...I cannot believe that you are 9 years old today. For those not in the know, A turns 9 today. In fact, she turns 9 at just about the precise second that this blog has been posted.

Well, here we are – you’re another year older. And taller. And smarter. And all manners of other things that I couldn’t begin to put into words. You’re still such the little girl, but I definitely see glimpses of the person that you will be when you go out on your own. You're definitely growing up. For the boo-boos that you have gotten you've not needed those Magical Mommy Kisses that make the boo-boos better faster. I suppose it had to happen sometime, but know that the Mommy Magic is still going to be here when you *do* need it.

You're in the third grade already. Man, the time has really flown! You're less than half a foot away from me being able to rest my chin on the top of your head without bending over. I remember when you were barely crawling...

You're such the tomboy - more than I ever was, and it's almost to the point that I can't stand it. But the flip side is that you relate really well to everyone regardless of whether they are a boy or a girl and that's a really important skill to have as you grow up.

I watched you consider taking up choir in school, and being afraid of singing in front of people - when you do it all the time at home in front of us! But you took the advice of Dad and I about performing in public, decided to try it and love it. I couldn't have been more proud and pleased when you and B took the stage at Christmas with the rest of the choir. You both performed beautifully – you just need to smile a little more.

Oh, that smile - that crooked toothed goofy smile. I’ll sort of miss it when we start putting braces on it this year. Oh yes, my dear one, we’re definitely going to have braces on you, and we’re definitely going to have to be making those appointments this year. But at least I know a lot of the tricks for making it not feel so painful.

Your drawing skills and the imagination you’ve shown in your creations, be they drawn or written, astounds me to no end. Keep that imagination up and alive, no matter what us strange so-called grown-ups do to try and stifle it. It’s something that will serve you well in your later life, no matter what you choose to do for a career. And I still smile when you say you want to work at my company. Hopefully we’re still around so that there’s a job for you there.

There have been so many things that I've been proud of you for this year - wanting to learn to cook more things, and choir, and your studies, and *another* Student of the Month award that I had to choke back tears over. You've become so much more perceptive about how I feel, and have given so many more hugs than I expected.

That's not to say that we haven't knocked heads - oh boy, have we. But we're better about not fighting with each other, and you haven't stomped off to your room in an utter fit of anger in a really long time. I'm pretty proud of you for that. And I know we'll still knock heads together, you and I, but we're also going to talk more about it when we do because you and I both realize that that's the smart thing to do about it when you're angry. I was just waiting for you to catch up with me on that one.

I have to thank you for loaning me your Lemony Snicket books to read, and to thank you for becoming a more discerning and interested reader. Oh boy... just watching you on the couch yesterday curled up reading 'DragonRider' was fantastic. And then I turn around and you're right there excitedly showing me a picture from the book so I can understand one of the characters better. The feeling from that is like a big bright flash of warm and welcoming light that just envelops me completely. You’re so enthusiastic and energetic about everything that you really want to do and that’s one of the most wonderful things…

...because it’s contagious, it’s happiness, it’s 100% you.