Hard at work

Scarlett is making labels for her world map. 

One decade

I've been married to this guy for 10 whole years, today.

We went to breakfast, just the two of us, then to dinner at Pambiche to celebrate.  Scarlett had a dessert that looks like a cuban cigar, and I tried to take a picture but it didn't turn out. 

I'm a lucky girl! 

Dickerson family photos

On your sixth birthday

Dear Scarlett,

You ushered in your sixth year in whirlwind fashion.  On Friday, you had brunch with the grown-ups- me and Aunt Sally and your grandparents- out at a fancy restaurant while the other kids were at school.  You sat in the booth next to Grandma and giggled a lot.  In the afternoon, you and Hope and Esther decorated cupcakes for your Saturday morning birthday party:

Saturday was a pool party, which you've always wanted. It was fun and pretty exhausting, and we ate the cupcakes and swam for longer than ever before. 

Your cousins stayed the night and- I will tell you this when you're older- Hope stayed up late late late playing board games with Grandma and your dad and me.

On your actual birthday, Sunday, we tried to go bowling but the alley was packed.  We took you to pick out a beta fish, you've named him Shine Shimmery Dickerson, and we've been calling him Shine or Shiny.  You told him he's beautiful.  At the pet store, you just stared at him in his little jar, like you were falling in love.  You had the same look on your face when we set up your tadpoles a few years ago.  I asked why you want a fish and you just said they're beautiful and you love your fish at school.  You are excited to feed your fish every day, instead of sharing the responsibilities with 23 other kids.  Then we had sushi and banana splits and said goodbye to your grandparents, who were heading back to Chicago in the early hours of the morning.

And because you're fortunate to have a holiday weekend birthday, we had another day of fun on Monday with a trip to the wave pool, and more sushi dinner.  It was a weekend of all your favorite things.  But you are my favorite thing, and I'm so happy to see you enjoying life the way you do.  You are sweet and gentle and silly and clumsy and happy. Daddy and I love you more than I could ever explain.

Happy birthday my dearest dear.
Love, your mama

Christmas when you were five

(I wrote most of this in December and never posted it)

Scarlett asked me what she got for Christmas when she was two.  I couldn't remember, and I looked at this blog but there's only vague reference to frog things.  Here is what you got for Christmas when you were five, young lady, if you are reading this when you're older: A giant copy of Grimm's Fair Tails, Quirkle (my new favorite game), Zeus of the Loose (which you played at Lucy's and loved, thanks Amber!), and a huge stack of books.  Book stack included more Series of Unfortunate Event books, and some Sisters Grimm (thanks Amber, for this idea also), and others I can't remember but which aren't as exciting as those.  Candy and sugary vitamins in your stocking.  A black polka-dotted dress daddy found.  Other things I cannot remember but, I think that's a pretty sizable selection, and mostly you were just excited about the candy.  Daddy got a rubick's cube.

We had Christmas at our house, with all our local family and it was lovely. We set up games in the back room. There was a buche de noel! And chocolate mousse. 

Scarlett, age 6

Esther says to call this "Scarlett's first picture as a six-year old."

Five

*someone* lost another tooth today. It was really snaggely.  She ate an afternoon snack of toast with peanut butter and honey, and it came right out.  Tooth five and still, she's very excited.