SANTA is coming!

Dear Sonia,

My little Sonia-ita! Santa is coming! In only 4 more nights, Santa is coming to leave you presents under the tree. I heard a rumor that you think maybe he's bringing a bike. How awesome would that be?

I also heard that Santa sent you a video message! I have a feeling that this link won't be live when you get old enough to read this, but for now, it's cool to put it here. Here's your message from Santa. Ah, the time of technology. When I was a kid, we just hoped Santa got our letters or that the elves that he sent to make sure we were being good had heard us tell our mom what we wanted. Nowadays, he sends actual video messages! How cool!

So, dude, you've had some trouble waiting to open presents. You came into the kitchen last week carrying wrapping paper headed for the recycling bin. Mom stopped you and asked where it came from. You said you'd opened a present. Your mom said, what present? Was there anything good in there? Nope. Boxer shorts for the little boy you adopted through the charity to buy for. Your mommy told you those presents were for the little boy who needed help and that you couldn't just open presents because you felt like it.

Then she caught you again! I had sent a little something for you and Sage, and it was under the tree and you went to open it and your mommy stopped you and you said "Is that for the little boy too Mommy?" and your mommy said, "No, it's for you and Sage from Auntie K, but you can't just open presents because you find them!" So now all the presents are put away until Christmas because you can't help yourself. CORRECTION: I must have misunderstood this part of the story, because your mom has clarified in a comment below that you understood after this last one and you stopped. So all the presents remained safely under the tree till Christmas.

This is particularly hilarious because you are normally so well behaved and the picture of restraint. You don't put things in your mouth, you wouldn't touch something that someone told you not to, you understood not to touch hot things way early. Yet, here you are, ripping into presents no matter where you find them. You are just overcome.

You keep singing Jingle Bells over and over, but you only know the first line, so it gets a little redundant. But it's cute and we love you, so there you go. CORRECTION: You know all the words. This little tidbit came from your Nana, and she apparently told me wrong. My bad, little one. Of course you know all the words. What was I even thinking?

I'll miss you this Christmas. I'm going away with 4 friends to Puerto Rico for a vacation! Someday you'll be jealous I did that, believe me. :) In the meantime, I'll come see you in January when it's quiet again and we can spend some good time together and you can introduce me to your sister and show me your school, maybe. That would be cool.

Show Sage all about Christmas. It's her first one. She really little, but it is still good to get her up to speed on some things early. It's your job as a big sister.

Love you!

Auntie K

Look at that face!

Dear Sonia,

My goodness, your little face!



This is you at your holiday concert. Your first ever!

Love,

Auntie K

Guess What's in Our House?

Dear Sonia,

Yesterday morning, you called me and your mom said "Guess what's in our house?" And I said, "Sonia-ita! What?" and you said "Auntie Karen, Auntie Karen, Guess what's in our house?" You said this at the top of your lungs and with much breathlessness. It was super super cute! I said, "What? What is in your house?" and you said "A GECKO!"

I asked where it was and you said "IN THE HALLWAY TO THE BATHROOM!" again at the top of your lungs. You were very excited. Mommy reported that the poor gecko was currently under a plastic container and that she would have to get it out of the house. It was about 5 inches long and green. You, while excited about the idea of a gecko in the house, were being carried around everywhere because you were afraid of it. Mommy said, "Why don't you have to be afraid of the gecko?" and you said "I don't know" even though you did. I said, and Mommy chimed in "Because it is more afraid of you than you are of it." The poor little gecko. When asked how you thought the gecko got in, you said "We must have left the door open!" which is a good theory but entirely impossible with your diligent, germ-and-bug-phobe parents around. My guess is he came in through a vent or a pipe or something. But we didn't tell you that. That would've been more than you needed to know!

By this point, you'd gone downstairs, but you insisted that you needed to go back up and tell me about the gecko again. So you did. And you did. And then I had to go because I had arrived at work.

A short time later, a text came from your mom that said "Sonia upstairs playing piano for the gecko." Very funny. And a little later, another text that the gecko was outside again and that you weren't sad to see it go.

When I lived in Thailand, I had geckos everywhere. A huge one lived in my bathroom, little ones inside the mosquito net with me. I loved them. They would never run on you - they were truly afraid - and even if they did, they weren't slimy and they didn't bite. And they were the best little insect vacuums ever. They ate spiders and mosquitos and all kinds of other hideous little pests. Geckos are our friends. I'm jealous that you had one in your house!

Okay, that's the story of the week.

Love you!

Auntie K

Your Many Faces

Toilet Paper Rolls are Confusing

Dear Sonia,

You called me today on your way from school to the bank. You were riding in the car, you said.

First you asked me what I was doing. Working was a very boring answer, I know.

So I asked what you did at school and you reported that you ate pizza. Then your Mommy prompted you to tell me what you did with the toilet paper roll.

And you said, "Wiped my bum."

And of course, your Mommy laughed hysterically at you, and I did my signature guffaw, and universe knows if your feelings were hurt! So I quickly said, Yup! That's what you usually do with it, but what did you do with it at school?

And then you told me you used it to roll paint onto paper and that you used red, green, yellow and orange.

Then you were done talking to me, so we signed off with our usual I looooooove you and said goodbye.

You make my days happier, Sonia-ita. You really do. Thanks.

Love,

Auntie K

A little hot, but okay....

Dear Sonia,

On the eve of Halloween, I asked you what you were going to do when you went to people's houses. And you said "TRICK OR TREAT" in a big voice. Then I asked what the people were going to give you and you said "TOOTSIE ROLLS AND LOLLIPOPS," these apparently being the only candy you are aware of.

Then I asked you if you were going to be too hot in the chicken suit or if you'd be okay. You said "I will be a little hot but okay." DUDE. Well put. Very smart.

Then I talked to your mom who was home alone (having taken first shift and then sent Nana out to catch up with you) trying to breast-feed Sage and answer the door to trick-or-treaters at the same time. The report back at the mid-point of your trek between Nama's house and your house was that you were a pro. Marching right up to strangers, sticking out your bag and declaring TRICK OR TREAT and then saying a proper THANK YOU! I figured you'd be more shy than that. Nope. If there are Tootsie Rolls and Lollipops at stake, apparently you can muster up some courage.

Your Nana sent me a horrible phone picture of you and Daddy at a door, but I could barely make it out, so I'll await real photos at some point instead.

I hope you're all hopped up on sugar today. That'd be fun for everyone.

Love you,

Auntie K

Halloween 2010

Dear Sonia,

Dude. You are a chicken for the third year in a row. Mom and I bought this costume before you were even born for about $5 at Old Navy. Ha!

This photo is hilarious and it just had to go on your blog.



Here's a better one of you at school that makes you look like you're actually enjoying being a chicken in a fuzzy outfit even though it is 90 degrees in Houston.



More later about you and your sister since I have some photos now! But this post had to be just about Halloween and your chicken suit, that god willing, you will grow out of by next year!

Love you,

Auntie K

Ladybug!

Dear Sonia,

While you were waiting for Sage to be born, you and your mom had a lot of deliberations about what to call her for a pet name. You finally decided on Ladybug.

Yesterday, after you got home from visiting Sage for the first time, which from what I heard, was lovely and sweet and awesome, I got you on the phone.

Me: Where were you, Sonia?
You: Hospital!
Me: Who did you see there?
You: Mommy and the baby!
Me: What is the baby's name?
You, after a short silence: LADYBUG!
Me, laughing: Yup, that's what you'll call her. What's her real name?
You: SILENCE
Me: Sage is her name, right?
You: Yes!
Me: Is she cute?
You: Yes!
Me: Is she tiny?
You: Yes!
You: I am done talking to you Auntie Karen! Bye!
Papa: Hi, are you still there.
Me: Yup. Susan taught her she has to announce when she's done rather than just walk away from the phone.

It was a pretty great first phone call of your sisterhood.

I love you, big sister!

Auntie K

You are a SISTER!

Dear Sonia,

You are a sister, my little Sonia-ita! She was born this morning while you were at school having your first official school pictures taken!

She and your Mom and Dad are all doing well.

Her name is SAGE! It's so great!

You are going to be the best big sister ever! I can't wait to hear all about it.

Hey, dude. Guess what? You are 2 years, 6 months, and 2 days older than Sage. And I am 2 years, 6 months, and 2 days older than your mom. That is just so cool!

I love you!

Love,

Auntie K

Your Sister!

Dear Sonia,

This week, your sister is going to be born! We don't know when. Your mommy is doing squats and walking a lot in an attempt to urge her out. But she's just snuggled up in there, and isn't ready to come out yet. The doctor says that she should come sometime around this Thursday, but due dates aren't really all that scientific, so we'll see if that happens.

Tomorrow your Papa arrives from Massachusetts to help take care of you and your Nana will arrive sometime this weekend, most likely. Have fun while Mommy and Daddy are off helping your sister join us in the world!

Next time I write, you'll be a BIG SISTER! The best thing to be (I'm one too!).

Love you,

Auntie K

Dear Sonia,

I thought you'd like this little guy.

HAPPY AUTUMN!

Love,
Auntie K

Enough Love?

Dear Sonia,

I'm worried. I love you so much. How can I possibly have enough love inside of me to love you and your sister both this much?

I've heard of this before. I know it's normal for parents to worry about this. I just found this:

"Many parents say they remember worrying about whether they could ever love the second baby as much as they loved their first child. Then, when the second baby was born, they loved the new baby so much they worried that they were betraying their first child. Though they soon realized that they had love enough for two... "(Pam Leo, Love Enough for Two)

I just didn't expect this to happen to me, a lowly Auntie. But it has.

I can't wait for your sister to be born. I don't know her name, and I don't know what she'll look like, and I don't know what color her skin will be. I know I'll love her. But will I be able to love two of you as much as I love the one of you?

The day you were born, your daddy sent a photo of you over email to all of us. When I'd heard you were born, I was happy and everything, but when I saw that photo - I felt something I'd never felt before. Instant love. Overwhelming amounts of it. A feeling that I knew I would do anything in the world you needed - ever. I had no idea until that moment that much love was even possible.

Perhaps this feeling was stronger for me because I know I'm not going to have my own kids. I'd be interested in other Aunties (or Uncles) weighing in on this. (I think probably those who were Aunts/Uncles before they were parents - if it was the reverse, I'm not sure it works since you've had that feeling already, in theory.) Perhaps since I know I will never feel this way about my own child, my psyche and emotions allowed that feeling to happen for you. (By the way, for the record, having this feeling in no way made me want to have my own children. Love is love and it's great, but raising a kid is another whole bag of beans and one that I know I'm not meant for.)

So here I am now, almost two and a half years later, and still in love with you, and wondering how in the world your sister will get her fair share. I feel badly about it. Of course I have enough love. Of course I do! How could I even think this, let alone put it into words for the world to see and for you (and your sister) to read someday? Easy. It's the truth. And I'm working through it.

I'm sure that when that photo of your sister hits my email, my eyes will tear up and I'll cry a little, just like I did when your photo came. I'm sure I'll think of great things that she will like that are unique to her. I'm sure that her blog will be just as good as yours. I know all this in my head. It's my heart that needs convincing.

So, four weeks before your sister joins this great big world, I thought you should know that I love you SO much that it is actually causing me anguish. Some day you'll appreciate this. You'll come back and read this post when you are 16 and you'll torture your little sister and tease her that Auntie K wasn't sure she'd love her. But when you're 30-something, and you become an Auntie or a Mommy or a surrogate-Auntie, or whatever you become that involves a child, you'll come back here to read this post and you'll get it. That'll be in about 2038. Woah. I'll be 65. Call me up. We can talk about it.

I looooooove you, Sonia-ita. This much.

Auntie K (oh, hey! this is your 100th post! - quite a milestone)

CRYING!

Dear Sonia,

Yesterday, you went to school.

Daddy dropped you off and picked you up.

You didn't cry. Not once. Not even a little bit. Nada, nien, none.

WOOT!

I knew it.

Love you,

Auntie K

Bidet Happiness

Dear Sonia,

You were happy to report yesterday that you washed your bum on the bidet! Hilarious.

Apparently you liked it.

Quite posh, you.

Love,

Auntie K

Wearing Your Heart on Your Hand

Dear Sonia,

Sometimes, people wear their hearts on their sleeves. This saying means that they show their emotions regularly and easily so everyone can see how they feel. Today, you are wearing a heart (your Mommy's heart) on your hand.

Today is your third day of school. We're hoping it goes better than the first two. The second day was challenging. It rained, so you had to go to Humphrey Hall, which is some big room where you can all play when it rains. There are balls and bikes and all kinds of fun stuff. You were totally overwhelmed. You cried and sat on some lady's lap (we still don't know who) instead of playing. You happily reported this to Mom that afternoon. Your teachers report that you are sad off and on all day but are cognitively okay - when they tell you it's time to stop crying, you pull it together. And when Mommy told you to remember to be brave and then you will be brave, you asked her "But what if I'm not brave?" What a conundrum.

This morning, in a flash of brilliance brought on by a television commercial she saw, your Mommy grabbed a marker as you and Daddy were headed out to school and she was headed out to work. She found a little spot on your hand and drew a heart there. You asked her why she was drawing a heart on your hand. Mommy told you that whenever you felt sad or wanted to cry, you could look at the little heart and remember how much Mommy loves you and then you would stop crying. She said "Isn't that a good idea?" You showed Daddy after declaring that it was, indeed, a good idea and told him "This heart is to make me stop crying!" He too declared this a good idea and away you went.

I don't know yet how this turned out. This blog is up-to-the-minute-breaking-news-reporting. I'm hoping that wearing your heart (or your Mommy's heart) on your hand helps you out today. I just know that eventually you will love school. You will. I'm sure of it.

Love,

Auntie K

Everyone Loves the Kid You Will Be

Dear Sonia,

Today is your first day of school. Mommy dropped you off about a half hour ago. You are miserable, my sweet. You are screaming and crying and you are very upset. Mommy is also very upset. She called me crying herself. See how much she loves you? She is wondering if it would've been better to wait until next year for school for you. I think the answer to that is "No Way!" You are whip-smart cognitively and a little behind on the emotional side - school at 2 1/2 is just right for you.

This is your first day of school, ever in your life. We only get one of these, remember! There's lots of other first days to come, but this one - the first ever in your life only happens once.

You will be okay. That's the most important thing. You will learn to be more independent and you will learn that you don't need your Mom to feel safe. Mom is surely safe - this is not in question, but there is safety other places as well. Comfort is nice, but it isn't always necessary. Sometimes it is great to be uncomfortable, as it makes us figure out how to manage situations and feelings better. It teaches us how to cope. And coping, my dear little niece, is the number one skill to have. It is the thing that sets the people who are successes and are happy from the people who are not.

Your Mom and Dad want you to be adventurous. They want you to be willing to take chances, and try new things, and travel and take risks. They want you to be willing to go off to college and make new friends, and speak up when you need to. Today is the first step towards all of that.

I never spent more than a week away from Nana and Papa until I went to college. I have been homesick every single time I've moved away from home. Every time. But each time, after a while, that feeling goes away and I start living my exciting life, wherever I am. Don't be confused, 'ita, I ALWAYS MISS HOME and I always miss the people who make home home, but I've got stuff to do and things to see and a super life to lead! And that is exactly what you are doing! This is the very first time you are homesick/momsick. You will learn to figure out how to make that feel okay.

Dude, there's so much to learn! There's so many kids to meet! Miss Brenda and Miss Melissa are going to end up being your favorite friends ever! Think how much you love Miss Anna and Miss Missy and multiply that by a bunch and that's how much you are gonna love those two, I promise. Think of all the time you spend with Miss Tiffany without Mommy there - you love that time. This is pretty much the same. Eventually, that classroom will feel as much a part of your world as your living room does right now.

Think of how much you'll have to tell Mommy each day after school! You'll get to tell her all about what you did and what you learned and who you played with. And it'll be YOUR STORY, because Mommy didn't do it with you. You'll get to teach her all the stuff you learn and get to show her all your projects. It's gonna be great!

I don't have a little girl like you, so I don't really understand what it is like for your Mommy to have to leave you, screaming and crying with the teachers telling her to just leave because it's best. I really have no idea what it is like to have my heart go walking around outside my body, which is what I believe it must be like to have a child. I am not a good person to give your Mommy advice. She should call up her friend Sue or someone and find out what they did. She should call Nana and find out about how it felt to leave her at school! (Nana says that your Mommy cried and screamed and held onto her leg when she dropped her off at school!)

But, this is my blog to you, and so I will say this:

-Buck up, girly. Every time you go to school, you will get to see Mommy again when it is over. She's not going anywhere.

-No need to cry, friend. You will learn and grow and have fun and gain awesome skills at school.

-Smile, dude. You already know your ABCs and your 123s and your colors and shapes and animals and freakin' tons of other stuff. You have time to spend energy learning the emotional skills at school.

-Remember, Sonia, you are one of the sweetest, most caring, easy-going kids I've ever met. You are a gift to a classroom - any classroom. You will be the one who hugs a child when they get hurt. You will be the one who befriends the kid that is struggling. You will be the one who loves the teachers the most. Everyone loves the kid you will be. Everyone.

Love,

Auntie K

ADDENDUM: Mommy called again! She talked to your teachers after they delivered you to music class and you were doing great! You were verbalizing that you felt better and you were telling them about your cat-buddy Rudy. You'll be fine, dude! YAY!

Bowling, the Library and Talking about My Bike Ride

Dear Sonia,

I just got back to Massachusetts after visiting you in Houston for 5 days. We had a great time! You are super sweet and super smart and super loving. You are swimming well, and singing to the baby to wake her up in-utero.

Here we are wearing our matching pajamas:





















And here we are bowling! We had such a good time! Your ball was yellow and we walked it up and you opened up your legs and then we rolled it down the alley until it knocked down the pins! You had a very good time. Your mommy won, even though every time she threw the ball, it hurt her big pregnant tummy.



On the first day, I showed you photos of my bike ride in Maine so you would eat. I saw lots of animals on that trip and you were happy to see all the photos. And, I had photos of alpacas I saw and I had given you a little alpaca from Peru so it worked out well. Anyway, for the next 4 days, every time you said "I want to talk about something" and I said "What do you want to talk about?" you said "Talk about your bike ride." And then we talked about all the animals I saw. You could list them, tell me how many of each one I saw and what color they were. The only one you didn't ever remember/learn was cormorant, which was fine, because I could never remember the name of the dinosaur bird you know that it looks like. (I just looked it up and it's a Pteranodon.) We drove your mom nuts because I could never remember pteranodon and you could never remember cormorant. I gotta tell you, I got a little bored of my bike ride - although you never did.

And here we are on the merry-go-round at the mall. I can't remember the name of the mall, even though you can recite the entire name like it's nothing. You rode the ostrich the first time and the second time, while we were in line, you set your sites on the zebra. When we got to it, another kid was already on it. Without any fuss at all, you just happily got on the bunny instead. Such a good girl who just rolls with whatever.



We really had a great visit, friend. I called you "friend" a lot when I was there and you thought it was very funny. You also taught me that you call Rudy your "buddy" which is super cute. "Where is my buddy?" You took me to music class, which was awesome and you sang some of the songs. You LOVE Miss Anna, your music class teacher.

Your daddy is awesome with your bath time (and he puts on a good picture show in your upstairs living room, too!). Your mommy is ready for the baby to be here. Your cousins came over for a swim and you had a great time with them. You are a master napper even though you claim you don't want to go to bed; you sleep for 2+ hours every afternoon. You made a pile of books that we picked out at the library and then said "That is plenty!" Someone at the library said "Hello, Sonia!" and you looked and said "Miss Missy!" and gave her a big hug. You listen well, and remember well and generally are very smart.

If someone called me as a reference for you and asked me for your biggest weakness, it would be easy. You are a terrible eater. I hope you learn to enjoy food more!

You drove me to the airport on Tuesday morning before you went to meet your teachers. When I asked you the night before where we were going in the morning, you said you didn't know. "Yes you do," I said. Where is Auntie K going tomorrow? "Massachusetts" said you. "How am I getting there?" "Airplane." "Where's the airplane?" "Airport!" Yup. Good deduction. So you dropped me off and away I flew.

I'll see you again in January after your baby sister is here! In the meantime, there's the phone and Skype. I love you a wicked lot, Sonia-ita. (I tried to teach you wicked, too, but it didn't stick.)

Love,

Auntie K

That's Cool

Dear Sonia,

Over the weekend, you told Mommy you wanted to give me a call. Mommy tried to tell you that I wasn't home - I was away for the weekend. You didn't care.

The phone went straight to voicemail, and you left me a message:

Hellllllloooo. (You do this little draw-out thing when you say hello.)
I just wanted to call you.
I will see you next week!
I love you Auntie Karen!
Bye!

It was adorable. I tried calling you back a few times when my phone finally came back to life (I'd been up in Maine biking and the phone had died from the effort of trying to find a signal in the woods), but I didn't reach you until last night.

You were having spaghetti for dinner and Mom and Dad were there too. We had a little chat.

Me: Sorry I didn't call you back this weekend Sonia, I was riding my bike a long way near the Ocean.
You: That's cool.
Your Mom: That was completely unprompted.
Me: Really?
You: I said "That's cool."
Me and Your Mom: Yes you did, Sonia!

This was your first unprompted use of the phrase "that's cool" with me. This is one of my favorite phrases. Welcome to its usage.

I'm coming to your house on Friday. Now, THAT'S COOL!

Love,

Auntie K

The Gate, The Gate!

Sonia, girl,

Mommy told me a funny story! Of course, true to form, she was laughing so hard I could barely understand her!

You and Mom went out to put the recycling out. You had the gate clicker, which is your job. On the way back, you were ahead of her on the driveway, and she suddenly veered to the front door to get some newspapers which were there. You didn't see her go, and when you looked back, she was missing!

And, you had hit the gate clicker thing so the gate started to close on you and you just stood there crying holding the clicker.

The gate was going to shut on you and knock you to the ground and run you over and who knows what else!

Mommy, even though she is 32 weeks pregnant, ran and scooped you up just in time so the gate only hit you on the ankles. No mark. (Although you tried to claim there were when she was telling me this story on the phone.)

You had the power to stop this horrible tragedy from befalling you, simply by clicking the button again. But, even though you are super awesome brilliant amazing, you are just too little to deal with Mommy disappearing off the face of the Earth and saving yourself from a certain death all in one fell swoop. That skill will come. Not to worry.

Love you! See you next Friday!

Auntie K

Your Many (Cutie) Faces

YOU HAVE SUCH A CUTE FACE! Here's four of my favorites from Nana and Papa's visit. Still smiling with your eyes. And here's hoping you don't have to wear a paper hat for work, ever. Love you!

Me, Myself & I

Dear Sonia,

Yesterday, your Nana asked you who you love. And you started the list. Mommy, Daddy, Nana, Papa, and then you said Sonia. Apparently you usually do this.

But then, you paused for a minute and said "I love myself!" This is good in two ways. First, you've been taught to love yourself. Hold onto that one, girly. It'll serve you well. The second reason this is good is because you have fully grasped the concept of "myself". You've had "mine" down for a while, which is pretty normal. But to definitely say "I love Sonia" and then recognize that "Sonia" is "me" and that "I love me" means "I love myself" and use the pronoun properly is awesome. Good job!

You also, this week, put on a show for about 10 people singing an entire medley of nursery rhyme songs including Baa Baa Black Sheep, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Mary Had a Little Lamb. (That last one is tough, though. You can't really get past "Mary had a little lamb" to the "fleece is white as snow" part. You even pointed this out to your mom. "Mommy, don't know that one. Hard for me." Good to know one's areas for growth.)

I'm not that jealous that Nana and Papa are hanging out with you because I get to soon. Next month. Can't wait.

Love you,

Auntie K

So you have this

I have always loved this photo of you on Christmas morning, 2008. You were only 8 months old but your face was so full of expression already. I just wanted you to have this photo.

Love you!

Parades are not Forever

Dear Sonia,

You went to your first parade (that you remember anyway). You loved it. You liked the fire trucks and the ambulance and the candy all the folks were throwing. Your mom said they threw BUCKETS of candy - way more than in Chelmsford.

You DID NOT, however, like the Chick-Fil-A cow. He was scary. He waved at you. Mom told you to look because a cow was coming and you probably figured she meant a real cow, not one walking on two legs looking weird. I mean, look at this photo. He's weird!



Actually, honey, now that I look at the photo, he's not that weird. I think you were just taken by surprise. But Daddy bundled you up in his lap and talked you through it and you managed to wave to the cow and not cry. Good job!

On the walk home, which your mom almost couldn't do because she let her pregnant feet hang off some wall in the 87 degree heat for too long and they got all swollen, you said "Not go home. More parade." Your mom had to explain that the parade people had also gone home because parades don't last forever.

I'm glad you had a good 4th of July. It's my favorite holiday - even more than Christmas.

Your Nana and Papa will be there tomorrow for 10 whole days! Enjoy them. I think you will. You love your Nana and Papa!

Love,

Auntie K

It was too dark

Dear Sonia,

Even armed with the protective forces against evil of your Daddy and Uncle S, you did not successfully eat a meal at Rainforest Cafe.

You said you cried because it was too dark.

I said you didn't have to go there ever again until you were a grown up.

Your mommy said perhaps not even then. (Shows what confidence she has in you!)

Some things are just too much, right?

Love,

Auntie K

A Boogie Woogie Oogie Animal Video

Dear Sonia,

Check this out. You'll love it!

Love,

Auntie K

Call me back!

Dear Sonia,

Tonight, while I was eating dinner, my phone rang. I ignored it since I was eating and reading and having a nice quiet moment in my day.

I went to see who called and I had a voicemail from you. It went like this:

"Hello Auntie Karen!"

"I'm eating dinner!"

"What are you doing?"

"Call me back!"

And then you hung up. Cutest little message in the world. Turns out you had tortellini for dinner.

Uncle S is coming to visit you tomorrow and you are going swimming with him and perhaps back to the Rainforest Cafe, although it made you howl with fear the first time you went with Mommy and your friend T and his mommy. Apparently, you decided that if your Daddy was there, all would be okay and you could go back. So, armed with the double protection of Daddy and Uncle S, you may venture again to the place of loud animated animals, fake lightening storms and walls made of fish tanks. Good luck, my adventurous (but trembling with fear) niece.

Have a great visit with Uncle S. Then, as you can now recite, Nana and Papa come in July and then I come in August! Yay. A parade of Boston visitors for you this summer.

Love,

Auntie K

Look at that Face!

Dear Sonia,

Here is a photo of you and your sister (sort of!).

Look at your cute little face! I just want to bite you.

Last night, you called me and sang "Karen Karen bo baren, mi my mo Maren, bananafana fo Faren, Karen!" and I knew what you were saying! Very cute - you.

Love you,

Auntie K

And, it's a....

Dear Sonia,

Today we found out that you are going to have a sister! It's a GIRL! Woot!

We've known since April that your mommy was going to have another baby. You wore a cute little t-shirt that said "I'm going to be a big sister!" on it down to the table one night when you were visiting Nana and Papa's house. Of course, everyone screamed and yelled and were all excited and it terrified you. You burst into tears, ran to your Mom and refused to talk to any of us.

Your mom is about 20 weeks now (out of the 40 it takes to grow a baby) and this morning she had an ultrasound and an appointment and found out that all is well. And, as you've been insisting for a few weeks now, it's a girl. Look at that, you're a psychic!

Anyway, here's where it really begins. Being a sister, and having a sister is one of life's true gifts. Just ask your Mom and me. It doesn't always start out so nicely - I pushed your Mom down when she first started to walk - but it can end up pretty awesomely! You and your new sister will be 2.5 years apart, almost exactly. That's THE SAME as your mom and me. (Like, exactly the same, pretty cool!)

I have all kinds of things to teach you about being a big sister to a sister. Good things. When it comes time, we can compare notes. And it's good, because your daddy was the oldest in his family and your mom was the younger sister in our family, so someone knows how everyone feels most of the time. (Although, your mom was a middle child, so there's that, but...)

I wonder if whatever this girl is named, I'll be able to find as good a nickname for her as I have for you. Sonia-ita just rolls right off the tongue...and it makes you smile. I'm so excited to have another niece and for you to have a sister. Two little girls in your family!

I can't wait to meet her - your little sister! Only 20 more weeks to go! It'll fly by, really. Before you know it, your mom's belly will be enormous and then you'll be whisked off to your grandparents' house and soon after that, you'll get to visit your new sister in the hospital (I think. Do they let people as little as you go visit?). How awesome will that be?

She'll be super little at first, and not much fun. She'll cry and poop and need to nurse a lot. But your mom will totally let you help, so that'll be fun. And mom can tell you stories about when you were that little and the things that happened. I bet you'll be as different as night and day - your mom and I are. But you know what? Sometimes that's a good thing - more than one way of looking at something always helps! As she gets older, you can help her with stuff, like learning to color and dance and walk and run. And you can teach her stuff, like her letters and colors and animal noises. You can show her things at the zoo and the nature center and you can take her to story time at the library. You'll get to show everyone your awesome new baby sister.

I'm so happy, Sonia. So happy to get to meet your SISTER soon.

Love you,

Auntie K

Sickarooni

Dear Sonia,

You are very sick. Very. You've had a temperature for 5 days and it's been as high as 105, from what I understand. You snore like Papa when you sleep. You lay around with no energy and mom even let you watch TV. (That means you are really just not well!)

Mom took you to the doctor today even though she did her own examination of you, being a pediatric NP and all. He said the same thing Mom did. That you're fine. All clear. Just a virus. Your pee looks good. They took blood, just as a super precaution, but nobody thinks anything will be found in that. You were amazing at the doctor's, apparently. You peed in the cup like a champ and sat quietly while the doctor checked your ears and your throat and everything. Such a good girl, even when you aren't feeling so great.

I hope you kick this thing soon, hon. Who wants to be sick? Nobody! (Even if you do get to watch the dinosaur show you like so much because of it.)

Love you,

Auntie K

Tumble Bears with Pigtails

Dear Sonia,

Here you are in pigtails, doing something cool on the bar at your Tumble Bears graduation!

Look how talented you are!

Love you,

Auntie K

Pigtails on Tuesdays

Dear Sonia,

I feel it is my Auntie responsibility to record here your continued brilliance. I partly think this so you can someday put this link on your resume as evidence that you were a genius from the get-go and partly think this because eventually, like your Auntie K, you might just turn out more normal than gifted and you'll want to look back on early evidence that you really were special once upon a time. Either way, you must know this story in case we all forget it and you end up never hearing it, which would just be a travesty.

You go to gym class on Tuesdays. Sometimes you go with Mommy and sometimes you go with Tiffany. You like it and are pretty good at it. Over Easter, while your Uncle S and Auntie K were doing burpees in Nana & Papa's back yard, you showed us your forward roll (which you talk yourself through - head down, tuck, roll) which was perfect. Then you did some kicking with your legs while your hands were anchored on the ground and you did some sideways jumping as well. All very coordinated, especially considering the itty-bittiness of your legs!

You must also know that at this point in your little life, you have never had a haircut. You are two and your hair is very long. You complain sometimes that it gets caught in your armpits. Your mom is supposed to get you a haircut sometime soon. This is relevant information for this story. You are perpetually brushing your hair back from your face with the backs of your hands.

So, last week, you were at gym class with Tiffany. Your mom had put your hair in a barrette, half up. You know, clipped in the back, but the rest still hanging down. It was all in your way and getting in your face and everywhere as you successfully did your forward rolls or whatever other wonderfulness you were doing at gym class.

All of a sudden, you walked up to Tiffany and you said "Need pigtails on Tuesday!" Seriously. That's what you said. Your mom even questioned Tiffany when she received this report, making certain that Tiffany actually understood what you said. Tiffany swears. You demanded pigtails on Tuesdays.

Now, this takes serious forethought. You didn't just ask for a pony right then and there to solve your problem. You actually saw into the future, realized that gym class would continue to be on Tuesdays, and deducted that pigtails EVERY Tuesday ought to do the trick. Second, I figure that you were really thinking, "You adult morons. What the heck? How is it that you need me to tell you that I need pigtails on gym class days? And since even I know that is on Tuesdays, shouldn't you? So how about I'll point it out for you?"

And so, I'm pretty sure that nobody will make that mistake again. You took your destiny into your own hands, spoke up for yourself, and solved a problem. This, my young love, is a skill you should take with you into the rest of your life. It will serve you well.

----------------------------

More brilliance:

Mommy took you yesterday to the mall with the Merry-Go-Round in it. You rode on a tiger and on a seahorse, which apparently is very big and high up. You were happy to report to me over the phone on this successful trip. Also, at this mall, there was, in the family bathroom, a itty-bitty porcelain toilet just for you. And since you're on your second day of diaperlessness, you were very excited about this.

At the carousel, you said, "Go to the play structure too." There's some big playground thing at this mall too. Not that you could see. You just remembered you'd been there one other time. ONE. And you used the word "play structure." And so you went.

----------------------------

Why your mom will rue the day:

When you got home from the mall and the tiger and seahorse and play structure, you were barefoot and walking along minding your own business in the living room. And all of a sudden, you started screaming and shaking your foot and screaming more. Your mom asked you what the heck was the matter with you and you just cried and screamed and she looked and you had stepped in a pile of CAT PUKE! And it was all over both your feet. At this point, your mom started laughing hysterically, which she does whenever someone is hurt or something gross happens to someone. You were still screaming and crying and eventually you started laughing too.

Your mom called to tell me this story and she was laughing so hard I couldn't understand anything she said. I told her I was hanging up. She said "Okay, okay. I'll calm down and tell you," and then she proceeded to start laughing so hard again that I finally told her she was annoying. She had to TEXT me the story because she was laughing so hard.

I called her back and told her that if she's not careful, all her children will talk about her when you are older about how evil it was that she laughed at you all the time when you were hurt or covered in cat puke. She just laughed more. Call me when you need to check in on this. I'll confirm it's true. She's done it her whole life.

Side note: She went looking for the cat puke to clean it up, and she couldn't even find where it had been on the carpet. Apparently your feet picked it all up and left not a trace! Now that I'll laugh at!

I love you, 'ita.

Auntie K

Three Things in Common

Dear Sonia,

You are cursed with a few things that you don't have in common with either of your parents, but you do have in common with me.

1. Sweaty hands and feet. This has always grossed your mom out and now you have it. She once told you that I would teach you what to do about it since she is no help to you, having never suffered from this. I will indeed. I have all kinds of tricks and hints.

2. Tooty bum. You fart. A fair bit. Your daddy has been heard to blame this on our entire family. You come from a whole long line of good farters, but your mother, somehow, escaped this. Now, she's been regularly struck with horrible gas pain over the years (once, she had to get out of the driver's seat in LA so I could drive the rest of the way home because she was doubled over!). So, I think that if farting means you never have to be doubled over with gas pain, the more the better!

3. Inability to smile on demand. See exhibit A above. This is one of many photos of you already at age 2 where you were told to smile and this is what happened to your face. Your mom and dad, who are apparently brilliant, figured out that if they instead ask you to think of something funny, then you smile just fine. But tell you to smile? You end up like this. You know who else has this problem? Me and your Nana. Neither of us have really ever taken a good photo, but those rare times we have is when someone caught us in some smile and we didn't know they were taking the photo. Or the times when your Nana calls your Papa some silly name while he's snapping the photo and then for some reason, she looks normal. I am really really hoping you outgrow this one. Your mom and dad both know how to smile on cue for a photo and not look deranged, and I have hope you could learn. I worry though, given what I know about myself and Nana that this might be just as biological as your sweaty appendages and your tooty bum.

These things, by the way, are nothing to be ashamed about. They are things you cannot control. Yes, okay, you could get Botox shots in your hands and feet, but I don't recommend it. You'll learn to live with it. And tooting you'll learn to do in private or there's always Beano. And you can adopt some pensive face for photos that will work just fine. You're gorgeous, so it'll hardly matter. I've spent a fair bit of time worrying about some of this stuff myself, and I'm here to tell you it's a big waste. You're awesome. And that's all that matters.

Love you!

Auntie K

Little Bit Nervous

Dear Sonia,

Thanks for visiting! Such a lovely visit full of lovely things.

You went on an Easter egg hunt (twice!). There was such happy joy on your face every time you saw another egg across the yard! And the stuff inside was fun too! The Easter Bunny did a great job with shiny bracelets, socks, little finger puppets! And Uncle John, of course, put coins inside! Nothing wrong with a little Easter money.

At breakfast one morning, Mommy asked you what you wanted to talk about and you said "talk about the rodeo." So we did. You told me about Mutton Busting. What is mutton busting? According to you - "kids ride sheep. Sheep jump." The kids wear helmets, you told me, "so no boo-boos". You also "rode horse" and remembered the horse's name - "Sara" and that it was brown. You also told me that "bulls went crazy." When asked what else you saw at the rodeo, you said "Camel." Mommy asked if you rode the camel and you said no. When asked Why not?, you answered with "scared." You did know that camels have humps but didn't know what was inside. I told you water. There was an Easter dinner dispute which resulted in Auntie Karen being wrong. Daddy checked the internet on his phone right at the table and found out camels' humps actually store fat, not water. (Camels use the fat as reserve when they can't find food. They are also able to lose up to 25 gallons of body water without ill effects. Going without water must be what led to people thinking water is in their humps, because Auntie Karen wasn't the only person at the table who thought that.) And so we learned something.

Back to the story. The next morning after this first Rodeo discussion, your Mommy was off somewhere and Nana and I were with you while you were eating breakfast. You said, completely unprompted, "Talk about rodeo." Okay, I said, and launched into the series of questions that your mom had the day before. When I asked you why you didn't ride the camel, you said "little bit nervous." IT WAS WICKED CUTE. WICKED! Nana and I practically peed our pants laughing it was so cute. Obviously, Mommy taught you this, but the fact that you could report it back ages later is just awesome.

You crab-walked with me and then you were jumping. Then you said "jumping sideways" and proceeded to jump side to side. Pretty impressive, there, chickie, considering you aren't even 2 yet. Aunt Fran gave you a purple tutu and it wasn't even out of the bag yet and you said "tutu!" And then you put it on and went prancing around. You walked Morton at the park and visited Olive at Auntie Patti and Uncle Peter's house. You even let Auntie Patti's brother Peter hold you and did very well with stranger-danger. Not so well other times - you howled all the way out to Cobbett's on Easter morning after cousin Mark poked his head in your window to say hello. You made cookies with Nana and dyed Easter eggs with Uncle Stephen and Auntie Kim. You ran in the yard and threw Morton his toy. You did your new fishing puzzle with me and knew all the names of the fish and animals. You refused to tell me what you were holding when you came down the first morning and Mommy put you in time out until you answered my question. Apparently this isn't the first time that's happened. Seems you aren't very stubborn though. You just have to overcome being "a little bit nervous" and then you're fine.

You just left here only 1 and a half days ago and already this morning you told me you had a dream where animals were singing to you. You told Mommy a cow, horse, sheep, pig and chicken (or some list like that) "singing together to Sonia!" That's a direct quote. Your Mommy and I have no idea whether you actually have these dreams or if you make it up completely when she asks what you dreamed about. She thinks you make it up. I have to say, that is so utterly brilliant. If you can actually make up dream stories on the spot when Mommy comes in to get you from bed, you might actually be a prodigy.

You will get a haircut soon after your birthday. Apparently, you complain sometimes because your hair is stuck in your armpit. HAHAHAHAHHA. I'm sorry, but that is so funny!

I won't see you again till August. That's a LONG TIME. About 5 months! But you'll see Nana and Papa in July and you are also going to France in July! That'll be pretty cool. A world traveller already.

I love you Sonia-ita!

Love,

Auntie K

You are in Boston!

You are here. In Boston! (Well, actually in Chelmsford.)

You got here last night and I can't even see you till 5 p.m. tonight! UGH! I hate that you are only 40 minutes away and I can't see you yet.

I think you brought Houston weather with you, because we are in for a record-breaking weekend. It's supposed to be 82 tomorrow! Holy cow.

I have birthday presents for you, since I won't see you in three weeks for your 2nd birthday. I think you will like them.

Love you. T-minus 7 hours and counting.

Love,

Auntie K

Dear Sonia,

You skied! YAY! Can't wait to see the video!

Love,

Auntie K

A Story of a Globe

Dear Sonia,

I posted this on my own blog, but a friend recommended I put it on your blog too. She thought that first of all, it would be a super cool geography lesson for you someday and second, it shows you how dorky your Auntie K really is and what cool things I can teach you! So here goes....

I got a globe for my birthday from my friend Sara. She got it at a little farm/antique store. I opened it from its paper bag wrapping and instantly fell in love.

First of all, it's small, only 10 inches in diameter. Second, it's this awesome faded blue color that I remember from the globes of my childhood. None of that fancy stuff they have now. And god knows what they'll invent by the time YOU get a globe. Third, it has a super metal base and arm and on the top is a metal circle that moves with timezones on it so you can line it up and see what time it would be one place if it was another time in another place.

I, being the dork that I am, immediately took a quick spin to the legend and found that there is no publication date. Nothing. It tells me the diameter, and all the colors and symbols and their meanings. It tells me where it was produced (USA) and what company authorized it (Replogle Globes, Inc.) and where they are (Chicago). A quick search shows this company still alive and kicking in the Windy City. They began producing globes in 1930.

But, apparently, they didn't date the publication of each globe.

And so, after being out for my birthday, at midnight with Sara on the couch trying to go to sleep to face her early morning and three children, I opened up Google and tried to figure it out. First thing I noticed, of course, because I lived there, was Siam. Well, this'll be easy! When did Siam become Thailand? So we looked. And it said 1939. Bingo! This globe is from before 1939. Wow, cool! But then something contradicted that. I don't even remember what. So we read the Siam/Thailand Wikipedia more closely. (Note: Wikipedia is a godsend. Not for citing in your research paper, but for anecdotal info like this, surely.) Ah! How about that? Siam became Thailand in 1939 and then went BACK to being Siam from 1945 through May 1949. And then it became Thailand again. That explained the contradiction.

Well, okay then. 1945-1949. Well, on this globe, Germany is whole. And it was split after WWII, in 1949 actually. So that doesn't help narrow it down. Tibet doesn't help. It's on this globe, but it wasn't taken by China till 1950. And Indonesia doesn't help either. It's on this globe as the Netherlands Indies, and it became Indonesia in 1949 as well.

That's where we finished and went to bed last Saturday night. And just yesterday, with a free moment at work, I decided to narrow it down further. The globe is on the front corner of my desk now, looking great. And so, here we go.

Nanking is on here, and it was only in use as the name of Nanjing until 1949. Big year, that one. But no help.

Wait, Korea! Korea helps. It's whole on here. When the heck was Korea whole? Before the Korean War I would imagine, right? A quick search finds it split in 1948. Narrower: 1945-1948.

Bangladesh! I don't see Bangladesh! (The fact that I'm even aware of Bangladesh is a direct result of working here at Tufts now, as this year's theme for the IGL is South Asia and I just happen to have booked two students tickets to Dhaka, Bangladesh in December!) That gets it a bit more narrowed down. It's not here on this globe and it was created in 1947 from part of India. So now we're down to 1945-1947.

Onward to Africa. Will this help? Djbouti doesn't. It didn't come along till the 1970s. Anglo-Egyptian Sudan was so-called until 1956. No help. Northern Rhodesia became Zambia in 1964, so no help there. Chad came into being in 1960 out of French Equatorial Africa, which is on my globe. Here is Dahomey, a sub-area on my globe, part of French West Africa, independent in 1960, now Benin. No help. Morocco, on my globe a part of French West Africa as well, achieved independence in 1956. I think Africa isn't going to help, since much of the movement there happened later than this globe was produced.

Back to Asia. Outer Mongolia is on here. A referendum was passed in October 1945 to recognize Outer Mongolia's independence from Inner Mongolia (China). So that puts us back in 1945 again, although this globe has to have been produced after October 1945 and that means likely in early 1946. So let's take a point for this one and say we've narrowed it down to 1946-1947. Pleasing. But I want a year. One year.

Alaska doesn't help. It became a territory in 1912 and is marked as such on my globe. Juneau is there, with a little star, but it has been the capital of Alaska since 1906. As a side note, I wasn't even sure Juneau was on the map it's written so small. And Anchorage isn't even on this globe. Apparently, before they were a state in 1959, we didn't really care about their major cities.

I spin aimlessly for a while. I check out South America and Central America and everything looks like I know it to be. I spin some more. Greenland is there, check. Iceland, check. A little piece of cardboard is missing at the top of the UK, blocking Northern Ireland. Oh well. Spin some more.

Hold on. Go back to Asia! I got it! I found it! On my globe, the Philippines are marked as Philippine Islands. They achieved independence following WWII and became the Philippines on July 4, 1946. Finally!

So there you go. This globe was produced between October 1945 and July 1946. A 9-month window. I'll take it! Very cool. A globe that is over 60 years old for my 37th birthday from a friend I've had for 22 years. What a treat. Thank you, Sara!

END NOTE: As I was just looking for an image of a globe that looks like mine, I came across this link. Jeez. Who knew? And hello! If they just printed the year on the legend, no need for that. On second thought, though, all this fun and this post wouldn't've been necessary, so I take that back.

Now Sonia, all cool things are flexible and are subject to change. Remember that. And so, this story continues!

A few weeks after I got the globe and dated it, one of our students was admiring it and took on the challenge of dating it from memory. And of course, he notices that Israel is on it. AUGH! Israel wasn't so named until 1948.

So I do what I always do, which is to email the source: the company that made the globe. I sent them an email:

Hello there.

I got one of your 10" globes for my birthday from a friend. I spent some time figuring out how old it is and then came across your chart to be used to age globes.

My problem is that I had determined it was made sometime in late 1945 or early 1946 and then someone else had a spin around it and said it can't be that old because Israel is on it - named Israel, which didn't happen until 1948.

Ceylon, Baluchistan, Phillipine Islands, and Trans-Jordan are all on my globe, all of which had changed by 1948. Any idea why these 4 would be on there, but so would Israel be?

Also, my globe has Lithuanian SSR, Estonian SSR, and Latvian SSR on it, all three of which should have changed by 1940.

I"m super confused now.

If you're interested, I wrote a blog post about my adventure in aging my globe. I'd love to update it with some more information now that it's all been called into question.
http://karenadventures.blogspot.com/2010/01/globes.html

Thank you very much,

A happy globe owner in Boston, Karen

No response! Usually the random people I email respond! And here I thought it was so nice!

Then I found this:

http://insidepublications.org/blogs/writinglife/2010/01/25/dating-a-globe/

This dude knows his stuff. Thanks, dude.

So now I'm the happy owner of a globe from 1949 instead of 1946. That's okay. It's still over 60!

And so, baby girl, here is the lesson. First, use your context clues. Second, have curiosity not only about the world, but about how it appears on maps and globes, and finally, be careful, or someone much younger than you will figure something out and make you look silly!

Love you. Can't wait to explore the real globe with you.

Love, Auntie K

YOU, DRIVING A FIRETRUCK! Girls can do anything!

Love you,

Auntie K

Dear Sonia,

Hey there girly. You are sick. Your boogers are green. You went to the Nature Center with Daddy as a special guest star! You tell mommy everything is delicious and then you say "Auntie Karen does that" afterwards.

You sent me a card with your handprint traced on the back. You laugh out loud on the phone every time I say "SONIA-ITA!" That's how you know it's me on the other end.

Your mommy just texted me as I was writing this post and told me that she made up a story and told you it about Sonarita and her black tiger named Rudolpho. They live in a castle and went out for an adventure. You loved it. Of course you did. You love anything creative and funny.

Love you,

Auntie K