Dear Alma, Age 6

Dearest Alma,

Five was a fun one.  Probably my favorite.  I loved how you were so curious and eager to learn all you could.  I loved seeing your confidence grow.

These past few months have been a little hard.  You didn’t have the easiest transition to kindergarten. I think it was hard for you to go from a play-based-three-hour-a-day-three-days-a-week preschool to full-on full day kindergarten. Adding the Spanish made for some long days of listening and working hard, just to understand.  But, these past few months have also shown us that you have some grit!  You haven’t given up, and you are actually, honest-to-God learning Spanish.  You amaze me when you hear Spanish and actually understand it – or when you come up with a word and use it the right way.  You are constantly correcting my accent, and I couldn’t be happier.  Your brain is a little sponge, and you’re soaking it all up.

You also recently lost your first teeth.  On Christmas Eve, late at night, when you should have been sleeping, you had Daddy pull your first tooth.  It kind of freaked you out to see the blood, but on Christmas, you were ready to have Dad pull the second one.  Your adult teeth had already grown in, so you didn’t have a gap-tooth smile.

Six will also be fun.  We have some fun things planned for you, my girl.  Six will be the year you learn so many new things – you’re taking piano lessons, you’ll probably start reading, you’ll learn more Spanish, you’ll get even better at swimming and diving.  Six will be the year that Harriet joins you at your school (I’m looking forward to that one!).  Six will be a year of trips and adventures.  I can’t wait to see what six will bring to you.

I love you, sweet bug.  You’re my girl, and you always will be.

All my love,
Mommy