I cannot believe that I have a 7 year old. Like where did time go. You are going into 1st grade. You are tall enough to ride all the rides at Lagoon. You love to create. To draw. To color. To build. I love seeing you do that. Although I do get upset when you get into my office drawer and just steal all my little notebook paper and all my tape. You love to make books. You will make a book out of anything. Have 10 ripped out newspaper clippings; theres a book. Have 5 coloring pages; theres a book. So I actually ran out of staples (which we hardly use so it was kind of a miracle) because you LOVE making books so much.
You are getting pretty good at games. Games on my phone. On your tablet. On the computer. On the switch. And daddy is totally thrilled that he gets to spend time playing games with you.
You are super smart. You love to read. And you have quite the vocabulary. Beginner books are just way to easy for you now.
You love to write stories.
You love to ride roller coasters. We went to Lagoon twice in 2018 and you loved it. Your favorite roller coaster was the "white coaster" or the original white roller coaster that hasn't been replaced.
You love to help me cook. But not so much clean. Which is understandable. I don't particularity like cleaning either. In fact I usually put it off. But as you kids get older I am trying to set a better example, and it is really hard. Harder than I thought it would be. You complain every time I mention cleaning anything. In fact one time about a month ago you and Lizzy refused to clean your room. You were in there cleaning for four hours and still hadn't really made any progress. So I snapped. And I took every toy out of your room. I took stuffed animals. And you guys were so upset. And I hoped it would teach a lesson about cleaning. And you guys had to earn stuff back by doing extra chores. Which totally fell apart because the next week we went camping.
You love to play with playdough. To paint. To ride your scooter. Which you are totally awesome at all 3. The things you create with playdough are so fun to see. Your paintings are always so creative. And you can ride super fast on your scooter.
You are going through some hormonal changes right now, and I know this because you will burst into tears over all most anything. And it has daddy and I looking at each other like "what just happened". And dealing with has become a challenge. Because we want to sympathize with you, but we also (for the most part) don't think that you should get to totally flip your lid because of every little thing someone else does to you.
For example: the other night we asked you to draw a picture for Uncle Spencer for his birthday. You said you couldn't think of anything to draw. So daddy and I gave you at least a dozen different suggestions, all the while telling you that whatever you draw Spencer would love because it came from you. And still you said you couldn't think of anything to draw. So after at least 3 different times of listing off our drawing selections, daddy and I ... sort of kind of lost it. And we were done. We said that we had given you suggestions and you didn't like them so that you needed to come up with something to draw all on your own. Well flip the switch, and buckets (and I mean buckets) of tears came. Dad and I didn't know what to do. So I tried to talk you down, and eventually you stopped crying. So daddy talked you through how to draw a house (because Spencer is a realtor). Well each step just made you angry and start crying all over again. It was a very stressful drive up to Grandma's house that day. You finished your picture and gave it to Spencer who said he just loved it.
That is just one example I have. There are many more. Like not being able to open the lid on the toothpaste. Or Lizzy is singing and you don't like it. Or....there are so many things. And so Dad and I are having to be patient more. And more understanding. And sometimes we send you to your room to cry until its all out of your system and then we can talk about what upset you so. And sometimes I never find out what was the problem. But in each of these incidents....buckets of tears were shed.
Now after reading that you probably think it has all just been so difficult. But it hasn't. There are times when I watch you figure something out all on your own and I am SO proud of you. There are times when you are playing nicely with Lizzy and William for like an hour and I am so happy that the three of you are playing so nicely. There are times you ask for something nicely and then wait patiently for me to get it/or for it to happen. And those times remind me that you are a girl. And girls get put through the emotional ringer for years and years. And it makes me rejoice and hold more closely to my heart the times when you are so happy.
You have been asking for a friend. You really really want a friend. A best friend. And in the Utah culture, primary (maybe school) are the two best places for that to happen. So every Saturday I say, go to be early enough and we might finally make it to church on time. Nope. So far we have not been once to church in our ward since we moved into this house. (Grandma taking you to her ward when she has you up for sleepovers don't count ;) .) So I have been doing my best to help you find a friend.
Anyway, daddy and I just want to tell you how much we love you. How much joy you bring into our lives. How we would never trade you for anyone else. You can light up a room when you choose to do so. You can be the best helper when it comes to your siblings. You are learning so fast. Watching you grow up (even though I want that to slow down. for time to slow down. so that I can have more time with you. so that I can learn to be a better mom before you're all grown up.) is such a joy. I never thought when you were a baby that having an older child would be even more fun. But it is. Being able to teach you things. And have you help me. And watch as you learn and master new skills (You learned how to master the monkey bars this summer, and they are your favorite thing to play on at the playground). Oh it just brings a smile to my face. And daddy and I can't wait to experience so much more with you as you get older. Just don't grow up to fast.
Written with love,
Mom
Well Check: you had your 7 year check up at the Dr office on August 27th.
Height: 47 inches (30th percentile)
Weight: 49 lbs (41st percentile)
All that info adds up to the fact that your growing slowed way down, and you are now below the Avg Height and Weight for kids your age. But that is ok. Because you are wonderful, and beautiful, and all you just the way you are. I am very anxious because this world and kids very early in school are having insecurities regarding their bodies. Especially girls. But as long as you are eating fairly heathly and aren't a couch potato 100% of the time, whatever size you are is good enough. Your body shape determines a lot of what you will look like. It's in your DNA and not a lot you can do to control it. But I never want you to feel ashamed of how you look. I never want you to feel like you aren't pretty enough. Because beauty is something that isn't definable. There are so many attributes to beauty other than physical appearance. And If anyone, including yourself, has negative things to say about how you look then we will have a talk. I hope that by the time you are old enough to even see this that the world has progressed in ways I can't even think about in regards to how beauty is defined.
"Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful"
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