DAY 1: Do Manners Matter?

“Dear Diary, today I learned about MAGIC WORDS! Do you know what magic words are, Diary? Well I’ll tell you. They are words that get you WHATEVER YOU WANT. Really! Here are some magic words: please, thank you, excuse me, and you’re welcome. But I’ll tell you what, Diary. It wasn’t easy learning to use them. That’s the truth!” 

 

 

DAY 2: Potty Time

"Dear Diary, You won’t believe this, and this time, I mean it. Today, Mommy and Daddy told me it’s time to get potty trained. Seriously? Hel-lo? I am perfectly happy keeping things just the way they are. I mean I have been doing it this way my whole life?! I love my diapers, and they’ve been working just fine… why change it up now? That’s CACAMAMIE! Don’t we all have better things to do? They do seem pretty determined… something about me becoming a grown up now…”
 

 

DAY 3: How Hard is Walking, Anyway? 

Luca reminisces in her Super Secret Diary the day a neighbor and her one-year stopped by to pay a visit. Always up for a

good time, Luca shares her initial excitement at a chance to play with another tot as well as her quick disappointment when she discovers the little boy can’t quite stand up on his own two feet, let alone walk yet. Undeterred, Luca comically recounts her numerous attempts to prop up the child and teach him how to walk, despite the fact that he keeps falling down over and over again with every single step. Utterly vexed, Luca is unable to mask her consternation that evening at dinner: Come on, how hard is it to walk? 

 

DAY 4: Wheelchairs are Cool

Luca writes in her Diary how her family vacation took an interesting turn last week when her ten year old cousin Connor joined them at the beach. She’d never met him before and was surprised to see that he was in afunny looking metal contraption…with wheels! Mom explains it's a wheelchair. “A WHEEL chair?” At first Luca thinks it’s some sort of cool toy like a skateboard and asks Mom why she can’t have one too. But Connor explains that it’s not a toy and that he HAS to have a wheelchair to get around. “Ohhh…” This makes Luca suddenly sad, even though she can’t help but notice that Conner isn’t sad himself!!! In fact all through lunch, Connor laughs, jokes and looks to be having a BLAST soaking up the sun and fun of the beach with everyone else. Luca is confused. Isn’t he sad that he can’t run and jump with the rest of the kids? Connor explains he has lots to be happy about and it’s all about ATTITUDE. "Attitude? What's that?" You can choose to be POSITIVE or NEGATIVE explains Conner. Positive works better. Luca slowly learns to appreciate and adore Connor’s outlook on life and super funny sense of humor. It seems being in a wheelchair does not prevent him from having a good time after all because of his ATTITUDE. And Connor hasn’t even showed her yet how he “tools around” on his set of “wheels." "Tool around??" Yup, Connor proceeds to show her and the other tots some AMAZING wheelchair tricks to the oooohhh and aaaahhh of the entire group. Luca beams proudly, ending her diary entry that she too plans to be a POSITIVE person from now on and that Connor is her most favorite cousin EVER.

 

 

DAY 5: Lov'n Veggies! Who Knew?

Luca shares another milestone moment in her young life, memorializing in her Diary an encounter of the GREEN KIND. Seems Mom and Dad been making every effort possible to get her to try VEGETABLES. “YUCK!!” Exclaims Luca to her faithful white fluffy dog Matisse. It’s clear that Luca really loathes anything green… especially spinach. It seems, however, that Mom has taken this one on as a personal challenge of sorts, recounts a shrewd Luca. In fact Mommy has gone to some lengths, mixing cooked spinach while making strawberry Jello in the hopes of fooling her. Doing a classic "open the hanger here comes the airplane" gag at dinner, Mom almost succeeds, until Luca actual chews on the giggly cube, spitting it out all over the dining table. Well that went well. Just when all seemed hopeless, after an afternoon play date with friends Hazel and Kylie, Luca is unexpectedly invited to stay over for dinner. All good fun recounts Luca, until she find herself face-to-face with GREEN BEENS on her dinner plate! Luca stares at them, paralyzed in sheer horror, but then notices both Hazel and Kylie eating them with incredible gusto and delight! "What?? They eat green stuff and like it?!?" This does make Luca wonder… “Could I be missing something here?” Noticing Luca’s reluctance, Hazel’s mom says: "try them... they won't bite you.” Luca hesitatingly nibbles on one…and much to her surprise… it’s not so bad. She continues chomping on one and actually likes it! Then goes for another!!! “Dear Diary… I LIKE GREEN BEANS!!!” All three girls giggle in delight as Luca discovers a whole new realm of eating. Who knew?

 

 

DAY 6: I Should Have Listened

Luca takes us back to another seminal learning moment set in her pre-school taught by lovely Miss Luisa. It’s a very special day because it’s Clay Class! Luca LUUUVVVEES clay, ‘specially spraying it with water cause it gets squishy and she can mold it, twist it, put colored sticks it in and when she’s done she will have created a magical forest...with whales and penguins! (It’s a special kind of forest she acknowledges to Funny Bones her stuffed penguin). Luca gets so excited in fact that she starts tossing her clay clouds around, all over the place. Miss Luisa admonishes her not to throw pieces of her “magical forest” around because it’s dangerous to toss clay a round. It could hurt some one or break something. “Stop throwing clay around?” That’s a “cacamamie” idea. She is having way too much fun to stop! Besides, what’s the big deal? It’s fluffy clay clouds! Miss Luisa warns her again and again and again to calm down, but Luca is too caught up in the moment and throws a HUGE piece if clay up in the air which comes CRASHING down on the table next to her, knocking over Aden’s newly-finished clay fire truck right onto the floor. SPLAAAATTT. Poor Aden’s hook and ladder is reduced to “a mushy smushy mess!” OOOPS! An understandably upset Aden burst into tears seeing his “masterpiece” on the floor. Seeing Aden WAIL at the top of his lungs, Luca is mortified. OH NO!!! She didn’t mean to ruin his clay fire truck. She feels terrible! She was just so excited about her own clay clouds rolling in… and out, the chance of rain and… oh well it was all a terrible mistake. Ms. Louisa takes Luca aside for a time out and sits her down, explaining the notion of listing to adults… and what can happen if you don’t. “You can turn Aden’s fire truck into “a mushy smushy mess?” She asks sheepishly? That’s right. Adults say things to children for a reason, because they know better from experience. Luca reflects on the lesson learned, realizing she should have listened… after all adults are older and they too must have had to listen to someone older than them. Because teachers (and mommies and daddies) are usually right.

 

 

DAY 7: The Binky Fairy 

Luca copes with losing her favorite pacifier when the Binky Fairy comes to visit, leaving sweet notes and promises of a special gift if she willingly hands over all her binkies for the babies that don’t have any. But this is not easy for Luca to give up this source of soothing comfort, even after Mom and Dad explain that binkies are not for “big kids.” In the end, Luca let's go and is rewarded for making it through one of her toughest life lessons yet!

 

 

DAY 8: It's Mine!

Luca loves her toys. Luca loves her friends. But do her friends REALLY need to play with her toys? Another tough life lesson as Luca struggles with the notion that “Sharing is Caring.” Concepts like being a Friend and Playing nice. Being Kind. Sharing your toys. Swapping secrets are all ingredients that make up the recipe of true friendship. Luca finds out the hard way, that not all kids know how to be a friend, but with patience and support from her parents, Luca teaches her friend little Kylie that friendship is worth it’s weight in gold, and they form a bond that lasts a lifetime!

 

 

DAY 9: Bye-Bye Boobie 

Probably one of the best "things" EVER is the magical feeling of comfort and love when nursing with Mommy. Luca finds out that not everyone is breastfed...something she just can’t wrap her head around. Ultimately, Luca comes to grips that there comes a time when she has to say “bye-bye boobie” ...which is super hard for her to accept. In the end, she learns to wean herself from what was a source of security and comfort, realizing she can still snuggle with Mommy, and feel just as loved as ever!

 

 

DAY 10: Art for Art's Sake 

What? Arms and legs don’t sprout from your head and ears? After (grand parents) Nana and Poppy take Luca to the Art Museum for a day of cultural appreciation, Luca learns about various art styles, and about the “masters” (hey, there is even one named after her dog, Matisse!) She soon comes to appreciate the proper place for arms and legs to stick out of... although some of Picasso’s work throws her off frankly.

 

 

DAY 11: First Haircut 

Will it hurt? Should she be afraid? Will she cry? With a head of tight curls, Luca has never really needed a haircut before. She is not sure why her parents think it’s a good idea now when she has a tendency to even cringe when a hairbrush is within 2" of her head. This first haircut sounds pretty traumatic to her! Or is it? Luca learns about fear of the unknown based on misexpectations and how to deal with accepting new things that Mommy and Daddy assure her are safe.

 

 

DAY 12: Losing Pink

As a reward for mastering so many great milestones, Daddy and Poppy take Luca fishing on the lake. It turns out to be so much fun that they all decide to stop and pick up a pet fish. Luca settles on a blue betta that she decides to call “Pink”. At first it's GREAT FUN, but feeding and tank cleaning and the general duties of being a pet owner turn out to not all be FUN and GAMES. Luca learns about responsibility when she forgets to feed Pink and he dies.

 

 

DAY 13: Reading Fun

Aden is the best reader in class. In fact, he is the only one in preschool who can actually read. Luca is fascinated and asks Aden if he will teach her too. Luca soon learns how much fun it is to read on her own, going on all kind of wonderful and fantastical adventures through Aden’s favorite books.

 

 

DAY 14: Focus Focus Focus

Sitting still in Ms. Luisa class... is not as easy as it sounds if you are a pre-schooler. But after several time outs, Luca learns to finds her focus and realizes she can learn a lot more if she sits still and pays attention.

 

 

DAY 15: Etiquette

Luca thinks she knows all you need to know about manners...but then along comes something called “etiquette.” A tick-et what? Through trial and error, Luca learns not to burp or pick our nose in public, not putting her elbows on the table, sitting up straight at the table and the proper usage of place settings and utensils. Luca cannot believe how much learning is involved in just having a meal! Wheew!

 

 

DAY 16: Why Did My Friend Move Away?

Luca’s neighborhood friend Ava moves away, leaving Luca feeling sad. Although Luca still has her other bestest friends in the whole world (Aden and Garrett), she is still left feeling confused by her friend leaving her, thinking this means Ava did not like her anymore. Mom explains that is not why Ava left and in the end, she learns she didn’t lose a friend, but she gained a pen pal!!!

 

 

DAY 17: Calm Down Time 

Luca is a good kid. A smart kid. But every once and awhile, things go haywire and Luca has a temper tantrum. This does NOT bode well at home, or while out shopping, eating, going to the movies, visiting Mommy's friends...and it especially doesn’t fly in pre-school! Ms. Luisa teaches Luca how to breath, count to three, find a “calm down spot” and ask for help if she needs it.

 

 

DAY 18: Teamwork 

Luca learns the notion of teamwork when in pre-school one day, classmate Henry loses his pet hamster (Eric) in the playground. No one knows where he went. All the kids come together and mobilize as a group to scour the grounds and find Eric. They not only find Eric in record time, but also find that teamwork is the best way to get things done!