Keely at 8 1/2

Keely you are 8 1/2 now. You are in third grade. You love all the social-ness of school, but not so much the work.  You have friends and seem to be liked by most of your peers. You try very hard to not ever get in trouble at school. Math is still a big struggle for you, but you really are working at it. You have a hard time going to school on Mondays and after breaks, but during the week you are alright. You are even good about getting your homework done.

You get very caught up in the who has what and what other kids get to do or have, if it is different from you. You want to be like everyone else-wear their clothes, watch their shows, say the things they say.  We keep trying to convince you to just be you. You’ve got great style and a really fun personality. When you are in a good mood, you shine. You are silly and giggly. You are also witty and smart.

School has brought us lots of germs and sickness this school year. You are sick every other week! It’s ridiculous.  Being sick seems to just be the way of life for you lately-colds and stomach bugs.  It is really starting to get to you. I can’t blame you either. My poor girl.

When you aren’t sick, you love to eat. You eat dinner and then you eat two more dinners after that. You eat from the time you get home from school until you go upstairs to bed. You couldn’t be any thinner though. You’re like a string bean. Tall and lean. You still have a crazy sweet tooth too. You’d love to carry a bag filled with candy around with you all day. You bring a lunch to school every day and complain that I don’t give you enough food. You are pretty picky about what you’ll eat in it though.  I pack you a note and a small treat every day too.

Milo and you get along half the time and the other half of the time you tease him or try to get him upset. I think you try out the bullying you see at school on him.  You usually apologize later. Other times, you love him and laugh at all the funny things he does. He wants to be your friend, but his feelings get really easily hurt by you.  Lucas adores you. He even says your name.  You love to carry him around and make him laugh. You don’t want him to get bigger. He’s your little doll now.

You’ve been really sweet to Caribou lately. Cuddling with him and taking care of him. He loves to curl up next to you whenever you sit down. He follows you around to see when you’ll end up at, so he can join you. It’s sweet. He’s a grumpy, old man now, so it is good that you are caring for him.

I can’t hardly take any photos of you because you always make goofy faces at me. Ah well. You at age 8 I guess.  You don’t really play with any toys now. I guess you are too big for that. It is sad that those young ages are over already.  You do still have a zoo of stuffed animals. You are scared of ghost and monsters and having trouble going to sleep at night. You have your millions of animals to keep you safe and a few night lights.

You love to sing still and your voice is really very pretty. You still like to read a lot. At night, we’ve started watching Little House on the Prairie and you love all the drama between Laura and Nellie. You get so excited and roll with laughter at their antics. I think you wish you could act out the way they do when some one bullies them. You live vicariously.  No one ( and no animal) is ever allowed to get hurt or die in any book or show or you will fall to pieces in tears and refuse to read or watch it ever again. That sensitivity still remains.

I don’t get to spend very much time with you between school and the boys. It’s kind of sad.  I only get to really talk to you at night before bed. I hope this summer we can have some nice time together. You are growing up so fast. We already have glimmers of the handful of a teenager that you’ll be.  I must make time to enjoy the little girl you while I can.  I love you Keely. You are always my baby girl