Practically A Teenager

Payton, you are 7, going on 17.  I know that every parent feels this way at some point and we are there.  Your goal these days is to look/act/be like a teenager in all you do.  You won't wear dresses (unless they are VERY teenager-ish), but instead choose jean shorts which have to be dark denim.  Most of your shirts fall off of your shoulders, and this drives me bonkers even though I try hard to keep it to myself.  Gotta say, most of the time you look as cute as a button.  We've gotten to the point in life that I have to take you shopping for your own clothes, because I apparently have lost all fashion sense.  Wow, how did that happen?  Your hair is such a beautiful color, strawberry blonde your always quick to tell your admirers, and the few times I get to "fix" it, it has such gorgeous perfect fluffy curls, but for the most part, you like to slick it down and try to get it straight.  Sorry babe, it's just not gonna happen.  You and Parker have decided that Daddy does hair better than me, still unsure when you're going to figure out that I might have a better idea how do do "girl" hair, but for now I try not to let it hurt my feelings too much.  Beyond your look, you also have developed quite the teenager attitude.  You're sassy and always have to chime into all conversations, invited or not.  I hear you say things sometimes and it makes me laugh because I HEAR MYSELF as a kid and finally get why my mouth got duct taped shut when I was about your age by one of my parents friends.  While it sometimes makes me crazy that you never stop talking, I'm also so proud that you have the confidence in yourself to make yourself heard.  You are still a charmer, and everyone that meets you always tells me how wonderful you are.  You know how to speak to people and are usually sweet and polite.

What else should I tell you about your 6th year?  Well, you learned to ride a bike without training wheels, you lost your first and second teeth (within 2 weeks of each other),  you lost your grandfather, you played on your first soccer team, and gave gymnastics a try.  You loved your sister and continued to grow your friendship that I believe will be your best friend throughout your life.  Oh, you also have developed a love for bugs recently.  I'm still trying to work that one out in my head.

Your cat Max and you go to bed together almost every night.  He follows you up to bed, and snuggles up next to you or lays across the foot of your bed.  He'll sleep with you for a while, then spend the night carrying and batting plastic Easter eggs around the house.  Then in the morning, my alarm clock goes off, Max meets me at your door, and we go in together to snuggle you awake.  I usually get a little snuggle, but he's the one who demands your full attention, and pets, and makes you wake up.  It's just about the cutest thing ever.  If finally figured out that you wake up a much happier kid when we go this route versus just telling you it's time to get up and going.  And, I love having this time with you each morning, while you're still little enough to be happy to snuggle with me.

This year we changed your school to Pinewoods Elementary, and you've come so far!  The beginning of the year was so hard for you as you struggled to learn to read, and had such a tough time with tests.  We all stresses and worked and fought, but now as we've wrapped up the year I can honestly say I couldn't be prouder of your school work and your efforts.  You finished up the year with a B in reading, for both the quarter and the year.  WOW!  I remember sitting down with Mrs. Kolar early in the year looking at test scores of 54 and 0, and being heartbroken for you.  I knew that you wanted to succeed, you just didn't get it.  I have to give both you and Mrs. Kolar credit, because now you do.  You still struggle, and there's certainly more work ahead, but you do a really good job of working it out when you come to words you struggle with instead of just getting frustrated.  You seemed to breeze though math and grammar, finishing up with A's in both.  I think that in the last quarter you finished up with a 99% in math, seriously, who does that?!?!  And then there are the spelling words, which are part of your grammar score.  Coming from parents who can't spell to save their lives, I love that each week you get new words that you don't know, and by the end of the week you throw them out without a hitch.  Way to go baby girl!  You've charmed all of the staff members you come in contact with, and every time I walk onto campus I hear someone telling me what a sweetheart you are or how well behaved you are, you just bring cheer to everyone around you.  I feel like you are such a well rounded kid, I'm so proud that you're mine!

I have to give a BIG HUGE thank you to Shannon J Dodge who took these amazing photos of us a few weeks ago.  They are so amazing and capture so much of your spirit, it's impossible to pick just a few favorites.