Dear Tessa,
You finished your first season of soccer this month. Daddy and I are so proud of you for being brave enough to try, and for doing your best. A typical soccer class for you went something like this.
Have fun doing drills and learning skills.
Snack time.
Run around half heartedly after the ball during the "game".
Celebrate wildly when your team got a goal.
Occasionally try to play goal tender even though the games you play are open goal games.
The "Spring Program" at your school was a fun event to attend. You waved at us a couple of times from the stage and sang your little heart out. You seem to really love music.
I will always remember how excited you were this year about Mother's day and my birthday. You made me a key chain at school and managed to keep it a secret and give it to me on Mother's day. You also bought me a red geranium from school. That had to be given a couple of day early… you know, since I pick you up from school and it is therefore impossible difficult to hide it. (So that is what the $5 you wanted was for!)
We went to see "Sesame Street Live: When Elmo Grows Up" and you really tried to get into it. Despite the fact that you used to love and adore Elmo a few years ago, you maintain that Elmo is for babies and typically you want nothing to do with him. You did have a very good time at the concert, but this picture tells how you really feel. Check out the look on your face. (The word I think we are looking for here is bershon.)
Trying to rein in your fashion adventures has been a challenge. The other day you put on jeans and put a pair of pink stretch pants of the top of them. Sometimes I let you dress yourself and just make whatever fashion mistakes you need to make to maintain your individuality, but in this case I felt I had to intervene. It is never okay to wear stretch pants (of any color) over the top of jeans. This is a rule that will serve you well throughout your life. (Now that I've told you that, a new fashion will come out where people wear stretch pants over the top of jeans… that would be just my luck.) I try to suggest possible outfits, and give you "constructive criticism" about the outfits you put together, but when I mention one of your ensembles is not quite right you say, "Mom, that is not a nice thing to say!" which is kindergarten-speak for "How dare you!"
You must have learned the phrase "shake your booty" at school. You taught it to Emma and now I have to hear "SHAKE MY BOOTY! SHAKE MY BOOTY!" from Emma (and watch her waggle her butt) a hojillion hours a day. Thanks. Thanks a lot.
You've really lost your fear of playground equipment this year and are very adventurous when we go to the park these days.
Your teacher tells me that she is so proud of how far you have come in your swimming lessons. You went from crying and clinging to the side at the beginning of the school year to being able to float and "dog paddle" all by yourself.
Too bad someone barfed in the pool during your last swimming lesson.
Swimming was one of the highlights of your kindergarten school year. It is so cool that you are learning to swim in the exact same pool that I learned to swim in. My happy memories of this pool go so far back that even the chlorine smells good to me.
Your friend Felicity had a birthday party at the bowling alley and you went bowling for the first time ever. You did amazingly well, and got more points than I've ever gotten while bowling. I find consolation in the fact that there were bumpers in your lane so maybe that is the reason you can bowl better than me. (Either that, or all the Wii bowling you've done actually helped?) In this picture you decided to sit on the floor and wait for the ball to roll (slowly!) to the end of the lane.
The Three Musketeers. Felicity, Brenda and Tessa.
The highlight of this month for you was when Auntie Lhevinne and all your cousins came for a visit. You are still talking about the water fight we had in Auntie Pam's back yard. They happened to be here to see your last soccer game of the season, and also to go to the Iris Festival, where you and Andrew played a fishing game and won some stuffed animals.
I was recently thinking back to when I was pregnant with you about how blessed and lucky I felt. How I couldn't express in words what it means to finally have the baby you've wanted for almost 12 years… and the depth of my gratitude to God for giving you to me and daddy. This poem written in the 1700-1800s by Hannah Moore ran through my mind almost every day when I was pregnant with you.
Accept my thoughts for thanks
I have no words
My soul, o'er fraught with gratitude
Rejects the aid of language
Lord! - Behold my heart
And now, almost six years later, those same words run through my mind when I look at you.
I love you so much.
Love,
Mama
