The Honest Truth

Dear Connor,

One of my favorite things about little kids is how honest you all are. Adults lie all of the time, out of courtesy, self-protection or a plethora of other reasons. Little kids say exactly what they are thinking when they are thinking it and that kind of frankness is really refreshing. Like when you say you like my dress, I know you actually really do like my dress and aren't just telling me that to be polite. Or when you're upset about something, you tell me that you're upset instead of pretending that you're not and that everything is okay. It's freeing to not have to second-guess what you say, which you have to do with grown-ups sometimes.

But of course, honesty is not always the best policy, which is kind of a tricky lesson to teach. Up until now, I have always stressed to you how important it is to be truthful, to not lie and make up stories that could hurt other people. But then today, I had to tell you that sometimes being truthful is what could hurt other people. Like when you went up to a very obese woman at the playground this afternoon, looked at her larger-than-average midsection and told her straight out, "Your stomach is very big." Oh. my. GOD. 

Love,

Mom

Beautiful Scribbles

Dear Connor,

I went into your sister's room tonight and discovered that you had scribbled crayon all over her bed, dresser, fan and gate and stamped pink hearts on her closet door. I asked you, "What did you do?!" and you replied with wide, innocent eyes, "I was making the room beautiful!" *sigh*

Love,

Mom

Money for the Bahamas

Dear Connor,

Ever since we returned from our vacation in the Bahamas, you keep telling me that you miss the Bahamas and want to go back (me, too, buddy, me, too). Yesterday, when you once again told me sadly, "I miss the Bahamas," I said that going to the Bahamas costs money and that Daddy needs to go to work to make money for us to go again. So this morning, as Daddy was getting ready to leave for work, you called out to him, "Bye, Daddy! Have fun at work making money for the Bahamas!" Haha!

Love,

Mom

Ladies' Man

Dear Connor,

I don't know how I feel about this, but you have become quite the ladies' man. Whenever you arrived at school in the morning, several of your female classmates would excitedly run to the door to greet you, shouting your name and hugging you as if they were tweens and you were a member of One Direction. Many of those same classmates are going to summer camp with you now and you still elicit the same enthusiasm from them. After camp today, your friend Bella saw you in the hallway and gave you a big bear hug. Then Alyssa saw you and she ran over to hug you, too, so that you were literally being sandwiched by the two of them. So popular!

The crazy thing is that sometimes, you purposely act like all this female adoration is sooooo above you. One day, we were at the playground when we ran into your friend Sophia. You talk about her all of the time and I know you like her but when she came up to you and said hi, you blatantly ignored her and suddenly started inspecting the handlebars of your scooter as if they were the most fascinating things in the world. I'd never seen you do something like that before. Sophia kept trying to talk to you and only when she mentioned that she'd brought her bike and asked if you wanted to see it did you acknowledge her presence and play with her. 

It is kind of funny to witness your too-cool-for-school behavior now, but if you act this distant and aloof to girls when you get older, I will personally kick you in the butt.

                                           
                                          You and one of your fans

Love,

Mom

Stranger Danger

Dear Connor,

You continue to amaze me with how loving and protective you are toward your little sister. At the playground today, I was holding Lila (who was afraid to walk on the wood chips on the ground) while you went off to play. After a few minutes, you ran back to us and asked so sweetly, "Can I play with my sister?" 

Later, Lila started babbling to a little boy who was near her. You immediately grabbed her face, turned her toward you and sternly told her, "Don't talk to him! He's a stranger!" 

Back at home, Lila wanted some of your food and when she couldn't reach it on the table, she bit you out of frustration. I scolded her and put her in timeout. You stood in front of her and yelled at her for biting you for a few minutes, but then you pulled her out of timeout, put your arms around her and said, "But I still love you, all right?"

I couldn't be prouder of you for being such an amazing big brother!

Love,

Mom