03.16.06

You are almost 10. I'm sad when I think about it. You've always been my baby, and now with your brithday only 3 months away, and your 10th birthday, no doubt, I don't feel like I have a baby. You are so grown up in so many ways. You can totally get yourself ready completely by yourself and do so each and every morning for school. You've developed a distinct taste for food and basically hate anything and everything I cook except for steak or mashed potatoes. Breakfast is totally out of the question, unless it involves maple syrup and only then after much pleading. You just simply aren't hungry. You aren't. And try as I may, you won't eat it much. Dad does make you eat a breaksfast bar from time to time since lunch at school is so late in the day. We worry about you and where you get your energy from. Carbs can go quickly without the basic food groups to back them up and make them stick in your gut. At your yearly apointment this year with Dr. Farmer, you discussed those food groups and realize that only 2 are really in your diet. Vegetables? Unless you can dip it in melted cheese it won't be going in your mouth.
Basketball is HUGE in your life right now and you've found something that you are every bit as good as your big sister at. If not better. You love the game and thrive on being the biggest and the fastest on the court. You don't like the mass that piles up under the goal, and perfer to stay on the outside parts, much to the dismay of your Dad. But you are very smart in seeing things on the court and anticipating them and you seem to get yourself in just the right position to make something happen.

I'm proud of how you hustle and run and keep at it. Even though tears may come and frustrations abound when you lose, you quickly bounce back and go at it even harder than before. And it fun to watch you banter with your teammates. You've always been good in groups and with the girls, just hanging out and discussing the things 9 year olds love.



A few weeks back you spoke back and forth on the phone with your friends, Hannah and Piper, making plans for sleepover. Once the day arrived and I drove up to the house to drop you off, you didn't even look back and wave a good bye. I must confess I was happy that you were so well adjusted and could leave me and have a good time, but at the same moment, a part of me hurt that you wouldn't miss me. Mothers do that to ourselves. We lay on the guilt and always seem so attatched. You had a wonderful night at Pipers and came home all excited about a game you just "had to have."



School is good, home life is good, and despite our struggles with getting you to eat the greens, you are an easy child. You are so much fun to be around and your personality borders on sarcasm with a bit of a giggle thrown in. You can tell a good joke, if you can remember the words and even though it takes you forever to get a single thought out of your head and formed into words, the stories too are enjoyable.

I love you, my almost "ten year old".