TEN!

Uff-da! We have a ten-year-old. How on earth did that happen? 

Fiona has spent the last several months torturing me with the fact that she was going to hit double digits. Then double digits actually came and she ended up feeling overwhelmed by what felt like a major transition into being "big." Everyone (including her) was making a huge deal about this milestone, but then she woke up on her birthday morning feeling both ten and like the same person she was the day before. Was it still okay to like Barbies and dolls? Could she still snuggle on my lap? How does one act big? 

She moped around most of the weekend before I was able to extract the source of the sadness. Being a "tween" is not a joke. She really does feel wedged between big and little. She and I talked about it quite a bit, validated the words I said with her aunties [I'm already losing credibility, I see], and determined that growing up remains a process, whether you are ten or not. She is still the same person as she was yesterday. As she gets bigger, she will slowly develop new interests - like she always has. But that it's totally fine to still like barbies and dolls, as well as truly enjoy the new coloring books and chapter books that she got for gifts. 

The lead-up to ten has brought about a lot of emotional - and physical - changes that we were not necessarily prepared for. But as much as I tease her to stop getting older and sometimes want to hit pause, we remind her constantly what an amazing person she is becoming and how much we love life with her as a big kid.

While sports have restarted in some form for her siblings, the activities Fiona loves are slower to get going again. She still loves drama and music so much. We were able to keep piano lessons going and are looking to potentially start up guitar lessons. Band starts next year in 5th grade and she is very excited about that. She is naturally gifted at music and it is awesome to see the concepts clicking in her brain. 

This summer, when Q and D had hockey at the same time, Fiona's favorite thing was for the two of us to snuggle up on the couch together, each reading our own book (it was one of my favorites too). She is teaching her little brother her love of reading and we often find them sharing a couch, a chair, or a section of carpet, lost in their books. 

Fiona is always game for an adventure, still has the most amazing belly laugh, is smart and curious and questioning, gets lost in her own world constantly, and can light up a room with her smile. She's thoughtful, creative, and kind. She's opinionated, stubborn, and assertive. It is a wonderful combination that will serve her well as she blazes her trail in life. 

We enter this new world of "tween" with excitement and trepidation (because apparently we have no choice. She insisted on turning ten). We'll be in no rush to leave the "little" things behind. 

As we welcome a new decade of Fiona, her answers to the annual birthday questions are:

   Favorite color: Blue

   Favorite friend: Evelyn

   Favorite show: Hannah Montana

   Favorite book: Guts

   Favorite movie: Newsies

   Favorite song: Queen of Mean
   Favorite food: Mac and cheese

   Favorite thing to do: Rollerblade or read

   Be when you grow up: Fashion designer