parenting

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Dear Jack: Our Pet Spider for This Fall Season

12 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack,

Being in this house for nearly 9 years now, I easily see how spiders are associated with Halloween and bunnies are associated with Easter.

It’s because all the spiders really do come out once the Fall begins and all the bunnies really do come out once the Spring begins… at our house at least.

For the past two weeks, we have made a habit of not using our back door leading to the deck, as we are honoring our pet spider who guards the doorway.

It’s a perfectly symbiotic relationship, as we provide each other safe places to live.

We are happy to let the spider eat the smaller bugs we don’t want in our house; if even it means I have to take the long way around on garbage day.

The spider is our current temporary pet. You keep me updated on whether it has made a new web for the day or whether it’s currently eating its lunch!

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Are You Going to Lose Your First Tooth This Week?

7 years, 5 months.

Dear Holly,

As Mommy and I sent you off to school this morning, it was with an open expectation that you are quite likely to lose your first tooth today.

You have been saying how you are the only kid in your 2nd grade class who still hasn’t lost one.

Right now, one of your bottom teeth is so wiggly; especially due to the fact that the permanent tooth is pushing through.

Well, if you don’t lose your tooth today at school, you surely will this weekend.

And then, finally, you can have your first interaction with the Tooth Fairy!

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Our New Family Ritual

12 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack,

It’s funny how just a little change in our family dynamics can go such a long way. We’re now a few weeks into your sister fully taking care of her own bedtime routine:

She does her own bath, brushes her teeth by herself, brushes her hair, and reads her own bedtime stories to me instead of me reading to her.

That means we have more available quality time together as a family, due to less work that Mommy and I have to do each night, after having worked a full day.

While “watching TV” might not seem like a good way to spend quality time together as a family, it is for us. We watch one episode before bed.

We’ve made it through both seasons of Is It Cake? Now we’ve moved on to Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog.

I think we are moving in a really good direction.

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Your Leadership Skills are Showing at School

7 years, 5 months.

Dear Holly,

You were so proud when I walked you home from school last week and you were able to immediately announce to me:

“I was chosen as the Leader of the Month at my school!”

Specifically, you were noticed for “Being Prepared.”

We now have your certificate hanging up on our fridge door.

I know this is a sign of things to come. I am so proud of you for taking charge and believing in yourself.

It makes me curious if you will decide to officially run for leadership roles in the upcoming years at your school!

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: You’re Still Not Too Old to Enjoy Lucky Ladd Farms

12 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack,

For your entire life, we have been taking you to Lucky Ladd Farms each Fall season. This past weekend, we went as a family and both you and your sister had such a great time!

One new exhibit was what I am going to call the Bubble Machine. It was like an endless supply of snow… but bubbles instead.

While I do get sad sometimes, thinking about how the little boy version of you is long gone, I love being able to see you act like a kid again… as opposed to the teenager you will soon be!

Love,

Daddy