Dear Reagan,
The last time I wrote was right before your sister was born, and she's 6 months 7 months 8 months old now! (This post has taken me entirely too long to write.) I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you. I know every mom feels this way, but truly... you are the most intelligent, well mannered (most of the time), beautiful, considerate, kind hearted, entrepreneur I know. So pure, driven, creative and stubborn all at the same time. I have loved raising you through every new chapter.
I would say, in the last 6 months you have grown up 10 fold.
We just measured you today and you've grown and inch in the last 2 months. How is that possible?! We still do school work at home almost every day, and I am so proud of how much you've learned. Just recently, I moved you up to chapter books, and honestly haven't met another 4 year old that can read like you. You seriously have your nose in a book a few hours a day which is so awesome. At the breakfast table the most heard statement is 'put down the book and eat Reagan!' You love all Fairy stories, Curious George, Winnie the Pooh, any and all Disney stories, and your 'Human Body' book we got you for Christmas. I don't really know at this point where a 4 year old should be on any level of learning, but wow. I know you have far exceeded. You can tell time with practice on an awesome iPad app, and add numbers into the thousands, understanding how to read them that high (but not carry over yet.) I know you're capable of subtraction, but for some reason say you don't want to so I'm giving it a little time before trying again. You can work through word problems like a dream and love Mad Libs, which has taught you nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. Everyday you are drawing landscapes with rainbows, fairies, flowers and making them into little letters for us. Sitting at your art desk, you secretly write notes for us, sounding out words and spelling all by yourself. I'm so excited that I just signed us up for Classical Conversations, home school group that starts this fall. They meet once a week, and we are both excited to meet new families and make new friends.
Oh miss personality. Conversations with you are so much fun : )
When we're out, I never know if you're going to hide from someone or talk their ear off. Usually you are pretty talkative, and give people your life story. It makes me proud to see you so confident and comfortable to converse with adults you don't know. The go-to subject lately has been your birthday party. Yes, 4 months away and we are knee deep in party planning. You actually invited the clerk at Publix to come and told her you would send an invitation. It is so funny, literally everyday you make some kind of list for this fairy tea party birthday. The menu, guest list, games, everything. I'm glad to see you so excited ; )
When Scarlett was born, daddy took a few weeks off work to help take care of you while I had your sister. The two of you would get up in the morning and head out first thing. A stop at the gas station for daddy's soda was always first, and then errands and looking at houses usually. You two took care of all the grocery trips together for weeks and you grew pretty attached to him. When he started back at work, he had many late days when you stood on the deck crying for him not to leave. It broke his heart and he would sit with you until you felt better. He already didn't want to go to work after spending a few weeks with us, but he really didn't want to go with you upset : ( That lasted a few months off and on, and now you just ask him repeatedly
"when will you be back?"
"when I get off at 9."
"when will it be 9 o'twot?"
"at 9 o'clock"
"but wheeeen will it be 9 o'twot?"
"in a few hours."
"but wheeeen will it be a few hours?!"
And so on, and so on... Doing anything you can to stall him : )
Along with all this wonderful bonding time with daddy, a touch of the Hawkes horse play has emerged. *Grrrr It drives me absolutely insane! It all started with your interest in superheroes. (thanks daddy...) Before this point, anything that looked remotely scary you didn't want to have anything to do with. But one day on a trip to Walmart together, it clicked and you were all about superheroes. You have since named yourself "The Hult"(Hulk) and are determined to help protect our 'famawee.' The only thing you know about them is what daddy has told you, not from movies or books because you're still to young for that. I do love this new found confidence and strength of yours, it's just the rough housing I could do without.
Somehow, you can always turn a conversation into something about bad guys. Example with the statement "wheat bread is healthier than white bread." You turn it into "We tan det aaaaall the white bread, sudar, and soda in the world todehvah and feed it to de bad duys so dey will be sit (sick)!" Same with pine trees and pollen, ants, and other things we don't like~
you would like to just "ship dem off to Tawifornia."
SO hilarious!
At breakfast, still my favorite meal we share as a family, we have made green pancakes because we are "The Hult famawee!" So funny... and when daddy makes his protein drinks he almost has to fight you for his straw! He plays and says you can't have any, and you tell him "but what happens if a bad duy (guy) tums when you're at wort and you aren't here to protet us!?! I have to be strond to tate tare of my famawee!!!"
You always want to know if what you are eating is "healfy" for you or not. I don't think you really like eggs too much, but you'll eat them just because it's protein and builds strong muscles. After each bite, we are told to feel your bicep and we of course comment on how big it's getting. : )
Taking on the big sister role has been an easy transition, and you are always loving on Scarlett. You don't want her to even go for naps because you say you'll miss her. So sweet, of course that's not always the case... Yesterday you made a sign for your clubhouse that said "NO BABYS ALOD." We got the point.
In Kroger a few months ago, you and I were discussing heaven. Your questions were great- how do we get there, do we get a big house when we're there, all logical ones I guess. And you also wanted to know when I would go to heaven. I said not until I'm really, really old, and that most people pass away when they're old. We rounded the corner and passed a woman maybe mid 50's (know where this is going!) and you pointed to her, about 5 feet away and said "Dat lady is REALLY old mommy, she's proby doeing to pass away REALLY soon..."
I. Just. Ran.
What could I say...?
I never looked back to see if she heard, I honestly didn't even want to know- I was mortified.
And yet could barely contain myself, it was hysterical!
Something that makes me so sad... As of a couple months ago you no longer say your 'ps' words.
Spoon used to be psoon, special- psecial, etc.
Daddy cringes every time you loose one of your little words that make you the little girl you are... right at this moment. You have tried to call things the correct names and he fights it too, like calling The Peanut Store, Logan's Steakhouse. And Happy Face on Chicken Chick-Fil-A.
I keep so many little stories written down of things you have said and conversations we've had.
This age is so much fun~ you always amaze me.
At bedtime, you and daddy practice soccer in the bedroom, with Scarlett and I as cheerleaders. You always try to distract him by saying someone is messing with his gun stuff and then you sneak by him and score a goal.
You can turn anything into a competition. And I mean anything.
Who gets to the top of the stairs first, who drinks their milk the fastest, who splashes highest, who buckles their seat belt first. I like the competitive spirit in you, and yet you're so kind even if you don't always win.
For months now, you have written us letters constantly throughout the day. You go off to your art desk, tell us not to peak, and come back with an envelope addressed to us, To: mommy, with an 'I love you, You love me' note inside and some sort of picture. Rainbows, clouds, flowers and our family are your favorite to draw I would say. Very creative, and always crafting something.
You love playing on the deck with your sand table, and say that you have your own website with sand recipes. It's called Reagan.com and amazingly, all the recipes consist of sand and water. You mix up different amounts of each, spread/pour them on the deck and give them names. "The truffle sand" or "the puffy sand." Silly.
You are an entrepreneur at heart, and come by it honestly. Always wanting to open stores here at the house, collecting things and setting up your cash register for me to come shopping. You are very professional, and try to handle me like a real customer. Same with your restaurant. You are the best cooker and bringer I've ever seen. : ) Lately you've spoke about building "Ray-Mart" with daddy one day. (get it, Reagan/Walmart...!) And also plan on a restaurant that serves peanut butter and jelly's.
And we can't forget the name: Poosty wootum bear egg...
The completely crazy nickname you gave your sister a few months ago and it has actually stuck.
I'm so curious how long we will actually call her any portion of that, cracks me up~
So to my beautiful girl Reagan...
I can't wait to find out what kind of person you will become. We love you so much, and want to support you in anything that makes you happy. Please keep all the qualities that you hold right now, and grow to always be a role model to those around you. Oh, and we would also love it if you took after me as a teenager, (please don't get into trouble!)
When I ask you what you want to be when you grow up the answer is always "everyfing." On your "first day" (of adulthood I presume) you want to be an astronaut. You love studying the planets and Venus is your favorite. On your second day you want to be a "photodrapher" like me. Then eventually move on to open "Raymart" and your own restaurant. Oh, and build neighborhoods with daddy. Hundreds of houses you say.
Oh... baby girl.
You have the whole world ahead of you, and I hope that you always remember that anything is within reach. I hope you never settle for less and that you find the love of your life early like I did, (well not quite as early, that may give your daddy a heart attack~ haha)
I just want you to grow together the way your dad and I have.
I know already that you have a good head on your shoulders, and will do well with what ever you have passion a for. The reason I am happy is because I followed the path He chose for me, and love whole heartedly. My family and my career. I hope that you follow that path, and always find love and passion in your life.
I love you babe.
So, so sweet! I have been trying to write Ivy another letter for months now too. Our girls are so beautiful and I love to read about all the things that make them similar and different.