October 2014 - Recap

My dear Peach,
Your latest project this month is to create obstacles. Your favorites are the ones that involve twirling and hopping over something. Let me explain:

• Step 1: Hop over my legs while they're propped up on a chair
• Step 2: Twirl 
• Step 3: Climb onto your rocking chair by stepping over the back of it (ER Visit Potential: Through the Roof)
• Step 4: Hop off rocking chair onto a floor pillow 
• Step 5: Twirl
• Step 6: Jump over a pile of wooden blocks (Damaged Feet Potential: Through the Roof)
• Step 7: Ride Charlie's scooter the three feet it takes to get you back to my legs

Repeat until the cows come home.

Another favorite:

• Step 1: Ballet leap across the living room
• Step 2: Fling yourself on the recliner
• Step 3: Frog hop to the TV
• Step 4: Somersault on the floor pillow
• Step 5: Ride Charlie's Batmobile back to the starting point.

Repeat until another set of cows come home.

You came up to me the other day and were all, "Hey Mommy! I have a loose tooth!" And I'm all, "Hey Natalie! You're silly! You're not old enough to have a loose tooth!" And I'm right. You're not old enough to have a loose tooth. You're old enough to have loose TEETH. Your top two teeth are definitely loose (incidentally, 'loose' is probably not a word you'll be able to say when you lose those teeth). In my mind, I keep thinking of how adorable it'll be if you actually get to live out "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth" this year. But given that you and your brother were The Slowest Tooth Growers in the History of Anyone and Everyone, I wouldn't be surprised if those two teeth are still wiggly when you get your driver's license.

You lack the ability to know when it's safe to joke around and when it crosses over into Too Big For Your Britches territory. Don't sweat it, though. I sometimes suffer from the same affliction. I am chronically sarcastic, and I sometimes (or often) forget that you're only five and don't quite have the social development or life experience to know how to be appropriately sarcastic. And again, I sometimes suffer from the same affliction. I figure this is all a natural part of you growing up. You're testing boundaries to see what is and what is not appropriate to say. And I have to keep myself in check a lot. Even though I might find something you say to be hysterical and clever, if it's sassy and sarcastic, I have to nip it in the bud. Because if I don't, we venture into Friend Territory. And that's not a relationship we're even CLOSE to entering into. We have plenty of time to be friends when you're much older, and I pray often that we, in fact, WILL be friends one day. But for now? I have no need for a five-year-old friend and you have no need for a thirty-four-year-old friend. You need a momma - a momma who simultaneously thinks you're hilarious but has to teach you how to respect those in authority - and I'm honored to fill that role.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

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Headlines for November 1, 2014:

• Three Trick-or-Treaters in Santa Ana, California, Killed by Driver
• SpaceShipTwo Shattered: What We Know About Rocket Plane's Fatal Flight
• #BringBackOurGirls Victims Were Married Off: Boko Haram
• Think Pink: A Barbie-Themed Hotel Room
• Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi freed from Mexican jail, immediately returns to US after strong diplomatic support
• Woman Goes Skydiving to Celebrate 84th Birthday