Nine!

We had Fiona's birthday party with her friends last weekend. She decided she wanted to invite three families (with some of her bestest buddies) over for cake and ice cream and to play in the yard. She asked me for a chocolate cake with blue frosting and a number nine candle. It all felt very achievable (although for a moment when I thought I had to go to a second store to get that candle, I was not happy. Never fear, I found one at Target!).

It was a beautiful day and she had a blast hanging out with her friends. Mike and I had a blast hanging out with our friends! At one point, Mike said something about how Fiona never gets sick and I looked at him and said "Why?!?!?!" So when I got a call Monday afternoon with 30 minutes left of school that I needed to come pick up Bugs because she had a fever, both she and I blamed her dad. It was the week before Emerson Exchange for me and Mike had a vendor in town, so her being kicked out of school on Tuesday was not ideal. She was totally not sick, so off she went to the theater with Mike for the day.

Instead of going to school, she got to spend a sick day (where she felt fine) watching rehearsal for Mamma Mia. And because she's a well-spoken people person (who is pint sized and cute), she charmed the stage managers and they actually let her help run.the.rehearsal. Mike texted me that he was afraid she was never going to go back to school. [also, she's been obsessed with ABBA radio since then]

Then on Friday (birthday proper) at school, her name was on the announcements and she got to flounce over to the office for a birthday pencil and book. When she headed back to her classroom, she was surprised to see Q's class by her cluster door. She hugged Quinn on her way by and went into her room. Where she was surprised by ... Q's class, who had come up to sing Happy Birthday to her!

Finally, when I came to pick them up from after care, I brought a surprise guest with me ... Auntie!! I had kept secrets about both Q's class singing and Auntie coming! Two points for mom. We ate mac and cheese for dinner, went to DQ and the park, and she got presents that made her shriek (including a make up set from Auntie). Let's just say that she's been living her best life this week!

Fiona continues to make us so proud as she grows up. She is asking big questions and wants big answers (we had quite a political discussion earlier this week), she wants to understand her place in the world and how she can make a positive impact, and she wants her brother and sister to stop ruining the amazing imaginative games she makes up!

I've heard mixed reviews about nine. Rumor has it that we are in for a wild ride with the attitude and emotions - and based on shades we are already seeing, I believe that (help!). But we are also seeing shades of the human she will grow into and what her passions are. And that's pretty amazing! She is still beyond obsessed with biographies and history, especially about women who have done big things. She has a heart for people and doesn't understand why our world isn't kinder. And she's wrestling with what having spina bifida means to who she thinks she is.

We are buckling up for nine. But are excited for it too. We continue to be so proud of the person Fiona is and the person she wants to become.