A letter to sweet, sweet Lorelai.

Lorelai, my looking-like-you're-much-older-than-five-years-old Lorelai.

You watch too much tv.  It’s clearly my fault, as I’m the one who controls your television consumption.  I don’t let you watch a lot, but I forget you are a sponge.  Until you start to regurgitate infomercials.  “Mom, the lumowallet is no match for a truck or car – we NEED that!  It ‘patects’ your phone so nothing can destroy it.”

You’ve started sharing a room with Emerson since we arrived in Germany.  I’m so surprised at how well it’s going.  You are  in a single bed, while Emerson is still in a crib.  When I put her to bed, she sometimes cries as I walk out.  I can hear you from the hallway “don’t worry little sissy, Lorelai is here.  I’m going to patect you.” You promptly sing one of her favorite songs and the room falls quiet.  When you wake up, you escape without waking her and are so proud, you can’t even stand yourself and run immediately into the room to tell me.

Your favorite book is your preschooler’s Bible.  You ask me to read it to you every night.  I’m pretty sure we have read it in its entirety twice already.

You say you can’t wait to homeschool.  I’m pretty sure that’s because I told you homeschoolers do a lot of field trips.  That’s okay, though.  If that’s what I have to do to ensure success, I’m all for it. 

You have lost one tooth and are anxiously awaiting two more to get loose and fall out, since you have “shark teeth” (see picture).  Those little baby teeth need to get out of the way, they’re cramping the style of your adult teeth. 

You are THIS close to riding your bike without training wheels.  As soon as we get back from Germany, mommy is taking them off.  Your balance is pretty great, you just need a little more confidence.

I started reading a book called Parenting with Love and Logic.  I am amazed at how much this has changed our relationship with one another.  You are a strong-willed child, but no book I’ve read (and I’ve read many) has helped me with really learning how to relate to you – not just “deal” with you.  This book is changing my parenting style immensely.  I’m quite positive it’s also decreasing my anxiety level with you as well.  This is now going to be my go-to book when anyone with any age child talks to me about parenting.  Seriously – it’s great.

You are always alert and ready to learn.  Everything is a new adventure that is SO exciting to you! Whether it be a new color dum dum you’ve never had, to a new coloring game on my ipod, to a large building with a unique roof-line, you are so excited to see it, and you let everyone know.  I wish I had the zest for life that you do – wish I went into EVERY experience with the same attitude you have.

I’m learning a lot from you!!