Dear Addie at 10

Dear Addison at 10 Years Old,

As my oldest daughter, I really didn't know what to expect of a 10 year old, but now that you are here, for some reason, it feels extremely comfortable and expected. I look at these pictures and I stare at your across the kitchen counter and I see so much of you in me. I remember taking these VERY same photos for my mom in 1989, with the same expressions, curly hair, smirks and energy. 

You are so confident in your abilities at 10 years old. You know what you want and I love and your aren't afraid to go after it. Right around your birthday, for the first time, you had  true try outs for Select Soccer at Classics. You were so calm and focused, never showing any nerves or worry. Yet, you had the most genuine surprise and shocked look when we told you late that night, Coach Kevin Rule called.

You are quite the dare devil, wild child and tom-boy  Just a couple of weeks ago, you didn't really want to eat steamed carrots, so I "dared" you to eat them with mustard on them and gobbled them right up! We talk a lot about not letting your exuberance for life take over in exciting times and cause you to make impulsive decisions. I hope it will stick to carrots and mustards through the teenage years, but I have a feeling, your zest for life will take over sometimes. It's difficult to get your to wear a dress at 10 but you and I have talked it through together and you have agreed to wear one to church or other places at least once a week. I took you shopping just last week at Macy's, which has everything from Nike outfits, shorts and dresses. I let you try on whatever you wanted and choose one outfit, without any advice from mom. I was utterly shocked, when you picked our a dressy shorts romper. It was super adorable on you and I seriously think I had the identical one 28 years ago. ;)

You are so good with our little sister who is 5 years old. This respect for each other and bond you have cultivated is just with I always prayed you will have. Several night, each week, you play with her one-on-one either reading, or doing magna tiles, or a tea party or  dress up. Delaney absolutely looks up to you in all ways and eats up all the one-on-one attention you give her.

Addison, you are truly a dream daughter, so fun and loving at the core. I won't lie, on occasion I see these little tween glimpses into you with the rolling of your eyes and yelling at me after I have told you that you can't do something, or asked your to pick up your socks for the millionth time scattered around the house in every spot imaginable. But on several occasions, you have shocked me in your response once you have calmed down, by writing me letters telling me you understand why you had been punished, that you will do better and that you love me and your daddy so much. You have seriously made me cry such happy tears just this month.

I am so proud of you and love you so very much!

Mom