You're Eleven Years Old!

Dear Sawyer,

When I was pregnant with you, I had a checkup where I told the nurse that I wanted your gender to be a surprise. After she saw whether you were a boy or girl, she wrote it down on a piece of paper and sealed it in an envelope. Later that night when Daddy and I were back home, we sat on the couch and opened the envelope together. You obviously know what it said!

As soon as I knew that you were going to be a boy, I wanted to name you Sawyer. When we tell people your name, they think Tom Sawyer (which actually happens to be one of the many books you like) but when I was pregnant with you, my favorite TV show was Lost and one of my favorite characters on the show was named Sawyer. I had never thought of Sawyer as a first name before but liked it, especially since it wasn't (and still isn't) very common. I still love your name but maybe the name George would have been more fitting because you have always been so curious! You are constantly asking Daddy and me questions about what is this product made of, how that machine works, who invented such and such, where does this animal live, etc. Thank goodness we have Google to find all of the answers!

I love that you are so inquisitive. Yes, sometimes all of your questions can be a lot, especially if it's been a long day and I'm tired, but I love that you are always thinking and wondering. I love that you are still obsessed with reading and that you get genuinely excited about starting a new book. I love that you enjoy building things, whether it's a LEGO spaceship or a Kiwi Crate pinball machine. I love that you enjoy spending time with me and often ask if we can talk; you usually don't even have a specific topic you want to talk about but just want to chat with me in general. I love that you try to be a good big brother to MuiMui, even though she annoys you a majority of the time. I don't love your mistakes but I do love that when you've made one, you apologize and tell me you'll try not to do it again.

When kids are little, they are so excited for their birthday and can't wait for it. You are 11 today--happy birthday!!--and I think this is the first birthday where you are having mixed feelings about getting older. I think the main factor is that you are graduating from elementary school at the end of the month. You said that you are excited for middle school but obviously it is going to be difficult and sad to leave the good friends you have known and spent so much time with since kindergarten. I also know that you are starting to feel the pressure of succeeding in school. Your teachers have always loved you, admired your work and praised you for being smart but you know school is going to get more challenging. You've seen how much GuhGaw and JieJie have to do in middle and high school and you've heard Daddy and me lecture all of you kids about pushing yourself and being your best self because the competition out there is fierce. That's why your worked as hard as you did on your Garden School essays and interviews and also why you signed up for your school's debate competition this past weekend. You'd had no debate experience before, but you knew it was a good way to challenge yourself, so you signed up, spent all last week working on your speech (the topic was whether schools should install security cameras; you were on side nay-cameras) and then delivered it at the debate competition on Saturday. You didn't win but I am very proud of you for trying something new.

I know this next chapter may be scary but you have always been so smart, capable and determined and I know you will do great things. I love you so much, Baby Bear! Happy birthday!!!

Love,

Mom

Double Up

Dear Sawyer,

I always boil a batch of eggs to eat throughout the week and this week, FOUR of the eggs from the carton we bought over the weekend had double yolks! Four! Daddy said they are weird mutant eggs and I should probably stop eating them before I sprout a third arm, haha. Crazy!

Love,

Mom

Same Size

Dear Sawyer,

Your sneakers are getting snug so I measured your feet this morning: 9.5 inches long. Do you know how long my feet are? Also 9.5 inches! We can share shoes, hahaha!

Love,

Mom

Hallway Hug

Dear Sawyer,

For Valentine's Day, you usually come home from school with a large bag filled with valentines, pencils, erasers, stickers, random plastic tchotchkes and, of course, dozens of chocolates, lollipops and other candy. This year, though, you came home with a mere five cards and just a handful of candies. You passed out valentines but most of the kids in your class did not. I guess you guys are all 10/11 now and already too big for Valentine's Day cards?

Thankfully, what you aren't too big for (yet--and hopefully always!) are big hugs! Your grade had a school concert (your last elementary school concert!) yesterday and when you saw me in the hallway afterward, you ran over to me and hugged me for a really long time! My sweet little guy!

Love,

Mom

Praise You

Dear Sawyer,

As part of your Garden application, I had to write an essay about you and you also had to submit letters of recommendation from two teachers. I've copied them here so that you can read how amazing we think you are! Below is my essay: 

Share with us what you believe to be your child’s special strengths, relative weaknesses, talents, extracurricular interests, etc. Take as much space as you like. We appreciate parental anecdotes and insights. (2500 characters minimum)

Peregrine falcons can reach speeds of up to 242 miles per hour. It takes about 1,800 gallons of water to manufacture one pair of jeans. The largest diamond ever found weighed 1.37 pounds. What do these pieces of information have in common? I recently learned them all from Sawyer, who knows so many interesting facts that I call him my walking encyclopedia. Ever since he was little, Sawyer has been fascinated by the world around him and that is one of his biggest strengths. His curiosity has pushed him to learn about all kinds of topics, from animals and architecture to scientific inventions and space travel. The bookshelves in his room are filled with titles such as 5,000 Awesome Facts (About Everything!) and Encyclopedia of Animals, which he has read over and over. He currently has a subscription to The Week Junior, a newsmagazine for kids that covers current events, medical discoveries, movie releases and other subjects, and he eagerly reads each new issue as soon as he sees it in our mailbox. Sawyer loves discovering new things and this passion inspires him to always wonder, ask why and keep learning.

Another one of Sawyer’s strengths is his determination. Whenever Sawyer faces a challenge, he does so with focus, resolve and his signature cheerfulness. In math class, he was having trouble with multiplying two-digit numbers. He worked with his math tutor, studied the textbook examples and completed practice worksheets until he understood the topic better–and ultimately earned an A on the unit test. When our family went biking on a challenging bike path, Sawyer took on several literal uphill challenges, but he pushed himself, pedaled harder and made it up every steep hill during the three-hour bike ride without a single complaint. This past summer, Sawyer was especially determined to learn how to swim. He had been afraid of going into deep water for years, but he took swimming lessons for several summers and taught himself to gradually become more comfortable in the water. This summer, he finally learned how to swim and passed his deep-water test at camp!

Sawyer’s thoughtfulness is another strength. When Sawyer’s little sister fell asleep on his bed, he carefully placed cushions next to the bed in case she rolled off of it. When his teacher passed out origami paper for a project and overlooked Sawyer’s classmate, he immediately gave the classmate all of his paper. When I am cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, he always asks me if he can assist. Sawyer also currently volunteers as a lunch monitor at school, where he helps take care of the kindergarteners during their lunch period and plays with them during recess. Sawyer is constantly mindful of others and it is one of his best qualities.

Sawyer has many interests. He likes to hike and explore nature. He enjoys playing chess and is a member of his school’s chess club. He has fun building elaborate LEGO structures. And given his curiosity and joy in learning new things, it’s no surprise that Sawyer also loves to read. He loves reading the aforementioned Week magazine, along with books about engineering and science. He also likes Harry Potter, Wings of Fire and other fiction titles. After he wakes up in the morning, he reads a book. Before he goes to sleep at night, he reads a book. When he comes home from school, the first thing he always does is plop on the couch and dive into whatever book he borrowed from school that day. He is so enthralled with books that, over the years, I have actually had to yell dozens of times, “Sawyer, stop reading right now!” because he needs to get ready for school, eat dinner or complete some other task. He even intently reads the back of cereal boxes while he eats breakfast! 

Sawyer is interested in art, as well. He especially loves Impressionist art and has spent hours at The Metropolitan Museum of Art taking in the works of Monet, Van Gogh and Renoir. When we went to Paris last year, his favorite part was seeing Monet’s “Water Lilies” at the Musee de l’Orangerie. Sawyer also likes to create art. He is a member of his school’s art club, where he studies the styles of different artists and makes art inspired by their techniques. He also spends a lot of his free time creating thoughtful, detailed drawings of anything from landscapes to cartoon animals. His artwork is so impressive that his friends often ask him to draw pictures for them!

And here is the letter from your current 5th grade teacher:

It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend Sawyer Chan for admission to Garden School’s middle school program. I have had the pleasure of teaching Sawyer this year in both English Language Arts and Mathematics in our gifted fifth grade class, and I can confidently say he is a standout student in every sense of the word. 

Sawyer is an exceptionally hardworking and responsible learner who consistently demonstrates both academic excellence and genuine curiosity. In mathematics, he approaches problem-solving with focus, persistence, and confidence. Whether tackling complex word problems or exploring new concepts, Sawyer is not only quick to grasp material, but also thoughtful in his explanations and reasoning. 

In ELA, Sawyer’s reading comprehension and writing abilities are well beyond grade level. He engages deeply with texts, offering interpretations that are both creative and well-supported. His writing is clear, structured, and expressive, showing both technical skill and voice. He consistently meets and often exceeds expectations for class assignments, and he approaches revision as an opportunity to grow rather than a task to complete. 

Beyond academics, Sawyer is a kind, respectful, and conscientious member of our classroom community. He participates thoughtfully in discussions, listens well to his peers, and contributes to a positive and productive learning environment. He completes all assignments on time, takes feedback seriously, and always gives his best effort. 

It is clear that Sawyer would thrive in a challenging and nurturing environment like Garden School, where his academic strengths and love of learning can continue to grow. He is more than ready for the demands of middle school, and I am confident that he

would bring enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, and a strong work ethic to your school community. 

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like additional information. It has been a joy to work with Sawyer, and I offer my strongest recommendation for his admission. 

Warmly, 

Elaine Gianninoto 

Grade 5 Teacher 

You are a rock star!

Love,

Mom

Heading to Garden

Dear Sawyer,

JieJie has loved her time at Garden School, so when it came time for you to apply to middle school, it was a no-brainer that you would also submit an application to Garden. Knowing how much work is needed for the application (four essays, an interview and a merit exam), I had you start your essays and interview prep last summer. You wrote many, many drafts and spent many, many hours preparing answers for possible interview questions and rehearsing them. I know it wasn't fun and I know it was a bummer whenever you had free time and I barked at you to use that free time to work on your Garden application (especially as the deadlines began to loom closer) but you never complained (openly to me, anyway) and responsibly did what you had to do. And all that perseverance paid off because you received your acceptance letter from Garden School last night!!! You're in!!!

When JieJie received her acceptance letter, we handed her the letter and threw blue and white confetti (Garden's school colors are blue and white). I did the same for you this morning and when you realized that you'd been accepted, you cried and gave me a long (relieved?) hug. I'm so proud of you, Sawyer! I am so happy that you will be following in JieJie's footsteps and I hope that you also love your time at Garden!

Love,

Mom

Waterworks

Dear Sawyer,

Last night was supposed to be a chill night. Daddy had cooked a lot of food on Sunday, so there were plenty of leftovers and I didn't have to cook. I didn't need to do dishes and I didn't have laundry to do. I was going to just heat up dinner, shower early, put you guys to bed and hop into my own bed before my goal bedtime of 10:45pm. That did not happen.

After you and MeiMei came home from school and showered, I went downstairs to wash your glasses. As I reached the bottom step, I heard streaming water and got annoyed--I thought you or MeiMei had left the foyer bathroom faucet running, as you guys have done in the past. Something was off, though, because it sounded like a lot of water. I realized the sound was coming from the study and when I went to it, I was greeted by the sight of water pouring out of every light socket and gushing down the walls. Oh. My. GOD. I screamed your name and when you came downstairs, you and MeiMei looked as shocked as I felt. You grabbed a roll of paper towels from the kitchen but it was futile--water was gushing down everywhere and it wasn't stopping. I don't even know why, but I attempted to wipe up the water on the table. My towel was instantly saturated, though, and more water was just falling onto the table anyway. I told you to check if there was water in your room or the attic and there wasn't. But when I went into Daddy's office bathroom, I could hear a very violent gush of water flowing behind the wall. I called Daddy and he told me how to shut off the main water valve in the basement. Once I did that, the water stopped pouring into the study but oh my god, everything was soaked. A section of the basement was also soaked and there were about two inches of water on the basement floor. I. Can't. Even.

It's been brutally cold this past week (the temperatures were in negative digits and it was actually warmer in ANTARCTICA than it was here, what?!) so the pipes in Daddy's bathroom froze and then cracked. When the weather "warmed up" today (it went all the way up to 32 degrees--I know, I know!), the ice in the pipes melted and then gushed out of the crack.

Daddy came home and the rest of the night was a flurry of me trying to find an emergency plumber and Daddy cleaning up the lake that had accumulated in the basement. Luckily, Daddy's friend Rich is a contractor and he sent his guy out to our house within 15 minutes of me calling him. I am so so so grateful to Rich, because I called a dozen other plumbers, too, and none of them could come that quickly, if at all. And time was of the essence because with no water, we couldn't wash our hands, shower or flush the toilet. The plumber worked efficiently and when I put you and Second GuhGaw to bed (much later than usual, at about 9:45pm), I said that I hoped that when you guys woke up in the next morning, everything would be fine. And thank goodness, it was! The plumber cut a hole in Daddy's bathroom wall, removed the broken pipe (btw, the crack was about the size and length of two of my thumbnail tips--tiny! How so much water came rushing out of such a small opening, I'll never know), replaced it and patched up the wall in a couple of hours. He was done around 11pm and Daddy, JieJie and GuhGaw were finally able to shower and go to bed.

We were very lucky. Lucky to get a plumber here so quickly, lucky that the water damage was contained to a small section of the house that had the least amount of our furniture and belongings, lucky that we are all okay. Our books and a lot of your and your siblings' old artwork and projects were soaked but at least it was with clean water and we don't have to trash everything.

We are also lucky because we have so many friends who tried to help. I reached out to a lot of people and they all immediately sent me plumber contacts or offered to do things like bring us water or even let you guys stay at their houses. I think you and MeiMei were grateful but also a little disappointed that everything was fixed this morning, since that meant you no longer had to sleep over your friends' houses, haha!

Whew! Let's hope that's the most chaotic night we get for a long time!

Love,

Mom