hadn’t been out of the water for a day, let alone 3 months! Great job, peanut! You started gymnastics again last week, too, so you’re getting right back into the swing of school-year routines. 2nd grade is off to a great start, and you’re back doing the lessons you love.
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October 3, 2017
Sweet pea, your love for school and your teachers’ love of you make me so, so happy. Here’s a note I got from Mrs. Brody, your current teacher last week. I had replied to an email from her thanking her for everything we saw at open house the night before and saying how it looked like the school year was off to a great start. This was her reply:
Thanks, Jocelyn. Della is a dream! I’m looking forward to spending the year with her. Thanks for sharing her with me.
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November 14, 2017
You are so cute, peanut. Yesterday you came home from school so excited, because you had learned how to do a backbend at recess. Your friend, who is also in gymnastics, spotted you, and you can now do a backbend just like that. I was so impressed! And you wanted to do them over and over, even when we got home in the dark from swim lessons last night, which you also love.
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December 12, 2017
You are having so much fun right now, sweet pea. You moved up a level in gymnastics, about which you were ecstatic; you just finished up your latest round of swim lessons; you had your first play date with some of your new friends from class this year and went to a trampoline park last night; and you’re constantly learning new things at school. You guys are currently working on coding, which Daddy loves to see. You are such a smart one, my love – it will serve you well.