AVERY 7.5 YEARS OLD

 Dear Avery,

This March through June quarter of your life marked you turning 7.5 years old and the first months of living in a new house and a Summer still impacted by COVID19 lingering in the US. There were fits and starts of some normalcy as Mama and I (and other adults) were able to get the vaccine but there still isn't a vaccine for kids under 12 years old. 

MOVING IN

Truly moving in, you know more than just getting your stuff to the new house, but actually unpacking, organizing, and figuring out where your stuff will go started happening during this time. Reviewing boxes of stuff you already reviewed when you packed it for the move but realizing there's still stuff that you should donate and/or knowing you won't use something but feeling the need to still keep it.

The office and your room were the most important rooms we had to get put together. My office because I work there everyday and your room because you got a little emotional a few times after the move. Rightly so, the Clyde house was the only home you had ever known. You made a few comments like, "I want my old room back," that made me second-guess the move for a few moments. Once we started decorating your room, things seemed to feel more familiar and you started acclimating.

We completed some easier home updates before leaving for MI for the bigger, messier work like sanding and re-staining the hardwood floors. Below you can see we changed the brown fireplace to white and also painted the walls a lighter greyish color versus a darker khaki. We're still figuring out where to put the furniture in the family room and where we will ultimately mount the TV. The furniture is also on order so we're waiting for the delivery.

We also had to get some entertainment for the yard....a giant, rectangular trampoline. Without the playset from the old house or our neighbor's trampoline, we needed something fun in this yard! So we went a little overboard on this trampoline but it's pretty fun and has no single person weight limit so no excuses! ;) I watched a YouTube video online showing how to assemble this trampoline. It arrived on a pallet in the morning and took a half-day off work to assemble it. Let's just say it was pushing dark when I finished it. The YouTube must have been on fast forward, time-lapsed. You know how those videos always make everything look so simple and fast well I can assure you it wasn't too complicated but it was a lot of work and took me way longer than it showed on the video. LOL

We have a long way complete the remaining home improvements but they will all be completed by this Late Fall and ultimately they are nice to haves and not dire.

First Grade Wrap-Up
First grade was one for the record books, a very memorable year for so many reasons. When Kindergarten ended with the COVID19 lock down and we headed into Summer no one knew what the next school year would hold. It was a hybrid year all around. A year full of online learning and then a combination of half-day school with masks and half day online activities. 

Our academic goal through these unprecedented times was to make sure you still enjoyed school and learning. We wanted you to feel loved and supported. If we achieved these things then we would work to catch up if there were deficiencies.

We were so lucky. You continued to be motivated for school. Your resilience and optimism was inspiring for us and reminded us of how much we're capable of. 

During this last portion of school, we walked a new way from our house to school given the move. Our morning walks still remain my favorite part of my day. Since I work from home, it's a less rushed, more peaceful start to the day filled with you sharing what you're looking forward to at school that day, remembering things that happened at school yesterday, and how we make up stories about things we see on our walk (e.g. unicorn horn, dog prints in the cement).

Then one day while walking you saw Rachel and you asked if you could finish the walk to school with her. It was the sweetest thing but also a moment for pause. There will be so many more moments like this, where you're ready to walk on without me by your side. It's to be expected of course, but it nearly took my breath away.

Getting your school bag ready for school includes making sure your charged iPad, lunch, and water bottle are in the bag. Occasionally I get a wild hair and leave you a surprise on your iPad. I can only imagine your response when you fire up your iPad for the first exercise of the day. LOL Leaving notes in your lunch is also one of my favorite morning rituals. I try to mix up the paper used and type of note I leave from pep talks, to quotes, to simple drawings. My goal is to send a smile along in your lunch, to double down on a great day or uplift a not so great day. :)

In the last weeks of 1st grade, you won the PROWL award for all of 1st grade! We were so proud of you and your face lit up as we read the letter from Mrs. Serchuk explaining why you won the award. Keep working hard - you have so much potential, Avery.

MICHIGAN

Once school was out for season for you and Mama and the noisy house renovation was going to start, we packed up and headed to the lake for about 6 weeks. I've been working remotely for over a year now and the flexibility allows for times like these. It still felt really strange to wake up to the view of the lake every morning and close the evenings with such beautiful sunsets. Don't get me wrong the working days were still very long just at Uncle Kevin's office and it was nice to enjoy the lake. :)

Over the six weeks, there was lots of fishing. Lots and lots of fishing with some success. ;) It cracks me up how you have opinions about where to fish and what technique will snag the most fish.

There were many boat rides too. We even had a multi-family boat ride and you enjoyed some chat time with Leona. Tank always thinks he should go on boat rides but he only gets to go on every third ride. Instead, we took this handsome photo of Mr.T together. :)

One beautiful day many weeks into our stay, you and I needed an adventure. The lake is beautiful and it's great to hang out with Aunt TiTi and Nana but sometimes we need a little more adventure. I found a u-pick strawberry patch nearby. It was so peaceful in the fields. We examined many strawberries and shared the ones we thought were in the running for "biggest" or "most perfect shape."  We picked 11 pounds of strawberries!

While I'm glad Aunt TiTi added a TV to the cottage for big games and movie nights, the cottage is best for relaxing and enjoying the simpler things like walks, board games, cards, drawing/coloring, snuggling, reading, chatting, and laughing. The cottage lane walking photos always get me. *melty*

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But what really got us through another Spring of Covid19? Family, Friends, and sports. Similar to my post a year ago...a.year.ago. 

FAMILY

For Easter we had a fun family get together. A backyard Easter egg hunt provided treats for everyone. We had such beautiful weather so we also walked to the park to play. All the grandkids had fun playing with Grammy. You especially enjoyed decorating cupcakes with Grammy to celebrate Uncle B's birthday.

These chocolate bunnies might have been the funniest part of our Easter. Grammy found these giant chocolate bunnies for you and Lincoln. There was one problem. She left them in the car and it was just warm enough that one bunny's face melted. LOL Grammy was horrified when she pulled them out of her car. We laughed so hard. Grammy did not think it was funny so we had to run to Walgreen's to see if we could find a replacement bunny. We bought the very last one and returned home. :)

BIRTHDAYS

Grandpa Maxwell turned 69 and we kinda tricked him into celebrating his birthday because Grandpa doesn't like celebrating birthdays.  You were very excited to make him a card and make surprise cupcakes. :)

We also celebrated Lincoln's 6th birthday! We decided to make him the biggest birthday card ever! We had a lot of fun hanging out with family and friends in Lincoln's back yard. Uncle Chaddy and Uncle B had a lot of water activities and the tree swing was a hit!

Adventures

While our typical Summer schedule of adventures was a scaled back significantly due to COVID, we did enjoy a number of adventures on a slightly different scale and closer to home.

For example, we enjoyed a lunch at Parlor Pizza in the West Loop. Their pizza is delicious and who can resist the Unicorn Dreams dessert!!! You were pretty excited and even dug your unicorn hat out of your closet. LOL As you were enjoying your over the top dessert, the restaurant manager randomly came to our table and said, "You in that hat, eating that dessert is just too cute. Your Unicorn Dreams is on the house!" It took us by surprise as was so nice.

Time with Friends

Mama and I had some much needed adult fun time too! We joined the Freed's for a week day vacation day in the City watching the White Sox and Cardinals' game. The weather was beautiful and the day was the ultimate guilt-free day knowing you were occupied too. This was the first time I'd ever visited Guaranteed Rate Field/The Cell or whatever you wanna call it. The stadium was family-friendly, had great food and drinks, parking was available (unlike wretched Wrigley), and the views were great. 

We enjoyed game nights with family and friends too! We're really brought cards and board games back. They've been a great facilitator of spending time together and just chatting. You are quite the card player. I seriously can't believe how fast you pick up card game rules...and then beat me. LOL

There was also our first Kentucky Derby...in Naperville?! The Figis hosted an adult Derby party. You were ecstatic to hang out with Lucy Iverson. I'm pretty sure you had her playing soccer and jumping on the trampoline for hours.

Outside playdates were also great ways to connect with your friends. It was a strange Summer of trying to understand how to be safe knowing more adults had the COVID vaccine but kids didn't. Outside playdates always felt the safest. We met up with Aviana for a playdate at the "ninja park." It was great to connect with the Schleis.

You're getting so strong and figuring out how to use momentum and power to do more. I'm glad you're coordinated. It makes playing a lot easier. :) I enjoyed myself a little too. :)

When we were finally around for a warm weekend at the new house, it was refreshing to see the neighbor kids just pour out of their homes to play in the water together. We pumped up the unicorn and the giant soccer ball just like at the Clyde but this time a play session just broke out versus scheduling a playdate. It's been so great to have more kids living close!

Of course, scheduled playdates and parties are great too! We shared a number of afternoons with friends on the trampoline that migrated to movie nights. You've become a popcorn addict. Most evenings end with a bucket of popcorn, movie night or not.

When P!nk released her documentary, we hosted a little Pink party with some of your favorite friends nearby. Turns out the documentary was just a way to get the gang back together because we didn't even watch the show together! It was a great to get friends together.

The pool, whether at friends' houses or the neighborhood pool, was so much better this Summer. The times of signing up for a time slot for a square of the pool was over. It was nice to visit the pool, even though folks were keeping their distance, it still felt much better to be outside, enjoying the sun, the water, and friends without a mask.

SOCCER, BASKETBALL, AND THE PELOTON

Soccer was by far the most "normal activity despite still having to wear masks on the field. I'm really not sure why you're still required to wear masks when we're outside. You played in your first soccer tournament ever! It was pretty fun to pull into the giant soccer complex and see so many teams, cars, and colorful jerseys. You were unphased.

Maybe the most nostalgic part of watching you participate in soccer are the team lunches between games. Seeing you do kid things with your teammates, giggling, telling stories, and splitting giant pizzas gave me all the feels. Also the realization that I was now sitting at the "parent table" was a bit surreal. Yes, we know we're your parents but most days I don't feel like a 40-something year old. In my mind, I feel closer to you in age than grandma and grandpa but that's simply not true.

It's also really fun to have family members attend your soccer games. Grandpa always comments how much your athleticism and determination reminds him of me. I can't imagine how he feels watching you play.

Nana and Grammy also love to watch you play soccer. They're more amazed by how much you can do. It's always nice to have them at the game. You love seeing them on the sidelines.

We may or may not have been waiting for this moment since we found out we were having a baby girl!!!!!! For sure, we were waiting for you to attend your first basketball practice for you. We waiting until you were old enough to not get frustrated too much or develop really bad habits. Of course we've been shooting with you on the kiddie hoop and then in the driveway on the lowered hoop for years. But this was different...this was next level...

To see you in your hoop gear in a real gym with a hardwood listening to a coach and running drills almost took my breath away. It felt good to be back in our element of indoor sports! Don't get me wrong, we have grown to love soccer and we've learned a lot about the game...so much so that I want to attend a soccer game in Europe. However, basketball is still our first love.

I was so excited to watch your first practice, I took a half day of vacation! You did awesome and the best part is you were so excited to go home and practice the new skills you were taught. *melty*

I did it. I tried to resist it. But in the end, buying a Peloton so I could workout in the basement just made too much sense. It has to be one of the most suburban thing I've done. Whatever. It's been great. I love the variety of the workouts and the convenience of working out on my schedule versus driving to an early or late class. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the Crossfit workout and they really helped jumpstart back into working out just before COVID but it's nice to feel safer not huffing and puffing around people and I don't miss getting up super early. I bought a 10 pass punch card so I can still go back and workout sometimes. 

ART

Your artwork and now writing are things I really enjoy and I especially love to hear you explain your work. I love understanding how you decided what to create, how you chose your colors and details...it's a little glimpse into your mind and heart. I really love it when you add Tank to the drawings/paintings. LOL

This cheetah drawing is fire! I have these art pieces in my office and I'm trying to figure out what to do with them. That's the dilemma with art and digital photos. Technically I have them on my phone and in this blog but there's something special about the physical creations.

Your reading and writing has really taken off. I especially love hearing you read to me before bedtime and when you leave me notes. The phonetics are on point and the spelling is coming along. The best part is I can understand you in a new way. So much fun!

GROWTH

Throughout all of COVID, the best part is you just keep growing and making progress. Your resilience and so impressive. I admire the way you just keep being you and your positive attitude. Don't get me wrong, Mama and I have been focused on making the best decisions we can, staying balanced with a lean to optimism, and just keeping our eyes on the prize (getting through this the best we can and not focusing on lost opportunities). We hope that's positively contributed to how you've handled COVID.

Luke tried to tell you since he was older that he was taller than you. You asked me to take a photo for proof. Look at your knowing smile in that photo. #hilarious You also ate your first entire Jack's pizza. #ohmy 

You've handled the night head gear like a champion. We have been in awe of how you took this head gear in stride. It just became part of our routine. The head gear and expander have really moved your teeth in all the right ways! You're on pace to no longer need to wear the head gear this Fall.I can't wait to celebrate that good-bye with you!

Reading stories before bedtime is still some of my favorite time with you. You read to me now. Then you always ask me to snuggle you until you drift off to sleep. You often lay there and share things from your day. The stories push us past your bedtime but I'll always be there for the stories. Being able to share the little things and be heard hopefully let's you know I'm here for the big things when you need to share them too. Every night I still give you a good night kiss before I go to bed...and sometimes I take Creeper Mom photos like above.

The way you make your bed is another form of creative expression. I always wonder why certain stuffed animals get the call. Some have their spots and they aren't snuggled. Then there's a very specific 3-5 stuffed animals who are the "snuggle ones." These special animals are the ones she tightly hugs when she goes to sleep.

Then there's the neighborhood scooter gang. This is a group of girls who have battery operated scooters. These scooters are no joke. They go 15mph. I'll never forget the first time you pulled your feet onto the platform and turned your wrist to accelerate down the sidewalk. All I could think about was you catching a crack or the edge of the sidewalk and peeling skin off your face and limbs. We practiced in the backyard on the grass first so you could get a feel for the weight, balance, and speed. Then you had to customize your scooter with about 200 stickers. Once you were on the sidewalk you were fine. Now you're zipping all around the neighborhood. You absolutely love learning new skills and it seems like the more scared/unsure you are at first, the more you like it. If this was a preview of when you learn to drive, I'm toast.

You and Mr T in bed. Come on. That head gear...Tank's smile. He knows he's not supposed to be on your bed yet there he was relaxing on his back and just happy to be by you. And I know these days are numbered but you still catch an occasional piggyback ride up to bed with Mama. Sometimes you count the stairs all the way to 14.

Saw this "Dream Box" you created and it made me pause. May you always have more dreams than this box can hold. You made me conceptually take a look in my Dream Box. We should all have dreams and goals, no matter how big or small. That's what gives us focus and meaning, really keeps us going.

Keep dreaming, Avery. We love you so much.

Love, Mom

xoxo