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"a portrait of each of my children, once each week, in 2015"

 

Cruz: We said goodbye to Cruz's four year old teacher, Ms. Dana, on Friday.  We loved this girl for many reasons.  There wasn't a day when we weren't greeted with her big smile, a hug for Cruz, and a personalized conversation with him about something that would make his eyes light up, like Star Wars or superheros or a movie she saw over the weekend.  She was equally good at communicating with us, celebrating something she saw in Cruz that made her proud, or updating us on progress regarding a particular skill they were working on.  I will never forget one day when she pulled me aside to just let me know how proud she was of Cruz.  She talked about his kind heart and his sweet demeanor and had tears in her eyes as she talked with me.  Her love for Cruz and for every sweet soul in her class was so evident, all the time, and I am so blessed to have had her as one of my first examples of a teacher of my children.  And she dances with them - what more is there to say?! :)  

Mila: I know I've said this before, but we cannot get enough of this girl lately.  She's smart, hilarious, and utterly adorable, even when she's whiny!  She absorbs everything and I'm convinced she knows how to say more words than she should at her age.  Lately, we sing and read all the time, songs and books she demands any time, any place, anywhere.  In the car she makes requests, typically for the "banana fanna fo fanna" song to which she yells a name and we all sing the verse that goes with it.  Her regular requests lately include: Cruz, Papa, Beau (yes she knows his name), Minion, and Hayes, to which she pronounces perfectly.  She also loves "Bitsy Bitsy" and "Woh woh."