The Awkward Years of Girlhood

This last year has been interesting with my daughter. This is the part of our relationship where she is not my clone anymore. She is becoming her own person. She has her own sense of style, and humor. This is the time of our relationship where I start becoming dumb...I am not quite ready for that.

This is the time where she comes out wearing a dark blue turlteneck and purple shorts with green crocs, and I am supposed to say, "nice outfit". This is the time where she decides to wear her hair in lots of fun hairstyles, and I encourage her creativity by buying lots of hair accessories.

This is the time where she cannot stand to be around her brother one more minute. A moment later they are sitting side by side at the piano playing "Alouette" as a duet. But then it turns into a yelling match, as they annoy each other again.

This is a time where she wants to crawl up in my lap and snuggle, but she is getting so big it becomes uncomfortable for both of us. A time where she can read any book, but still prefers me to read them aloud to her.

This is a time of wanting to learn to cook, but she is still afraid of the big knives. Wanting to make a surprise cake, but knowing she is not ready for unsupervised baking. This is the time between Barbies and lip gloss. For right now, Barbies are winning, but lip gloss is catching up.

Its like we are on a narrow pass. On this pass is a gap, and she is moments from crossing over it. One hand reaching towards me and the other reaching to the woman she will become. It feels like our fingers are just touching.... I will stand here and keep reaching, for as long as she needs me.