Ten (10)

I can't believe it.  My little girl is TEN. Double Digits. 

Princess Bear's birthday was yesterday, and I was trying to make it a really good day for her.  DDS and I went shopping last weekend and bought her some nice presents, and wrapped them in pink with purple polka dots, and green with teal and yellow polka dots.  She got some really cute PJ's with owls, craft and art supplies, movies, shoes, clothes, a few books, and some other little things.  She loved everything she got, but the shoes and clothes were a BIG hit...so funny.  She asked for ice cream cake for her family share time, and all the grands and her aunt came over to share.  It was a very nice time.

Daddy started a tradition many years ago of taking cupcakes into school for the kids birthdays.  This is a big deal.  He colors the cupcakes and icing whatever combination they want.  This year he created mini cupcakes that were green with pink icing.  He took them in yesterday and had lunch with her at school.  They were a big hit!

This weekend, we're having a spa sleepover.  We're going to set up the stations just like before, and then they're going to lounge around and watch some movies, maybe play her new American Girls game, and make mini-pizzas.  I'm trying to figure out how to make a nail polish bottle out of cupcakes. 

PB is my free-spirit, yet extremely cautious child.  Both her and the Monster are very demonstrative with their love, but his is a little more exuberant.  She needs cuddles.  And right now, she's needing them a lot, but not when her friends are around.  This is the year that she gets a little more freedom in a lot of areas, and more responsibilities as well.  Her group at the Youth Center doesn't require direct supervision anymore, but a lot of the daily "chores" in her class are led by the students.  I'm starting to see some maturing...it's a bittersweet thing.  As a fifth grader, she gets to begin band and safety patrol, and continue chorus.  She's unhappy with the lunchroom seating situation, so she created a petition, obtained signatures, and is presenting it to the Principal.  But every night, she still needs her cuddles.

She's going through a rough time with the Lyme disease, counselling, and daddy leaving.  Tomorrow she finds out her sister is going to her mothers for the length of the deployment.  The next month is going to be very difficult, but I know that we will persevere and things will fall into the new "normal" soon enough.

I hope you had a happy birthday baby girl.  Daddy and I love you very much, and we are both very proud of you.