Incredible With A Touch Of Hormonal Teenager {Brooklyn, Age 8}

If there was one word I could use to describe Brooklyn it would be this:

I want to say I’m kidding, but I’m kind of not.

This little girl of mine has got some PERSONALITY!

While chatting with my mom about it, I mentioned that some days she’s a pretty accurate representation of the *Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde* scenario. She is so sweet, loving, and helpful….she is funny and truly a joy to be with. And then, and then there’s the whining, complaining, and all around crabbiness. The *hormones*.

She was an amazing baby….happy all the time. She was easy to tote around, loved everyone, and was just plain fun. The PERFECT first child. As a toddler, she was so much fun – though she no doubt had some behaviors to work through {hitting, anyone?}. As first time parents, it was a struggle at times to know how to work through it all, all while discovering our parenting ideals were the exact OPPOSITE of what we originally thought there were. {imagine that}

She is seriously an incredible kid. Having Jonah join our family when she was 3 went more smoothly than I could have hoped. She loved him, cared for him, and really enjoyed her new role as a Big Sister. She really made the adjustment to a family of 4 an incredible experience. She’s a STAR!

But I’ve noticed in the past year or so that some *teenage hormones* have crept in. And she is MOOOOOODY!

She likes lots of different foods and is really good about trying new things….IF she’s in the mood. 😉

She’s very particular about wanting things HER WAY and in HER TIME. If she suggests going to a friends house to play, and I suggest having that friend come to our house – there is NO having it!

She LOVES her dance classes, but lots of weeks it’s a fight to get her there because she doesn’t feel like it.

Getting her into the shower is always a battle….she likes showering/bathing, likes being clean, but has to create opposition I guess. lol

And cleaning? OHMYWORD

But then she’ll turn around and surprise me by making her bed or cleaning her room, etc. And BEAMS with pride at doing something that brings me so much happiness.

She LOVES cuddling and being together.

And crafty – oh is this kid crafty!  She has been since she was a young toddler and it’s amazing to see her artistic abilities develop.

It’s impossible to get her to go to sleep and she ALWAYS comes out once *just because*. #notfrustratingatall

And if she gets to stay up with me, she feels like the most important person in the world. And I love that our relationship is strengthening, even at the expense of having *the beast* come out the next day. Late nights are not always kind to her, despite the fact that she sleeps in.

She is an excellent reader and loves it.

She’s a homebody and loves to just chill together.

She also LOVES to play with friends.

And of course, to mix the two – always needs at least one pit stop per playdate where she is just *with herself*.

I definitely want to help nurture this – I think it’s so healthy to enjoy being alone and know how to be.

I also want to kick her complaining to the curb.

All in all I simply adore her – she continues to be an amazing child. She is a stellar student…easily distracted but ridiculously smart. In fact her teacher said *She easily loses focus. But the kid is so stinkin’ smart, it doesn’t seem to matter. She still manages to get her work done faster than some of the kids who are focused on it the entire time*. LOL

I love letting her stay up late and snuggle on the couch, watching a movie or show, etc.

I love watching her cultivate friendships, have crushes, and find her way through the world.

She is BEAUTIFUL. Inside and out. Her perfect little face {this kid has perfect eyebrows too!} has me in awe. And the way she nurtures and loves those around her is so heartwarming.

She loves Jonah and they get along so well.

Except when they don’t…and instead fight like they hate each other. *sigh*

EIGHT IS GREAT…and EIGHT IS PRETTY CHALLENGING TOO.

But mostly it’s great. 😉

And this amazing – and sometimes wildly hormonal – 8 year old has made my life pretty MAGNIFICENT.

And I LOVE being her mom.