Every year on their birthdays, Jeff and I write each child a letter in their scrapbooks. This is Makenna's. To learn more about why we do this, click here.
Dear Makenna,
Happy 9th Birthday! Today is your third day of grade four. You are a Junior at Goderich Public School
now, becoming one of the big kids. This
year you start taking French and are really looking forward to going to
Seaforth to participate in The Gifted Program once a week. It took a bit of convincing, but you are
returning for a second year of swim team with The Huron Hurricanes Aquatic
Club. Last year the only thing holding
you back was diving, but you mastered that at Alexis’ birthday this summer,
thanks to the teaching skills of some of your friends. I am glad you have agreed to be on the swim
team again, because I really loved watching you last year. You learned so much in such a short time,
racing in the butterfly, breast, back and freestyle races. I was so proud of you for being only 8 years
old and going into that meet in New Hamburg and giving it all you had. During the swim a thon last spring you swam
over 2.5 km in 2 hours. You were just 8
years old! So amazing and you, my daughter, inspired me to run my first 5k race. Because I reasoned, if my 8 year old can swim
2.5k, surely I can run 5k. I really look
forward to seeing how you progress this year.
You love the water so much this seems like such a good fit for you. It’s tiring, and challenging, but I think
that’s a good thing for you and that you need the challenge.
Something else you are going to continue this year is piano
lessons. You started last year during
school hours with a teacher named Marcia.
Gramps bought you a keyboard last year for your eighth birthday and we
were all quite impressed with how quickly you picked it up. By Christmas we had Gramps’ piano in our
house so you could practice on the real thing.
We can see the joy in your face as you play piano and I hope this too is
something you stick with for many years.
We are starting to see some changes as you grow into a young
lady. During the past year there has
been a lot of focus on the boys at school.
A lot of discussion takes place about “dating”, who likes who, and who
is going out with who. You are just 9,
but Dad and I make a point to take you seriously, as we remember what it’s like
to be your age. I think it’s really
important that you feel comfortable and safe talking to us, about
anything. We always make the time to
listen and always take you seriously because we hope, really really hope, that
doing so now, will pay off as you become older and really need someone to talk
to. I truly truly hope either your dad, or myself, or both of us, will always
be people you can talk to. As far as you and your friends are concerned
right now, “dating” means dancing together at the monthly “Party Rockers”
dances here in town geared to your age group.
I try to keep the focus on friendship and why making and maintaining
good friendships with many different girls and boys is important, but, you
being 9, and part of the group of friends you are, are fairly focused on the
issues of the day. I know this is just
the beginning, I was somewhat unprepared for it to start this early.
I am grateful that you have a truly great group of friends,
and that they all have truly great parents, most of whom I know fairly
well. I feel comfort in knowing that you
are well looked after wherever you are in your busy social life, and truly well
loved. You even attended a sleepover birthday party, for a boy, this past
year…something that I didn’t really think twice about, because I knew you would
be well looked after.
Over the past year, in addition to swim team and piano
lessons, you continued with swimming lessons, soccer and were a part of the
Goderich Thunder basketball camps. You
enjoyed a week long holiday at Matt and Jodi Durnin’s while Dad and I went to
the Dominican in January with the Doaks, Johnstons and Gardiners. This past summer you traveled to legoland,
Build a Bear and the circus in Toronto with Grandma Tam and Gran and to the
Science Centre in Toronto with Gramps and Sylvia, who were married this past
February. We went camping for the first
time as a family in Red Bay and you didn’t want to come home. You once again attended the Day Camp at Camp
Kintail and we saw Mary Poppins in theatre in Grand Bend. After the show you asked me how you could
become an actor too. Your cousin Beckett was born last year and is
now almost a year old. You love playing
with him, feeding him and watching him grow.
As a 9 year old you are becoming a real helper now, with Beckett and
with Jack. You are going to make a great
babysitter in a couple of years. You
still aspire to be a teacher when you grow up, although sometimes you consider
careers as a chef and a musician too.
The sky is the limit with you and I truly believe whatever it is you set
your mind to, you will achieve.
Our little girl is slipping away and a young lady is slowly moving into her
place. For the most part I am enjoying
this transition as I love having real conversations with you about current
events, world issues, life, and even tough stuff. I like to challenge you to think critically
and outside the box. To make your own
path instead of following someone else’s, and to be strong, confident and a
girl who is not afraid to take risks. You
love math and science and I want to encourage you to embrace that, even though
I may not be much help as you get older and learn more.
And yet, you still need your sleep or you have
meltdowns. You still pout and
whine. You still like to snuggle at
bedtime and be read to. When you eat ice cream you still get it all over your
face and you still hate to brush your hair (which is why it’s still short). You like to get pedicures, but you don’t want
your ears pierced because you are afraid it will hurt too much. You can swim far distances, dive beautifully,
walk for miles, but still refuse to learn to ride a bicycle. You still want us
around and you are still willing to have tea parties with your brother. Jack adores you and looks up to you so much
and for the most part, you are very patient with him.
The next birthday letter will be the “double digits”
letter. The “now you can stay home alone
for short periods of time” letter. You
are just 9, 9 doesn’t sound that old, and yet I know you are starting to grow
up now. I look forward to all that’s
coming your way this year, and hope it’s a really great year for you. I hope that as you grow this year, you
continue to gain a sense of who you are, what makes you special and why being
different is a great thing. I will
always be there to remind you when you forget, or don’t want to remember,
because I remember what it’s like to be this age, in this grade, and at this
stage. I will always be in your corner
and although it may not seem like it, I will always understand. Nobody knows you like I do and nobody’s got
your back like I do.
Wishing you another year full of discovery, growth,
happiness and so much fun!
Love you kiddo.
~Mom~
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