Abby turns 8, I mean, 9

Abby always has to wait the longest for her birthday to come.  Waiting through four other birthdays gives her plenty of time to plan for a party, or four or five.  Being a planner by nature, she comes up with a variety of fun, and some extravagant ideas.  We settled on hosting a spa for her three friends from school, who have been together as the only girls in their class of 12 children for the last three years.

We started with Yoga in the Park, led by big sister Lydia and her assistant, Andy.

I am not sure, but I think there is much more physical affection shared between these friends than what we might see in the US.  When they are together, they are always touching...holding hands, hugging, cuddling together watching a movie.  I need to remember that Abby will miss this.

Tres Leches Cake with carved white chocolate.

Matching plates and napkins (specifically requested).

Manicures and pedicures.

Massages by our friend Vilma.

Chocolate Facial Masks with Strawberry Sugar Scrubs (made and administered by Lydia).

love.

light.

And now she is eight nine.  I completely forgot, or I was in denial.  The birthday fairy left eight balloons.  I put eight candles on the cake.  I kept saying she was eight.  I think maybe I want her to stay eight.  I was very quickly corrected.

I read recently about the change that happens between eight and nine.  More independent.  More self-conscious.   More judgmental of herself and others.  Looking for fairness.  Making sense of the world. Asking a lot of questions.  Spending more time with internal thinking.  Connection.

This is all happening.  

Abby has always been really sweet, super funny, and kind.  She is (like many thirds) easy-going, and non--demanding.  This year we also learned that she is very generous.

My parents sent each of my children some money for their birthdays.  They don't normally like to do that, but they did it so that each of my kids could buy something to remind them of Colombia.  Abby was happy to open her card from them.  I asked her what she wanted to buy to remember from Colombia.  She thought for a long time, and then told me that she wanted to buy presents for all of her Colombian friends, wrap them, and ask them to save them for their birthdays, all of which she will miss next year.  She said that those friends were her presents from Colombia.

Oh dear Abby, we have so much to learn from you.  Thank you for your generous and loving spirit, and for all of the laughter you have brought into this household.

We love you very much.