dear lil j: i miss you like crazy when we're not together

Dear Lil J,

So we're two months into school and last Thursday you finally came home and declared that you had fun at school.  Mind you, it was Halloween and pretty much every kid has fun at school on Halloween, but the fact that you actually said something different from the usual "I didn't have fun at school" gist, I was taken aback.  And maybe secretly smiling to myself.  After all, it took you exactly two months last year to say you were having fun at school.  And you're finally "having fun" at school...maybe.

I suspect that you may have a slight problem with authority.  It's quite possible since you're at the age where you're trying to test everything and everyone.  I'm planning to talk with your teachers during my two weeks off {starting next week} to make sure everything is going okay at school.  You know, just in case.

Have I told you lately what an amazing big brother you are?  I try to tell you every day and I'm going to tell you again:  you're an amazing big brother to your baby ZoZo.  In fact, you call her "my baby" as if she's yours and only yours.  You love to "protect" her and help her anytime she needs you.  You like to share your food and toys with her but sometimes sharing can also be a challenge.  You don't fight much with you little sister but you sure like to get under the skin of your older sister {and vise versa}.  Sometimes it's a battle and I tell myself that you're just going through another "stage", and that it'll see itself through eventually.  I know it will.

My absolute favourite time of the day is the quiet time we spend together first thing in the morning.  You love your sleep so much so {just like Mommy and Daddy} that I have to wake you up every single morning from your deep slumber.  Even though pn most mornings you wake up with a smile and tell me that you love me, I still brace myself for those mornings that turn out to be cranky and whiny.  Honestly, I don't blame you - I'm not much of a morning person either.

Did I also mention how proud I am of you?  Last month you came home from school counting to three in French.  Then your older sister proceeded to try to teach you how to count to 10 in French and it turned out you already knew what dix meant.  Daddy and I think you're a genius.  You just get things and it surprises us every single time.  Not to mention, we brag about you everywhere we go {how could we not?}.

I wish and am hoping that I'll be able to spend more time with you soon.  It breaks my heart that I'm not able to do the school runs anymore and see your beautiful face as you exit the classroom.  I want to be there - it's my goal to be there.  Soon, baby, soon.

Keep doing what you're doing baby.  You can only go up from here!

Love,
Mommy