Malia

Slacker mom late on a birthday post again.

Malia is 10. Double Digits. How is it possible that I am old enough to have a child this old? Ok, so I am just barely old enough, but still! ;)

I loved Aaron's post for her birthday, and his little slideshow of pictures, so you can see those here. For last year's birthday post and the birth story tradition, you can go here.

It's crazy to watch the years fly by faster and faster. I think that is compounded lately by the fact that Charlotte looks a lot like Malia did when she was a baby. Nothing like having a little clone of your first baby to remind you that she certainly isn't a baby anymore!

Malia is so helpful, really a sweet kid. For example, after doing a Service Scavenger Hunt a couple of weeks ago with her Activity Days group, she decided when she was bored the other day that she wanted to do it again. Imagine what a mean mom I felt like when I brushed it off at first and ended up with my daughter actually pleading to go out and see if anyone needed help with anything. She went, she helped someone, and she came back thrilled to death. (now if we could only play that game at home every once in a while!)

Shortly after Charlotte was born she wrote me a little letter telling me that she knew I was busy with the house and the family and the new baby and getting homeschooling things together, so she was going to try harder to be more helpful and more kind to her brothers and sisters. Who does that? I hope she never loses this part of her. I hope that I can do a better job at encouraging these things in her.

I love her enthusiasm and her comfort with who she is. If you have sat near Malia in church, or been around her anywhere else where singing is involved, you know that she is tone deaf. This is really a bummer because she LOVES to sing, and she has an amazing ability to learn lyrics very quickly. But you know what? That doesn't stop her. When she sings, she sings her little heart out. She isn't embarrassed to sing in front of friends or family, and she sings with all her might in church as well. When I was serving in the Primary, I remember other kids laughing at her while she sang because she really was singing particularly loud that day. I was absolutely heartbroken for her, and hoped she wouldn't realize that they were laughing at her. Sadly, she did, but much to my surprise, she kept right on singing anyway. The saying "dance like no one's watching" could be altered for her to "sing like no one's listening".....or better yet, "just keep singing, who cares what they think!" :) I'm so impressed with her ability and desire to press on and to improve-not just in that aspect, but in most aspects in life. She tries so hard. What a great example she is. I wish I were more like her in that regard.


Of course we have our issues with each other, but it seems like most of the time when we do have issues with each other, it's because we are so very much the same! Two very stubborn females.....it ought to get really exciting around these parts in the next few years!

And even though the other kids hate it now, she'll be a great mom someday! :)