Dear Lucy, age 9.

Dear Lucy,

Today you turn 9.  I've been writing these letters and the occasional blog post about you for the last few birthdays as a way to document what you were like at each age.  I think this will be the last one I write about you; at least publicly. Because you see Lucy, you are now at an age that reads my blogs and also at an age that can embarrass easily.  At nine, you are your own person, and with the way of the Internet and social media, I want you to create your own online footprint and not be haunted by the mutterings of your mum. 

So last one, here we go. 

At nine you are beautiful.  You have the most incredible olive skin and curly hair.  A smile that lights up a room and long limbs that you carry so gracefully.  Your Dad and I can't quite believe that we managed to create someone as stunning as you, but then it was only our DNA we passed on, God did the actual creating when he knitted you together and that said, we shouldn't be surprised.  

You are smart and self motivated. Two things I have been so grateful for since we started homeschooling.  I know you have got bored, and lonely at times but thank you for sticking it out and when given the choice, choosing to stick with it. I have enjoyed watching you find interests and working you through the workbooks without having to deal with any school drama or an emotionally exhausted daughter at the end of a day.  Keep on pushing yourself Lucy. You have been blessed with brains so don't waste them or become mediocre.  Extend yourself, challenge yourself, surprise yourself.

At nine you both love your brothers and loathe your brothers. They can make you laugh and then scream with anger. They will probably always do that to you but you won't be living with them forever. One day you will have your own house and a lock on your door. This is just an age you will need to live through.  They love and admire you so much, most days you are just an easy target.

You love nature, mine craft, sweets, fizzy drink, chicken wraps, Harry Potter, one on one time, monopoly, board games, hanging out with young adults, movies, your nana's and cousins, surfing, gymnastics, suzelle DIY YouTube clips, Taylor Swift.... still!

You dislike eating noises, long car rides, plane trips, being rushed, being blamed for something your brothers did, vegetables, meat, germs, getting your hair brushed, clothes that itch or are too loose, doing chores.

You are still cautious and take your time to try new things. You are ready when you are ready and there is no rushing you.

You can save your money but ultimately always end up spending it on sweets or other people in the end. You want for little which makes birthday shopping for you tricky. 

And lastly, you seem to go through phases of having a nervous tick.  For the last few months you used to blink, like squeeze your lids together as if you had something in your eyes.  It drove me a bit crazy but sometime in the last few weeks you stopped the blinking and replaced it with sniffing.  This is worse! You have no reason to sniff but sniff you do. I am reluctant to get you to stop this, as I know you will after a while and move onto something else.  It's weird, but thought it should be documented. 

Happy 9th Birthday sweet girl. We love you to bits.