Halloween 2020

Dearest Harper,

We carved pumpkins for the first time this year. Usually we just buy them to sit on the porch, and the last 2 years we've painted them, but this year you asked to carve, so we did! But you refused to help scoop and wash the seeds, and you weren't strong enough to carve, so unfortunately, you weren't much help and got bored. But the end results were cool - a skeleton who ended up looking a lot like Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas, and a Lego head.

Halloween afternoon, a friend of ours rented a movie theater for a group of our closest friends and their kids, and we all dressed up and watched Monsters Inc on the big screen! It was such a treat - nobody has been to the movies since the pandemic started, and it was a much needed taste or normalcy. Plus, you had a BLAST seeing one of your first favorite movies in the theater. 

Despite the continuing pandemic, and how safe we've been trying to be, we DID let you go trick or treating. We were VERY smart about it, as were most of the people in our neighborhood. I don't think there were as many people - both passing out candy and trick or treating - but you got a huge haul because it seemed like the people who were passing out candy were passing out MORE than usual. Most people sat on their driveways to hand out candy, and there was very little knocking on doors. Lots of candy came pre-packaged in a bag, so lots of little hands weren't rooting through the same bowl. Your costume had a mask, and we stayed to ourselves; if there was a group ahead of us, we just slowed down and waited for them to clear out. We didn't go through your candy for a few days, just to let any potential cooties die off. Mommy and Daddy dressed up like Carl and Ellie from Up to join in the Halloween spirit. And guess what's super cool about this Halloween?! It was a blue moon!

It was 100% YOUR choice to be Michael Myers from the Halloween movies this year. You know of and like him because of a video game that Daddy plays. And while I'm not entirely sure it's acceptable to let a newly 6-year-old little girl be a murderous character from a horror series, the costume WAS in your size, so there must be a demand, which makes me feel a little better (I'm 99% joking about my concern.) 

 Can't ever forget the double smooch! 

I love you,

Mommy

Your Sixth Birthday

Dearest Harper,

You requested Dutch Bros and Starbread for breakfast, so when you woke up, we quick hopped in the car and went to pick up your birthday cake frost and seniorita bread. 

You asked for a Lego birthday party, and that's what you got! We had a smaller than usual birthday party for you given the pandemic is still going strong. We only invited your grandparents, aunt and uncle, and cousins. Our friends and their kids, as well as a few extra family members who usually come, had to sit this one out. Hopefully by your next birthday, the virus will be under control and we can go back to a bigger celebration (although I'm not going to lie - having only 3 kids was SO much easier!)

 

 After the party, we went out to dinner at the restaurant of your choice - Red Robin! The meal ended with a sundae and the servers singing to you, something you were thrilled about!

You said this was the best birthday ever. I feel like this was the first year you REALLY understood and appreciated that the day was about YOU. It was fun to watch the joy on your face all day long. 

And of course, we ended your special day with a double smooch!

I look forward to what this year will bring for you. You are already so very smart, kind, thoughtful, sweet, and funny. You definitely can be fairly sassy, and we've been having to put you in check a bit more than usual lately, but I think you're learning what's socially acceptable and testing your boundaries. We're tough on you just because we don't want you to grow up to be an asshole. You LOVE to be tickled, and I do it eagerly because you have the best laugh in the world. I worry about your self confidence sometimes - when asked to tell us something good about yourself, you often say "I don't know," or if we pay you a compliment or give you praise, you often reply with "You really think so?" ABSOLUTELY! You are an absolutely amazing kid, and every day we think about how lucky we are that you're OURS.

I love you,

Mommy