Dear Addison,
"I'm 4 1/2 years old now."
That's what you told me on Skype two dates ago. You're getting so old you make sure to tack on that 1/2 to your age. I remember saying that for every age through, maybe 10 or so. Oh, where is the time going baby girl?
Momma told me all about your Christmas recital. You looked so pretty in your beautiful dress! I wish I could have seen you singing your heart out. Last year you sang Jingle hells, jingle hells, jingle all the way...I bet you figured it out this year.
A few days before Christmas I asked you what you wanted Santa to bring you. Your answer surprised me: a stuffed puppy and horse. That's all. I asked if you were sure you wanted a stuffed puppy since you have a real puppy of your own, Sadie girl. You looked at me on the computer and shrugged your shoulders. Silly girl.
Here's one of my favorite exchanges we had that Skype session:
Auntie Mal: Have you seen Santa this year?
Addison: Yeah, he came to my school but he wasn't the real Santa because he was too young.
Auntie Mal: (raises eyebrows, looks at your momma)
Addison: He was just helping the real Santa out.
Got it. You are so stinking smart. You're 4 (and a half) and thought Santa looked too young. You make me laugh.
As I mentioned in a previous letter, you love to text me and for some reason, this time we talked online, you loved taking pictures of me on the computer. You'd hold momma's phone up to the screen and say "Say cheese, Auntie Mal! Perfect."
Now on to Christmas. At Grammy's on Christmas Eve, I was Skyped in and just loved watching you hand out presents, with Auntie Sarah's help reading the names. You kept passing out the presents and saying "Happy birthday" to whomever it was receiving the gift.
"Happy birthday, Nonni!"
"Poppa, here is one for you, but I think I should help you open it."
I watched you open a present from Uncle Jerry that was in a bag and you declared, "There's nothing in here." Then, realized there was crayons, coloring books and a gift card. Someone asked you where the gift card was from and you replied "Old McDonald's...I love Old McDonald's but it's a long way from Toledo." Everyone laughed. (If no one has told you yet, you have referred to Mcdonald's as Old McDonald's since you could speak.)
You played with a few of your gifts that night including a Spongebob Mr. Krabby Patty bath set. You were making the Krabby patties and told Uncle Jeff he was Squidward. "You can just sit there and ask everyone, 'Would you like a krabby patty?' and then tell me." Again, everyone laughed.
Grammy gave you a baby doll that "pees" when you give it a bottle of water, then you have to change the diaper. First, you asked your momma to change the diaper but she said that it was your baby and you're the momma so you need to change the diaper. To that you said, "But Nonni changed my diaper." You had momma, Nonni and anyone else who heard, just chuckling at the truth and your logic. Momma helped you lay a new diaper out and told you she knew you could do it and to give it a try. You tried for a few seconds and then said, "Raleigh, will you just do it?" And he did.
Being gone for Christmas has easily been the hardest part of my time here in Peru. I always miss you but I absolutely hated being gone for the holidays, however, I am thankful for technology and getting to catch up with you as much as I do.
Love you always, forever and without a doubt,
Auntie Mal
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