Post 170: Reflecting Part 2

So my daughter says to me, "Guess what?!!! I am a WHOLE decade old!" Yes, that's true - my baby girl is 10-years-old today. I should really be used to her not saying things that I expect most 10-year-olds say. Her vocabulary has been extraordinary from the beginning...so even though I thought she'd say, "I'm 10! I'm 10! I'm 10!!!", deep down I knew better.

I mean she wasn't even 3 when she asked my Mom, "Are you nocturnal Nana?" Talk about a shock, but my Mom was trying to figure out how Ashlynn knew that word and what it meant! I had to explain the Dora the Explorer fascination at that time - to Mom. Teach her to work nights!

Ashlynn has always been a sponge when it comes to learning and remembering. The child does not forget not one thing! No matter how much you wish she might, you can forget it happening.

I am constantly amazed at this little human we brought into the world a decade ago. She always passes my expectations in every way and in every thing. As parents we never had the ability to spell things out so she wouldn't know if we were saying, "Do you want to take her to the P.A.R.K.?" kinda thing - she knew how to spell, very early. Even now as parents she out does us sometimes. Which sometimes makes it difficult to remember she is only 10.

I remember her and David once arguing over the difference between a cyclone and a hurricane. Now, I don't have a clue what the difference is - nor do I really care. However, Ashlynn did - this was back when we were still living in Ohio. They argued over this topic all through dinner and I kept telling David he should just agree with her...oh no, he was right. So after dinner - off to GOOGLE they went and guess who was no so right after all? Yep, Daddy.

Google is one of their very best friends. I want to find her a shirt that says, "I(heart)Google" and has a picture of heart rather than the word spelled out. I think it would be a PERFECT gift! haha. I've not found one yet tho.

Apparently, Ashlynn had recently read a book on tropical storms. Why? Who knows! I do not understand half the stuff this child reads or why! Most of it is non-fiction...and to me well that is just not much fun. She loves it though and takes it all in. She's been reading these Horrible Histories books since April and oh the things that she has learned from them. She reads very quickly too, even though sometimes she tries not to.

She can read 2 Horrible Histories books in a week...if she wants to. Her teacher says she reads at an age 16 level. No Kidding?! This child has been reading since she was 3 and always above her level...so why should it surprise me? I've no idea...but it does! I'm blown away every time, with every report.

Sometimes she makes me feel very ill equipped, because she knows so much and a lot of it I do not know. Yet, she still has so very much to learn. I often wonder if she's going to have room for it all in her brain. She is truly amazing.

She has been a blessing in my life in a million ways. She makes me strive to do things better and sometimes makes me think I should go back to school - sadly I doubt I'd ever know as much as her. Our tastes in things are so very different, yet there are those areas where we are very alike.

It's funny how much of your family members you can see in your children when you look. I see more of others in her than I do myself, but that's probably normal. I think she is just like her Daddy - don't look as much like him as Brier - thank heavens - but educationally she is nearly identical to the man. Always striving for perfection and the top of the class or higher.

I see a lot of my Grandpa in her. Grandpa always, all my life has been able to "pull the wool over my eyes" so to speak. He will hear or come up with the simplest little joke and I will fall for it EVERY single time! Ashlynn inherited that trait from him and I tell her often - "You are just like your Great Grandpa Edmondson!" and she just giggles. I want to ring her neck for it most times - but what can I do?

Yesterday, she was telling me about King Edward the 1st, and someone the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on and so on and then Mary the something. I really had no interest in it at the time...no desire to go learn about all these historical people all at once...and then she says, "Do you know who came after Mary?" and I'm like "NO! Of course I don't" and so she says, "the little lamb". Urgh! That girl!!! I love her to pieces, but boy is she a trickster...just like her Great Grandpa.

I see the attitude and moodiness of a few of her Aunts in her sometimes. She has her Aunt Holly's nose and thick hair. And there are times when she's a certain look that she looks just like her Aunt Becky. She has her Nana Munger's fingernails - long and pretty - only cut because of piano. She also has her Nana's love for flowerbeds and wants to plant flowers every year. She's got a pretty good green thumb too. Sometimes I think she has my Mom's sense of humor...which could be dangerous haha - she definitely has my Mom's sense of adventure.

She's gotten into this Geo caching thing with her Daddy - that started with her Papa Wilbur. I'm telling you if the girl learns to beat me at mini golf...I am in BIG trouble! I just know her Papa Wilbur & her would gang up on me. I'd teach Brier and get him to help me...but that boy is a bit dangerous sometimes.

The thing I see in her that reminds me of myself is her crafty side. She likes to draw, create or make things, and sometimes she gets a little too high tech. I may not be as good at drawing as her, but crafts - yep that's me.

David & I both read like crazy - so that one is a tie. The thing is even though I see all these bits and pieces of different traits and characteristics from other family members in her...I see her too. She's is becoming her own person, as been for a while...but now at "a whole decade old" it's not as easy to pretend not to see. Don't get me wrong, I want her to grow up, strong, beautiful, and smart...I just don't want her to do it too fast. I do believe however, that I embrace it a little bit better than her Daddy does. He thought we should cancel this birthday - it just don't seem right.

I know what he means, but we can't tie her down or stop her from growing, aging, or becoming who God designed her to be. We have to let her grow and someday we will have to watch her fly on her own. But for now she's my 1 Decade Old Baby Girl and I choose to celebrate that with JOY & AMAZEMENT, rather than the fear of the unknown, the upcoming teenage years, or the fear of letting go.

So here's to our 1 Decade old Baby Girl!!! We love you, Ashlynn, more than we could ever say and someday you'll understand that. You'll also understand why Mom's & Dad's get a little sentimental over birthdays...but until then you'll just have to umm DEAL with it. :)

I love you, honey! Happy Birthday!