To Emer at Six

Dear Emerson,

You have done the best job of any of our kids at staying little, but it's not good enough! I don't know what it is about you little kids, maybe it's from having bigger siblings or something, but you just seem so much more rushed about this growing-up business. Sometimes I wish you'd slow down a bit. Some of the things I especially love about you this year:

• My favorite line this month was when you came home from school one day in a bit of a funk. I asked you about it, and you looked at me with deep concern on your face. "Mom," you said "some of my friends at school don't think I'm funny." As far as you are concerned, such a thing is tantamount to treason. Everyone should think you're funny! Because heaven knows, you are!


• Oh my goodness do you ever love you some food! A couple of the children in your class have even mentioned to me that you like to try to be the first one to get to snack station in kindergarten every day. And when you're home! You're the quickest to clean your plate at meals, the most likely to ask for extra servings, and the person who, minutes after a meal, tags along behind me whining "I'm so hungry Mommy! Can I pleeeease have a snack? I'm staaaarving."


• I won't deny that your kindergarten transition has been . . . interesting. But I have to say that I think I was right from the beginning. You, like me, don't necessarily adjust to changes very quickly. You like to know what to expect and if you don't, well, the world shouldn't expect your best showing. Since Christmas though, you've done just beautifully. Your teacher has mentioned how impressed she is with your behavior, your kindness to your classmates, and your eagerness to learn. I suspect you will have a very successful school career. Way to go!


• I hope you keep your beautiful soprano voice forever (well, maybe not forever). If I can ever persuade your dad to conduct the Chichester Psalms, I hope he lets you sing David. I don't think he could get anyone better!


• I'm not too sure you have a big future in sports. You obviously enjoy playing basketball (and you had fun in softball last year too), but I'm pretty sure that's primarily because you like entertaining your teammates so much. You usually skip, rather than run, down the court, and if you can distract anyone for long enough (could be someone on your team or the other team), you'll keep them laughing until a coach or ref reminds you that you're in the middle of game. We love watching you!

Even though I know that eventually you'll have to grow too big for me to gather in my arms to squeeze, I hope that you'll always keep your enthusiastic, unfailingly kind, sweet disposition. I love you! Love,

Your Mom