Journey Kay is 9!!!

 Dear Journey Kay,

It's the beginning of October and I am just sitting down to write to you. It's been a busy few months or let's face it..a busy few years. You started 3rd grade a week before you turned 9. You are in Mrs. Adams class and you love her. She's so fun and sings all the time and you said you guys are the loudest, most fun third grade class at Willowbrook. Makes me so happy when you're happy. 

You are tall and gorgeous as always. You are probably 4'9" now and weigh about 75-80 pounds. I will have to get exact measurements. You wear size 5 shoe and wearing size 10-12 in clothes. I've actually been able to give you a couple of my sweat shirts that were teeny tiny and they fit you! A little long in the sleeves but they're ok. It won't be long before you're in closet for my jeans, tops, shoes, purses....Oh I stress about it but also will love it. It will justify my purchase knowing that you and I will both benefit from an expensive pair of jeans. Your hair is long and you prefer to wear it down. No headband or pony tail, no braid down the side...just down. You had picture day a few weeks ago and I think it was the first time I couldn't get you to put a bow in. You absolutely refused so I let it go. I don't force the bows anymore. Hurts more than I thought it would. You'll always be my baby with bows bigger than your head!

The night you were our waitress (Valentines Day) and you were the absolute sweetest and best waitress ever.

You play with your friends outside a lot. You've got Sana (your fave), Shruti and then there's Medha and Aanya and you've been hanging with Atleigh a bit too. You guys are in the same class this year. She's a sweet girl and glad you are making new friends. You're very well liked at school and come home every week telling me about a new friend you made. You play with Connor and Mia a lot on the playground and do cart wheels, back bend and kick overs the entire time. You can never sit still and have to be moving every couple minutes. At dinner time it's all you can do to eat one chicken nugget before you run to the living room floor to flip a chair or do a cart wheel and then you go back to your seat for another bite before you dart outside to do a couple back flips on the trampoline. 

You love your baby sister most of the time which is the best I can ask for. I know having a little one can be a pain sometimes and you handle it well. You are such a big help to me! I trust you with Jovi and know you will do everything I would do. You protect her and help her and cuddle her just like I do and I absolutely love seeing this side of you. It wasn't until she came into our lives that you were able to express love like this to someone else. You've always loved your big brother but you were always the baby. When Jovi came you had to grow up a bit and step up and you've done it so beautifully. You've really grown into the big sister role and I love the bond you two share. She looks at you with such love and admiration and know she always will. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my three babies cuddled on the couch together eating popcorn under the same blanket. Friday movie nights are my favorite night of the week. 

You had a sleepover for the very first time for your birthday party. We invited Mia, Sana, Shruti, Mehda and Aanya. Everyone stayed till about 10:30-11pm but Sana and Shruti stayed the night with you in the tent in the backyard. 

Your room is now upstairs since Mema moved in back in June and you love it up there mostly. You volunteered to move rooms and love all the space you have. We talk about painting it and decorating it all the time but haven't done it yet. I think you want it green but your feelings change daily. You are a bundle of emotions lately. Sometimes I feel like I have to walk on egg shells around you because the slightest thing will set you off. You're very stubborn that way and I have been just walking away when you start getting mean. We are very similar (although you don't like to admit that) but we are. I am emotional too and we tend to clash sometimes. You show very little empathy for others feelings and that doesn't sit well with me and I will not let you get away with it so I will punish you and then you don't like me. Then 20 minutes later you want to cuddle with me and only me and in those moments I hold you and drink it in because I know it won't last. All it takes is Jonah walking in and wanting to cuddle too and then bam - you leave and say he's taking away your time from me. 

Oh it can get wild here sometimes. But I love it wild and loud and wouldn't want it any other way. 

You still run to us the moment you are across the crosswalk and I love seeing your beautiful face. You usually hand us your chrome book and lunch box and we attach it the stroller as you tell us about TREC or that you learned a new cheer in class from Mrs. Adams. 

You love reading Smile right now by Raina Telgemeier and bought it at the book fair. We're reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid  - The Getaway. We laugh a lot and you love when we have our reading time together. Then you love having our talking time and sometimes your ole momma gets sleepy and starts to doze off as you tell me your stories from school. I don't mean to and I love hearing your stories but I get so cozy in your bed next to you. You're my happy place and you make me so happy I can't help it. 

You are growing into such a beautiful young lady and it's hard to accept sometimes. I find that words are harder to come by even though they are ready on my lips. I tiptoe around topics I know are triggers...I mean we are dealing with emotions that are new to all of us. You've always been kind of a mystery to me when it comes to how you're truly feeling and what you're thinking. Empathy doesn't come naturally yet you know the moment your baby sister is hurt and you scoop her up and know instantly how to make her feel better. You mother her the way I would. The way I mother you. I let you care for her and I stand by and watch in awe. You amaze me the way you can care for others when you want to. And I love the way you love the baby. Crazy the way we still call her the baby when she is 3 years old now. 

I gotta wrap this up. It's long and it's late and I've only returned to this post a dozen times now. You continue to have the silkiest skin on the planet, give the best bear hugs known to man and stolen my heart and hid it in the most remote part of earth. You're my sweet Journey Kay and I love you endlessly darling. 

Have BLAST being 9!!!! 

Love, Mommy