Dear Abby

It's hard to believe that you have completed your first year of school. The little girl who got on the bus without a backwards look back in September seems light years away from the brand new five year old that got off the bus the end of June. You have accomplished so much in that time. Even your art work has changed remarkably. I mean you draw actual people now. Sure they're just giant eggs with stick arms and legs, but they are the most beautiful egg/stick people I have ever seen. You can write, not just your name, but anything if I tell you how to spell it. You do enjoy writing notes and making cards. Just the other night you made a lovely card for Auntie Yoli's birthday. You never tire of telling me which letters words start with or what sound they make. It's easy to tell how much you have loved your first year at school. It's opened up a whole new world for you. All of the sudden you have friends of your own choice. There's a whole little life you lead that's totally separate from Daddy and I. It's been both exciting and sometimes a little nerve wracking to watch you navigate it, but you've managed, quite well actually.

Dad and I have tried very hard to raise you and your sister with good manners and it's been nice to see you put them into use with very little prompting. The other night as we got ready to leave Auntie Yoli's birthday dinner I quietly reminded you to thank Yoli's Mom and you marched right over and said "Thank you for inviting me," I have to say that was a pretty proud Mommy moment for me. On your last day of school your bus driver handed out chocolate bars and after you got yours you turned and yelled, "thank you so much Spiro" and even though that's not quite his name it was pretty much the cutest thing I had heard that week.

Your love affair with the pool continues unabated, great news is you can actually swim now. At this time last year we could barely convince you to put your face in the water. Now you spend endless hours doing the doggie paddle back and forth across the pool. Too be fair you still need the security of a pool noodle to keep you afloat, but the rest of it is all you. You still have your swimming lessons in the smaller "kiddie" pool, but for your last class you got to jump off the diving board into the deep end of the big pool. Which happened weeks ago now and at the time you didn't want to do it, but you did and I will remember forever your little face looking up at me in the mezzanine, beaming with pride, as you marched hand in hand with your classmates back to the little pool to finish out the class.

This summer has just begun and there is so much to look forward to. So much fun to have. I can't wait to share it with you.

I love you.
Mom xo
July 2007