"I feel more grown up already"

We had just gone swimming as a family and we were walking out of the family dressing room together when I took a final head count of the kids:


"One, two, three...uh-oh...one...two...three...which one is missing?!"

Then I realized that Alice was carrying Matthew out on her hip and I had completely forgotten to count her as one of the kids.

The tweens are officially upon us :)

She feels it, too. Just today, Alice turned to me and said, "I feel more grown up already, even though
I'm only 3/4ths the way to my next birthday." I smiled. She's turning nine in 2 weeks.

Alice is such a responsible person! It's so easy to give her a little more independence and expect a little more in return. She shoulders it well...most days. I love that I can trust her with stuff that really matters.

Alice and James in the garden, July 2014