glenrockschwartz

Dear Avery, Tomorrow is your eighth birthday.  You were very excited this morning to be able to say "tomorrow is" instead of five days, four days, etc., until my birthday. And as usual, I have been spending a lot of time thinking about your past year to best encapsulate in one letter to you all that has happened, all that defines you. Forever Building Fantastical and Magical Worlds So some of what I write is easy because there are elements of your personality that I have been writing about for eight years that will always hold true: your joie de vivre and your intense desire to play.  If I close my eyes it is very easy to picture you as a cartoonish Tasmanian Devil creating a maelstrom of Polly Pockets, Calico Critters and American Girl dolls in her path.  This explosion of colorful plastic brings you great happiness whether it is shared with a friend or when you are quietly creating a magical world on your own. If it's not with toys, then you create these worlds...

Dear kids, I don't know if it's general downward spiral mentality, but it seems likes when something makes me unhappy be it related to parenting and my children, marriage and my relationship or job and myself, that many other negative events seem to follow in a clump.  I'm in one of those spirals right now and every little thing that can go wrong has gone wrong.   I know that I should be thankful for my health, my family and the fact that I live in relative opulence and comfort, but boy are all these little (but seemingly large) things getting under my skin.  I also know that there will be an upward trend out of this negative place, but that doesn't make me feel any better or give me any direction on how to let all this yucky stuff not bother me. So no advice for you on this one.  Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone when you are feeling this way, that it happens to everyone. Love you (even if I'm annoyed and yelling lately), Mom

Dear Avery, It's a Friday morning and it's spring break so you and your brother are not in school.  I have the privilege of working from home on Fridays and it is particularly enjoyable today because you have a friend over this morning to play. I am in my office space working, but I can hear the two of you playing and building enormous worlds filled with American Girl dolls and Barbies and your imaginations.  It is delightful to be able to listen.  My heart is light and happy. Thank you for being my little girl. Love, Mama