I Just Want You to Know_ Letters to My Kids on Love, Faith, and Family - Kate Gosselin [56]
Cara lost her first tooth and proudly showed me.
When Mady and Cara started first grade, I wrote napkin notes in their lunches almost every day. I remember how much little notes meant to me during lunchtime, and I want them to feel the same way I did. My mom used to write her notes in red ink with the same curly handwriting as my grandpa and she always signed them “1–4–3” (I love you).
In addition to the lunch-box notes, there is always a note on the dry erase board by the sink that I change periodically. For Thanksgiving it read, “I’m so thankful for each one of my eight perfectly amazing kids.” For Christmas it read, “You’re the eight best Christmas presents I could ask for.” For Valentine’s Day it read, “My heart belongs to each of you.”
Love notes sent from someone who loves us! Aaden and Alexis open their cards I left at their places at the table—standard mail delivery protocol in our house!
The best surprise is that the kids now leave notes for me.
Mady received a plate to decorate for Christmas. Recently, when I was traveling, she decided to decorate it and then so sweetly chose to give it to me. When I got home, she left the Christmas plate in my room with two Post-It notes stuck to it. One note said, “Dear Mommy, I decided to decorate and give my plate to you, because you’re the most important person to me.” The second one read, “Do not touch unless you’re Mommy.”
I love the plate, but you know I will never ever remove the Post-It notes.
All those nights when I sat completely exhausted at my laptop and could barely see the computer screen through my blurry eyes, I continued to journal and make notes of our daily, seemingly mundane lives. Even though I thought I’d remember what happened each day, it has gone by so quickly that many of the memories have all but faded. With each journal entry, each note, each event and conversation recorded, my kids will have a permanent reminder of my love for them during these early years. But this legacy is far from complete: I’ll continue writing my kids love notes because I just want them to know how much I love them.
Photo Album
In the process of writing this book, I was looking for photos to include. Because I had never seen many of them before, I spent hours reliving those years in our home on Andrew Avenue. I hope you will engag these pictares as well.
Our first day of ski school in Utah. It took two hours and lots of adults to dress all of the kids. I was so happy they had the privilege of learning to ski.
At the beach in North Carolina, Alexis greets “Dusty.” I have no idea where she came up with the name Dusty, but he is her buddy for sure!
All six kids giving one another “rabbit ears.” It’s moments like these that I can catch glimpses of the future…when they are all teenagers doing goofy stuff to each other (heaven help me!).
This is one of my favorite pictures of Aaden ever…from the snack in the corner of the mouth to the folded down ear.
Cara in her own design. She always came up with the most creative paper hats and masks.
Diving into our Easter baskets before church. There was no room for everyone to go and spread out their contents, so they ended up sitting on the floor around the dining room table…sneaking jelly beans (organic of course) at any chance.
Life’s a beach, isn’t it?
On a rainy beach day, Leah, Alexis, and Hannah made the pantry into a fun game—jump out and scare Mommy!
Collin clearly had an issue with “lying down and going to sleep”—so he sat up and went to sleep during this naptime!
Collin enjoying a winter wonderland right outside our door!
Mady did her hair up in chopsticks and was proud to show off her Asian heritage.
Mady got a karaoke machine for Christmas and sang all day—and all night!
Hannah and Leah had fallen asleep at the top of the stairs near their bedroom…It was time to put a gate at the top for safety!
Fun at our neighbor Laura’s pool. They graciously allowed our eight kids to descend upon