Secret Language

Dear Sawyer,

You are still my little sweetheart, always telling me how beautiful I am and how much you love me. You are constantly saying things to me such as:

"These [store-bought] cookies are good but yours are better."

"That sunset is beautiful but you are more beautiful."

"She looks pretty in that dress but you'd look prettier."

You: "This pasta is the best thing you ever made."

Me: "The plain pasta? All I did was boil water and put the pasta in it."

You: "Well, if Daddy boiled the water, it wouldn't taste as good."

That last one was a bit ridiculous but you are still so sweet to say so many nice things to me! I love that you tell me that you love me several times every day and that you have even devised a secret code to tell me. A few months ago, you informed me that every time you look at me, smile and squeeze your eyes shut really tightly, it's code for "I love you." And you do it all of the time, on top of telling me verbally. Thank you so much, Baby Bear! I love you so very much, too, and am so lucky to have a little boy who makes me feel so special!

Love,

Mom

Mask Mix-up

Dear Sawyer,

We are going on vacation this week! And it will be our first flight since the pandemic hit. I am a little nervous and not sure what to expect but things have been "normal" for awhile now so I'm sure we will be fine (fingers crossed). We have actually been pretty lax about wearing face masks in public but I do want us to wear ones while we are on the plane so when I was packing today, I asked you to get several packs of Korean face masks for you and JieJie, referring to the Korean KN95 masks you wear to school every day. The following conversation ensued:

You: Why do I need Korean face masks?

Me: You have to wear them on the plane. It will be safer.

You: Why do I have to wear them on the plane?

Me: There is still Coronavirus and we will be in an enclosed space for a few hours. It's safer to wear them.

You: But why do I have to wear them on the plane?

Me [getting exasperated]: Because it's safer! 

You: Okay. Where are they?

Me: In your room! They are in the same spot when you need to get one for school!

You: Ohhhhh, you were talking about those face masks!

Turns out, you thought I was talking about the Korean sheet face masks that JieJie and I use when we want to pamper our skin. Hahahahaha! That's why you were so confused about why we needed masks for the plane ride! Hilarious! Well, you know, having soft, glowing skin also protects against Covid! Hahahaha!

Love,

Mom

Magic Numbers

Dear Sawyer,

I was cooking dinner tonight when you came into the kitchen and told me, "Do you know what my classmate Kenneth wants to be when he grows up? A mathemagician. I think that's someone who does math tricks." Hahaha! So cute!

Love,

Mom

Cushioning the Fall

Dear Sawyer,

When MuiMui takes a nap, I usually stay with her until she falls asleep. Today, the two of you had been playing together so nicely all morning so when it was time for her nap, she asked you to stay with her and you did. You laid in bed next to her and when you eventually came downstairs after she'd fallen asleep, you told me that you had looked at how long she was and put a barrier next to the bed in case she rolled off. Later, after MuiMui had woken up and I went into your room, I saw exactly what you had done: You had set four seat cushions on the floor next to the bed and they were aligned with where her body had been on the bed. That way, if she had rolled right off the bed, she would have landed exactly on the cushions. You are such a good big brother! I am so proud of you for protecting your little sister!

Love,

Mom

Lights Out

Dear Sawyer,

When I tuck you in every night, we do our good-night routine and then I put your bedroom light on the dimmest setting before leaving your room. When I was about to dim your lights tonight, though, you said, "I don't need the light. You can shut it off." #growingup #nomorenightlight

Love,

Mom

Mother-Son Time

Dear Sawyer,

You were ready for bed early yesterday so I told you that we had time to read a book together. You love Dog Man books so I thought you were going to pick one from your collection but you picked a book we'd never actually read together called Mommy's Little Boy. In it, the mom and son do different things together that you and I have done many times: shop for groceries, go to the park, get ice cream. To my surprise, you started crying when I read the page about getting ice cream. When I asked you what was wrong, you said it made you sad because it made you remember when you were little* and you and I used to do things with just the two of us, like get ice cream together. I told you that I know we don't have that much Mama-Sawyer quality time these day but reminded you that we still have our moments, like when we went to Ithaca and you and I went on a hike by ourselves to see Lucifer Falls and now on Fridays, after we drop JieJie off at her swimming class and hang out on Austin Street before we have to pick her up afterward. I love our alone time together and will try to carve out more time for it!

Love,

Mom

*I love how you always refer to yourself as "when I was little" and "when I was younger" because you are still so little and young in my eyes!

Sweet Second Grader

Dear Sawyer,

You are a second grader now! And you started the school year on such a nice note. You told me today that your teacher passed out origami paper for everyone in the class as a reward for behaving but she accidentally skipped the girl who sits next to you. When the girl commented that the teacher hadn't given her origami paper, you told her that she could have yours and gave it to her. When your teacher asked if everyone had paper, you raised your hand and said you didn't because you'd given it to your classmate. Your teacher then called you up to her desk and gave you two extra sheets of origami paper for being so thoughtful. I am so proud of your kindness, baby bear!

Love,

Mom