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Dear Nugget,

I think it's a normal tendency for children to assume that their mom's life simply revolves around them.  I know my life has grown to include you in most every way, the way a plant grows towards the light, my habits and thoughts are reformed to you.

However, I think it's important that we both remember that I am my own person.  Being your Mommy is just one (incredible) part of my life and self.  When asked what I like to do in my spare time, I sometimes respond, "What spare time?" or "I can't remember!"  

Let me share a little about myself - partly for you to know your chauffeur/dishwasher/personal assistant better, but also to remind myself of who I am on days when I feel that you are absorbing me completely.  Maybe I'll make it a habit and come up with some me-lists a few times a year!

10.  I love to read.  I can read very quickly, though I've never really timed myself.  I love many kinds of books, but the books I read as a child continue to be my favorites.  A Cricket in Times Square, Anne of Green Gables, Bunnicula, the Little House series, and of course Charlotte's Web.

9.  I dream of organization but I'm pretty messy.  The Container Store might be my version of heaven on earth, yet as I type this, my desk is covered in candy wrappers, stickers, post-it flags, a calculator, tissues, pens, and a baggie of dead batteries.  Sigh.

8.  A former supervisor called me the most efficient person on the planet.  I work really hard, pay attention to details, and I can finish jobs (especially repetitive tasks) really quickly.

7.  I am very sentimental, but not a packrat.  I can't throw out photos, but most other things can go right in the bin.

6.  I can see arguments from many different angles, and I like to understand how different people are motivated.  In a way that makes me insightful and empathetic.  In another way, it makes me incredibly wishy-washy.

5.  I like crafts of all kinds, but I don't have much patience.  I like small projects I can start and finish quickly.  Finishing is the key!

4.  I need to make plans and lists.  I lose most of my lists, and I know many plans can fall through at the drop of a hat, but I crave knowing what will happen next.

3.  Though I can't sing, I really love music, many kinds of music.  If I could choose a talent, it would be singing and dancing.  I especially love attending children's dance recitals and high school musicals, even if I don't know any of the kids personally.  

2.  I prefer quality over quantity in just about every way.

1.  I love those cold outdoor showers at beach houses.  They're designed only for rinsing away sand before entering the house, but if I lived in a warm enough climate, I'd love to build one and take all my showers out there.  With a privacy wall of course!