Cate, my six-year-old penpal…keeping her supplied.

All little girls love glittery backpacks, or at least Jamie did, and sparkly ones you decorate yourself are even better.   I found one that came with permanent marker pens, and had that here for Cate, my little 6-year-old friend who lives in New York… she worked on it but couldn’t get the whole thing done in her short visit to the house, so I mailed it to her to complete.  She’s loved artwork ever since she was really small — just like my daughter  did — and I have a strong sense she’s headed into an artistic direction.  When I’m at Office Depot, I pick up glue sticks + markers + foam glue-on stickers to add to her collection… it makes me happy, and if I was six, I know I’d be there glue-ing and marking my own glittery backpack before school began.  (When I went to elementary school, I walked holding my books  firmly tucked under my arm — they didn’t even HAVE backpacks then!)

Cate wrote me back — and it’s obvious she’s learning how to number (1), (2), (3), and (4).  I liked learning the “Dora the Explorer” doll I gave Grace, her little sister, had gone missing at Grandma’s.  I’ll be needing to replace that next time I’m in the toy aisle at Target.

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Do you remember your first backpack?  How did you make it special?  Stickers, glittery butterfly decals — and later, your favorite crush?