Dear Arianna, January 8, 2012

Dear Arianna,
    Hooray!  I've made it to Week 2 of my letters to you.  Today was a much better school day for you.  I think you just needed to get back into your routine.  You were happy to put on your gym uniform all by yourself last night, and were not fussy this morning.  Your craft project in the morning was making snowmen. It gives me something to look forward to seeing tomorrow posted up on the wall outside of your classroom.  And to top it all off, your friend Ceci visited for a short play-date this evening, so your Tuesday was better than your Monday, that is for sure.
    Tomorrow is show and tell, and you will be taking a great thing to show: the book that Mommy made for you based on her blog of the first five years of your life.  It was here making that book while quarantined for her radiation treatment that inspired me to write this daily blog to you.  It is amazing to go through a book that shows you growing up from a little baby to the wonderful girl you are now and that captures all those little moments of life that we might forget as we pass through each day.
    You love the book so much that you were crying when Mommy took it upstairs because you thought she was taking it away.  It makes Mommy very happy that you love the book of your life so much.  It truly came from her heart.

You and Mommy opening the book of your first five years.

    One of the pictures in your book was you sitting on my lap.  I asked if you were too much of a big girl at the age of five to sit on my lap.  This was your answer:

 Never too old for Daddy's Lap

    In other exciting news, as you asked about yesterday, Mommy started teaching you about crocheting tonight.  I can't write much about what the teaching is like, because I have all the knitting talent of a doorknob, but I can't wait to see what creations you will make in the years ahead.  Daddy could always use a nice 18 foot long scarf like the Fourth Doctor.  It does sound like from you and Mommy right now that you want to skip the entire making a chain portion of your lesson straight to making mittens.  You always want to fly before buying your airplane ticket, my little sweetie.

Mommy reports that you made it through two stitches on your own.

     The hour is drawing late, and I have to get your lunch and snack together, but what would my daily letters be without another picture of you loving your kittens.  While you watched a bit of "DuckTales" tonight, you were once again super-happy that Turlough snuggled up with you.

    Let's see what excitement Hump Day brings. Time to make your lunch.

Love,
Daddy

Dear Arianna, January 7, 2013

Dear Arianna,
    Well, here we are on the first work Monday in three weeks.  I do believe that we were both getting spoiled with me having three day work weeks with four day weekends, and you having two weeks off.  I really liked spending so much time with you.  There were a lot of tears this morning when I took you to school.  You didn't want me to go, and were holding tight on to me until Ms. Power had you help her with the Play-Dough which allowed me to head to work.  Trust me, I'd rather spend my days with you than at work, but the bills must be paid and money saved up for our next family adventure.  Truth me told, your Daddy could get to use to three days of work followed by four day weekends.
    I wasn't quite sure what to write today.  We are all sort of tired and getting used to being back into the five-day work week routine.  Then, as luck would have it, Mommy mentioned that we had fudge in he refrigerator.  And banana bread!  And snicker-doodle cookies, all baked by our friends Tiffiney (banana bread) and Michelle (fudge & snicker-doodles).  Nothing brings Mommy, Daddy, and you together like a table full of sweets.  Your kittens were so interested in the good things on the table, that we had to put them in the basement so they wouldn't eat it.  We kept them away from the fudge since chocolate can be harmful to cats, but Turlough got himself a nice big drink of milk from your glass.  We also learned that anyone who says that cats hate walking on aluminum foil don't have cats!

Ian & Turlough seem to like aluminum

    Tonight's first  pictures are some of your poses on the couch.  You are on a DuckTales kick right now, and you were doing your impersonation of Huey, Dewey, and Louie:

                                              Huey                                                             Dewey

 

Louie

    And then you were playing with Turlough and Ian, per usual.  It's fun with thread, and a little video that I was able to run until the camera's video card filled up:

 

 

    

Here's the video:

    I've uploaded and cleared off the memory card so I can take more pictures and videos tomorrow.  Also, as I was writing this, you are telling Mommy that you want to learn to crochet a scarf like she is doing now, so it sounds like I'll have more adventures to write about tomorrow.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Arianna, January 6, 2013

Dear Arianna,
    Today is what I'd call laid-back Christmas.  January 6th is the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Three Kings Day, or the Feast of the Epiphany, depending upon what you'd like to call it or where you are from.  For your Mommy's side of the family, it is Tres Reyes, and for me it is a holiday that I never had growing up, but happily celebrate now.
    We started the day at Saint Bernadette's, where you were upset that you were not called forward as an alter attendant.  When we tried to explain that you had to be in the fourth grade, you said it wasn't fair because you were old enough and were learning how to read and could follow instructions.  Just when we got you calmed down from that, you and Mommy went up for the communion, where you then got upset that you couldn't take one of those tasty wafers  again because you are too young.  Sweetie, sometimes I swear that you are five going on sixteen!  I guess I was the same way when I was your age.  I remember thinking at Indiana Beach how unfair it was that I could not ride some rides that I thought that I was old enough for.
    Luckily, we lifted your spirits by reminding you that your cousins were coming over today for Three Kings and you would finally get to open the present that Padrino Ron and Tia Evelyn sent you that has been sitting by the tree since Tuesday.  Everyone made it form your Mommy's family, including your Uncle Carlos and Aunt Vanessa, who often times don't get to come because of work.  You'll never see five large pizzas go as quickly as they did today.  There was also homemade chocolate malts & rice pudding, which were enjoyed my all.  Finally, there was the fun part of dessert, the rosca de reyes, and we found three this year that didn't taste horrible.  Uncle Tony, Raven, Scarlett, Carlos, and Tiffiney pulled out the five baby Jesii out of the cakes, so they will be bringing over the food for February 2nd.  You were upset that you didn't get a baby Jesus in your slice, so Mommy had to fool you and hide Uncle Tony's Jesus in your slice when you weren't looking!

Baby Jesus hanging out with George

    When people were starting to go home, Turlough got himself tangled up in the lights again, so it was time to take down the tree.  The Twelfth Day of Christmas seems like a good as time as any to take down the Christmas Tree and lights.  We'll miss the bright colors, but we have to make sure our kittens are safe.  Turlough made sure to help us while taking the tree down.

Turlough, professional tree trimmer

    Finally, your present.  You were desperate to open it while your cousins were here, and was very excited to see that it was a telescope.  You were not so excited when we told you you would have to wait until everyone went home before I unboxed it and set it up, and even more unexcited when you had to wait until. we took the tree down.  But, it was all worth the wait.  It was much nicer than any telescope I ever had, and we will have a lot of fun with it.  Because the night is so cloudy, all we could look at was tree branches close up, but that was good enough for us!  Thanks to its backpack, we can take it with us to Indiana or Michigan, away from the light pollution and look at the stars and moon.  A big thanks to your Tio & Tia, you loved it and can't wait till we can see more than tree branches and the shingles of the garage!

The First Veterinarian on Mars

    I can't wait for many years of star gazing with you.

Love,
Daddy

Dear Arianna, January 5, 2013

Dear Arianna,
    Today is your Aunt Ann's 33rd Birthday, so let's wish her a very happy birthday!  It got me to thinking that when I turned 33, you were just a year-and-a-half old.  It is amazing to think how much you have grown since then.  That was the year of real walking, a vocabulary explosion, and the change from baby to toddler. Even your toddler years seem so far away now as you are indeed a little girl.  I can't call you that, of course. I have to tell you that you are a big girl.  I will let you in on a secret, though, in your Papi's eyes you will always be a little girl, and I am sure that will annoy the heck out of you as a teenager.
    Before I jump the gun and give my self a heart attack thinking about you as a teenager, I wanted to talk a little bit about who you are now.  You are a talkative, loving, sensitive  animal loving, violin playing, music singing, crazy dancing dynamo and I love you so very much.  Today was a lazy Saturday.  We lounged around watching DuckTales, playing games, and dancing.  THen you decided to do a magic show.  I am not quite sure what the rules were, nbuy you cut up a piece of paper to make your own cards and dropped them into a hat showing us which card we had picked.  You cleverly put the same words on each card, so as far as I can tell, you always drew the right card from the hat.
    We just went out for a short trip today to the bakery to pick up a Rosca de Reyes for Three Kings Day tomorrow.  Part of the fun for me marrying into an Hispanic family was being able to celebrate even more holidays.  Your Padrino, Uncle Ron & Aunt Evelyn sent you a special Three Kings present, but we talked to the wise men, and you cannot open it until tomorrow.  You are very excited  but just like with the Christmas presents under the tree  you have been great at being patient and waiting for the special day.  No matter what is inside, I am sure it will go along nicely with the sonic screwdriver they sent you.
    So the cake is bought, and we are figuring out the food, and we should have a terrific day tomorrow with your cousins and friends.  Right now you are sleeping (the car ride knocked you out), so I had time to write. For the picture of the day, you wanted me to take burst shots of you while you were tumbling / square dancing around the living room today, so here they are:

Love,

Daddy

Dear Arianna, January 4, 2013

Dear Arianna,
    One thing you really love to do is make artwork.  Whether its drawing, painting, coloring, or Play-Doh sculpting.  Today Mommy has a terrible toothache from a sinus infection and you wanted to paint her a picture to make her feel better.  I've noticed that when you draw you are very exact with your details and are trying to create a specific image.  The same is true when you paint in watercolor.  When you use tempera paints or especially thick finger paints with a brush, (you don't like getting your fingers messy with paint, just like your Papi), you go for creating new colors and textures with the paint.  It is very Vincent Van Gogh of you.  We are almost out of the thicker pains, and all I could give you today where a tiny bit of green, white, and orange, but you still made this lovely picture whose textures are not done justice by a photograph:

"ILU Mom" is painted at the bottom.  That is how you write "I Love You Mom".

    The photograph of you today focuses on your finicky eating.  It is really hard to get you to take a first bite of something that you have not eaten before, even when we know that it will be something you will actually like.  Case in point is tonight.  You wanted cereal, but we took your box of Frosted Flakes over to Titi's house so you can eat it when you are with her and your cousins.  You like Lucky Charms, but hate those retched marshmallows in them, so I bought you Alpha-bits  which is really just Lucky Charms without those tooth crackers in them.  You cried and wouldn't try them.  Then I calmed you down, got you to eat them and you proclaimed  "I really like these, thanks Dad."  After eating the bowl, you let your kittens drink the left over milk.  Good thing Mommy is asleep on the couch with the toothache so she doesn't see what I let you get away with.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Arianna, January 3, 2013, Postscript

Dear Arianna,
    A sad postscript to today's letter.  After writing  we went over and saw that your little black gerbil, Trixie, passed away tonight.  Her sister, Alice, died about a month ago, and it looks like Trixie went peacefully in her sleep.  There were a lot of tears, and death is so hard to explain. especially now that your are understanding that all things die.  It's the blessing and curse of pet ownership   We love them so much, and we almost always outlive them.  I wish I could find the episode of Mister Rogers when his fish died to help figure out how to explain it all.

 Alice (2010-2012)

Trixie (2010-2013)

Love,
Daddy

Dear Arianna, January 3, 2013

Dear Arianna,
    Today was my first work from home day for the new year, which made you very excited.  Since you don't go back to school until Monday, you were very happy to be spending a day with Daddy.  You've really gotten used to my work from home days.  When I first started to do it, you could not understand why I had to sit at a chair all day.  I used to try to do it working up in the office upstairs, but after a few weeks of that, I moved down to the dining room table.  Now you are great.  You know when I have to work, but we still get some quality daddy-daughter time in, especially at lunch.
    After eating you hot dog wheels for lunch today (and like a good Hispanic, you eat your hot dogs with ketchup, we put a log in the fireplace and made your big doggy floor puzzle in front of it.  Then, we imagined which dogs in the puzzle we would be, and who your Mommy, cousins, Titi, and Uncle would be.  After that, we read some books (My Little Pony), of course, on the Nook, and then you played games on my computer and on your inherited iPad.
    Last night, you and Mommy had macaroons, to which you declared that the ones made in Chicago tasted better than the ones from Paris, and Mommy agreed!  You also had trouble going to sleep last night after all of your dancing, and you really miss your Mommy sleeping in the Big Bed with us.  Her radioactivity will wear off soon, so she can stay all night, but Mommy made you fall asleep so nicely by snuggling you until you fell asleep.  In fact you slept so soundly, you didn't wake up until 10:30 this morning!
    Today's picture is all about how much you love your cats and how you want to be a "pet-erenarian".  You snuggled up to take a little nap this afternoon, and with a warm blanket and your little Turlough and Ian, you were a very warm, purring trio:

Love,
Daddy

Dear Arianna, January 2, 2013

Dear Arianna,
    I think I can call this entry "Raise This Barn."  When I first came home tonight you were a little bit down because I think your girl cousins are hitting puberty and you are feeling left behind.  Then you put on your favorite show again, and got to the "Raise This Barn" song.  Then, it is like a switch flipped and after not letting me dance with you at the Daddy-Daughter Dance last month, you had me square dance with you, and then you were dancing solo, complete with yee-haws!
    You want to kick me off the computer to play some games, and I need to finish writing before you finish eating your peaches, so here is a picture of you after one of your dances tonight:

    And here is a video of your Apple Family hoe-down:

Love,

Daddy

Dear Arianna, January 1, 2013

Dear Arianna,
    I have decided to write a new blog entry each day this year about our lives together and my hope is to publish it as a book for you for you to have in January of 2014.  You are growing up so fast and I want to capture the little things that happen each day so that one day in the future you can look back and remember what it was like to be a little girl discovering her world.
    As I write this, you are watching the "Apple Family Reunion" episode of your favorite show, "My Little Pony",  with your kittens Turlough & Ian sitting on your lap.  We kept those two kittens for you and they really do seem to love you for it.  We came home from New Year's lunch at Titi and Uncle's house, where you had your face painted up first as a bunny and then as Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer.  I even let you and Logan paint my face a little, and if you understood much face paint drives me crazy from one of my psychological hangups, you'd understand how much I really do love you.  Now that Applejack is about to sing the barn-raising song, I am waiting for you to call me over to listen to it with you...
    ...And you did.  We listened to the song twice, and you are finishing up your mac and cheese and are pleased as punch that your kittens are sleeping next to you on the couch.  I think I'll also take a picture of you each day so we can watch you grow, so here is a shot of you watching Ponies, eating your mac, and being loved by your kittens:

    And here is the Barn Raising song you love:

  I'll write to you again tomorrow.

Love,

Daddy

Driving to the Moon

Arianna and I were outside tonight looking at the sky and she told me, "Papa, let's take red car to the moon."

 

I love my little dreamer.