Will see you tomorrow!

Dear Sonia,

I'm coming to your house tomorrow! I can't wait! I want to go on a bike ride with you (well, okay, you'll ride and I'll walk, but same thing and practice for later when we can actually ride together!). I want to play and read and eat and have fun with you.

Cannot wait to see you, 'ita!

Love,

Auntie K

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