Miss Maya is 15!

 

Dear Maya, 

How are you 15 already?!? The numbers keep seeming more momentous each year. We're so proud of how you become more kind, generous, creative, funny, and smart every day. But maybe slow down just a little? 

You spent a chill day on your actual birthday--building a snow dragon with your sister, dressing up in your new costume items, playing games, and just having quality family time:

On New Year's Eve, Grandpa came up from North Carolina and we had a second Christmas with him and Uncle Matt and Aunt Rhi. We had so much fun playing games with them, too.

A few days later we went to Grandma and Papa Stan's house for your birthday party. You picked decorations based on the video game Hollow Knight and we had a great time with the family.

And as always, here are some monthly pics of you over the last year:

The ONLY photo I have of you from January!

February in NYC

March 

April

May

June on your way to the Renn Faire

July

August at Olana with Grandpa

September--first day of 9th grade

October

November 

December

And here are the answers to your yearly interview questions!

Favorite toy: Nintendo Switch

Favorite game: Minecraft

Favorite thing to do inside: art

Favorite thing to do outside: archery

Favorite place to go: home

Favorite book: A Tale of Two Knights

Favorite TV show: Pokemon 

Favorite movie: Nimona

Favorite song: Riptide by Vance Joy

Favorite animal: dragon

Favorite breakfast: egg sandwich

Favorite lunch: omurice (Japanese rice-filled omelet)

Favorite dinner: sushi

Favorite fruit: raspberries

Favorite vegetable: potatoes

Favorite drink: iced tea

Best friend: Emi, Juliette, Hudson, Evelyn, Emma, Damien, Bentley, Kam, Tavi, Mike

Biggest fear: a world without Emi

When you grow up you want to be: a video game designer

Things you take to bed: blankets, Saffron, sketchbooks, earbuds for listening to music

Well, here's to another beautiful year with you, sweet Maya! We love you!

Fall & Christmas 2025

Dear Maya & Emi, 

Mommy has had a note on her desk since Halloween to get a fall blog post together, but here we are the day after Christmas and I'm finally getting around to it. Ah well, that's pretty typical of life these days! Anyway, here is a rundown of what we've been up to since the school year started.  

• We did some hiking.

• One weekend, Emi went on an overnight trip with friends while Maya helped rescue a kitten in the road.

• Of course we went to our annual extended family apple picking day.

• We went to the Naumkeag Pumpkin Show where we ran into Emi's friend!

• Halloween costumes! You both created your own costumes based on your own original characters--Emi, you were Sapphire, the mage...

• And Maya you were Draconix, the dragon!

• Halloween was a week-long event between the school Trunk or Treat, Hudson Halloween, the school costume parade...

• And then Grandpa visited just in time to go trick-or-treating as the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz and Mom went as King George. We also went out for dinner and live music. 

• I have no photos from Thanksgiving, but the day after we went to cut down our Christmas tree and then went to play at a park on the way home.

• We waited a couple days to decorate just in case Saffron knocked it down, but thankfully she did nothing but try to drink the tree water.

• Maya, you had an awesome Christmas concert and art show that Grandma came to.

• Christmas! You two both gave each other the same beautiful notebook on Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas morning you opened your gifts. Maya, yours were largely costume/dragon related, and Emi, yours were mostly arts and crafts materials and merch from your favorite YouTuber. In the afternoon we went to Grandma's house. 

Since someone's 15th (!) birthday is coming up in a few days, I'm sure I'll be posting again soon. But we're looking forward to a beautiful end of year/new year with you two!

Love you both!