One breakthrough after another

My beautiful Zoe,

Spring brought a Zoe that's daring and persistent. You've been going through many breakthroughs. You mastered the monkey bars, you learned to scooter like a pro, and bike without training wheels. And you learned how to read.

As the weather warmed up, we started seeing more children on scooters on the way to school. I think seeing your friends on scooters, rather than just random kids, was a motivator. You started asking to scoot to school too, something you never volunteered to do, and protested when we offered. We got your scooter 2 years a go, as a birthday gift for me. I was pregnant with Echo, and I asked dad for 2 scooters - one for you and one for me, hoping we would scoot around the lake together, since I was too pregnant to run. And now, 2 years later, you outgrew it. Dad and I were all too eager to buy you a new one. As much as we would have liked to make you ask for it, and maybe wait for it a bit, so you learn to value it, we were excited for you, and ordered a very cool scooter - pink, with scull pictures. It took you less than a week to get comfortable on it. In parallel, you've been practicing the monkey bars at the school play ground, and occasionally mentioning at home your progress. I knew it made you unhappy to see that other kids could jump from one bar to the next, while you couldn't. Why did it take me longer than other kids, you asked. I tried to explain that we are all good at different things, though I knew it bothered you. But once you put your mind to it, within days, you became a monkey too.

I was happy and proud, and seeing how you scooter, I knew that if you dared, you could also bike. So I started telling in a fun, excited way, that if you scoot so well, you totally know how to bike without training wheels, because scootering is so much harder. The evening before Mothers Day I saw your writing assignment where you wrote in your kindergarten style "my mom is nice because she encourages me to bike." Another one of the best gifts, given unawares. "I know what I want for Mother's Day," I declared. I want Zoe to ride her bike without training wheels. You paused. "Do you want to try it now?" jumped papa, excited. I priceless expression of wish, excitement and awareness of the challenge swept your face, and you quickly got ready. I continued with dinner preparations when a few minutes later papa called saying "you should come and see this." I grabbed Echo, and ran outside to see you pedal away, without training wheels, papa filming your achievement. Proud, everyone.

You are going through a breakthrough, I said, listing all your recent achievements. You wanted to know what "breakthrough" meant. A few days later, you were telling me all the things you are now able to do - "I must be going through a breakdown," you said. You've always practiced new things you learned. "Breakthrough," I corrected. "You are going through a breakthrough." You are also reading so well. Some nights at bed time we pretend I'm the child and you are the mom, and I refuse to go to bed unless you read me a book. You love this game, and you read to me. I wish we could play it more often, but it's just so hard to find time for it all, especially the way you and Echo just don't go to bed. All the kids are asleep, but the two of you are still up.

I love you and I am so proud of you, always. On top of it all, you are an amazing big sister to Echo. You are her "Ayi" and my Zoe.

Love, Mommy.