parenting

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Dear Holly: The Cousins’ Homemade Playhouse in the Living Room

3 years, 4 months.

Dear Holly,

This past Labor Day Weekend, I feel that the major theme for you, your brother, and cousins was to make houses in the living room and then hang out in them; like an ongoing slumber party.

Apparently, there was even a farmer’s market where produce and animals were sold.

Granted, within a few hours, the house of pillows and play tents would inevitably get destroyed, only to be rebuilt each time.

The four of you had your own community and culture in which the adults were largely unaware of.

I have a feeling you all will rebuild your house the next time we are in town.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Reuniting with Your Friends from Preschool, 8 Years Later

8 years, 9 months.

You were 6 months old when you started going to preschool, at KinderCare. It was the summer of 2011 when you first met your friends Avery and Madison.

Though you were the oldest, it wasn’t by much, as the girls were both just a couple of months younger than you.

When we moved into our new house in January 2015, you stopped going to their preschool; not only because we moved you to a different preschool, but because Kindergarten would be starting later that year anyway.

Our families have continued to get together a couple of times each year since then.

This past weekend, our families all met together at Burger Up.

I took a picture of the 3 of you; all having recently started 3rd grade. It was 8 years ago that you all met. And you’re still hanging out after all these years!

Dear Jack,

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Your New Alarm Clock, to Ensure You Don’t Wake Up Too Early

3 years, 4 months.

You and I had a deal. It had been working for many months now:

Each night as I put you to bed, I would remind you, “Okay Holly, remember- don’t come downstairs until you see the sunlight start coming through the window.”

It helped ensure you didn’t start the day too early.

But for some reason, you stopped going along with our deal.

This past week, your new default wake-up time was 5 AM.

So I decided to set up a new system. I pulled out an old cell phone and let you decide what song you want to play for the alarm.

It’s less of an alarm to wake you up each morning and more of an alarm to let you know what time you are allowed to come downstairs and start the day.

I sure hope this works…

Dear Holly,

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Your Prehistoric Sea Monkeys Science Experiment

8 years, 9 months.

Dear Jack,

This past weekend, you sold some of your toys in the garage, so that you could buy some things that are more relevant for you as a 3rd grader.

You are so proud of the “prehistoric sea monkeys” you bought. They came with instructions, which you explained to Mommy and me:

Three days under a lamp causes the shrimp to hatch!

Turns out, today was the third day. Sure enough, we were able to see nearly microscopic little white dots start moving around.

You have recently started talking to us about getting a pet lizard for your birthday. Admittedly, this “prehistoric sea monkey” experiment might serve as training grounds for the lizard.

We’ll see how this thing goes…

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: A Summer of Sunscreen (and Sunburn)

3 years, 3 months.

Dear Holly,

Thanks to multiple family members taking DNA tests, it is officially undeniable that you have a decent amount of DNA that is Italian, Mexican (Native American/Spanish), Sephardic Jewish, and West Asian (from Iran, Iran, Lebanon). But I don’t think most people would think that if they saw you, thanks to your blonde hair and blue eyes.

Your physical traits are more representative of the Norwegian and British DNA you also have.

While your brother was also born with blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin, his hair and skin have turned much darker over the years.

I am beginning to have serious doubts that your skin will get much darker because by the time your brother was your age now, he wasn’t still getting sunburned as quickly and easily as you do.

This has been a summer of sunblock and sunburn for you.

You are the white sheep of the family.

Love,

Daddy