Nine Years

December 17th - Today Gracie is 9 years old. I have been present for each and every day of her life and can hardly believe this is the nineth birthday. We have nine lovely red birthday candles we will light this evening. (Red is her favorite color.) She could not decide between coconut cake and red velvet cake. She finally chose coconut cake saving the red velvet cake for Christmas. This has been a trying last few months for my Gracie. Out of nowhere she was diagnosed with asthma. She has been doing daily treatments. She remembers without having to be reminded to take her inhaled medication each morning and night. She is growing so tall and beautiful. I love her laugh and the twinkle in her eye. I love the way she smells when she snuggles up warm and close to me. I love everything about her. I am amazed daily, even now, nine years later, at each and every new things she learns. I love watching her with Steven. She is an amazing big sister. She is so loving and kind. She dotes on him and protects him like a mother lion. She excells in school. Her math is consistantly 100%. And she can solve those problems in her head without the need to write it down. She isn't a great speller but this week she impressed us all, including her teacher with a 100% on her weekly spelling test. She is loud. She is what I call my little bohemian. She is a fashionista. She is not a follower. She is a trend setter and moves on when the girls begin to copy her 'style' of dress. She is my wild child. She is my sweet baby girl. She is my heart. She is often the vert breath I breathe. She is and always will be my everything. Happy Birthday, my darling girl. **She has chosen ice skating as her birthday activity. I am so glad she didn't ask for a big party. We have never been ice skating. It will be a fun birthday week leading up to Christmas. Monday we bring cupcakes to school -chocolate cupcakes!