Hello Roo.
Six years old. Wow. I've been working on a project for you (that won't be ready in time for your birthday unfortunately) that's had me poking about in the family photos.
It's a cliché that kids grow up so fast, but its one rooted in truth. Looking at those old pictures the sleepless nights and the arguments over meals seem a little more hazy. I find it hard to care so much about all the little aggravations of parenting that creep up on you and instead I find myself amazed at the person you're becoming.
Its great to see how much you love school. You can't wait to get out of bed and go and see your friends every day. And its a perpetual battle between Mommy and yourself, on the days where she picks you up from school, to stay and play a little a longer.
But I honestly think you love learning almost as much. Every night you can't wait to read another book and fill in another line in your agenda. More than once I've found you with a stack of books, diligently reading them and then painstakingly entering them into your agenda. You even went as far as copying Mommy and Daddy's signature in the process. If your future as a lawyer\brain surgeon\captain of industry doesn't pan out you'll have a bang up back up career as a master forger.
My favourite part of the week though is watching you play hockey. You might not remember but you used to HATE anything to do with hockey or skating. I used to have to use every tool in my bag to get you to do another lap around the ice with me during family skate. I'd bribe you, try to trick you, or even threaten to without something (usually TV) if you didn't do another lap with me. And skating drills at hockey school? Forget it. You'd sooner do just about anything else if it meant you could miss out on those. Instead you'd trudge wearily up and down the ice, using your body language to let everybody know just how much you hated all of this.
But play a few games though and everything changed practically over night. Now I couldn't drag you off the ice at family skate for anything. You even like doing EXTRA drills at your optional skills practice. Its clear you've got a competitive spirit, which I'd like to take credit for but you know your mother so I think at best its a 50\50 split. I've watched you chase after a puck or dig at in the corners against girls a foot taller than you. You're the only 5 year old on your team but watching you work you'd never be able to tell.
You're even a better skater than me. I might be able to keep up with you in terms of pure speed. But I don't have your control or your skill, especially when it comes to skating backwards.
Watching you stride up and down the rink during a game fills my heart with joy. Because you don't look like a little girl trying to play hockey, you have the look and profile of a hockey player doing something she loves. It may have been three years of seemingly unending sacrifice from Mommy and I, but I'm glad we did it.
We've also had some down moments this year. Your Nanna died in May. I miss her every day. More than anything else Nanna loved being a grandmother. She loved spending time with all her grandchildren, reading to them, playing with them, teaching them. Whenever Nanna and Grampa came to visit Nanna would be toting some game or activity for you to do.
I'm sad that she'll miss out on all the wonderful experiences that you have to look forward to. Every time you accomplish something, like winning the principal's award this year for empathy, I want to call her up and tell her all about it. (Conversely, when I'm struggling with some new parenting challenge I want to do the exact same thing).
Nanna loved you very much. I can only hope that I'm able to pass on to you some of the many things that she was able to teach me.
What else? You learnt to ride your bike without training wheels! (Very exciting) And then promptly forgot a day later. So we had to work up to that again.
You graduated in swimming from Ultra 4 to Ultra 5. Just like in hockey, you're the smallest and youngest in the group but you refuse to let that hold you back.
We did indoor Sky Diving as a family. You had a permanent grin stapled to your face as the instructor guided you around the room.
I took you to your first ever Comic Convention. You got a drawing of She-ra and carried it around with you all day.
AND Mommy and Daddy took you out of school for the day to see the new Star Wars movie. You were more cautious than excited, but maybe when you're older you'll be able to look back on it as a once in a life time opportunity.
Its been a very crazy year for all of us. Lots of ups and downs. But I look at you, and I see the fierce little warrior who won't back down for anything or anyone and I'm proud. Because you are going to end up being one of those rare people who makes life bow to your will, and not the other way around. Although, having said that, it wouldn't kill you to maybe bend on some things ONCE in awhile. Seriously, having a disagreement with you requires a carefully planned pre argument strategy and some serious thinking. But I wouldn't have it any other way.
