To Evie on Your 12th Birthday

[photos to come] My sweet Evie, It feels like more than one year has gone by (aside from the fact that I’m writing this more than a month past your birthday – a testament to our very busy lives right now!). You have transitioned into a new season of your life, and you seem to be pretty securely in it right now. You started 6th grade (middle school!) at Farnell, and we were a little unsure this is where you would end up, but now I can’t imagine any other scenario. You had also been accepted at an IB middle school (Walker), but you decided against that, and we could tell you were making the best decision for yourself and trusted this. You had gained a few new friendships in 5th grade, which was so important after having a rocky and isolated year or two at home from COVID. Even though you were only in 5th grade for half a year, you blossomed in your class and were so engaged. I worried a little that having another change so soon after this would be difficult, but you have thrived and really taken ownership of your academic and school life. You have gotten straight As, Principal’s Honor Roll, and Student of the Month already. You’ve made more friends but maintain a small circle of close friends. [friend pic] You get everything you can out of your classes and teachers – I bet you won’t have one teacher you don’t find some inspiration from. You also joined orchestra and have started learning the viola. I’m so glad for you to continue music in this way, as we had to take a break from piano lessons with Ms. Kelsey this year, which we were all sad about. The reason, of course, was dance. We finally agreed to let you audition for competition team this year, and you made your top choice (lyrical) as well as the advanced acro team and the musical theater production team. You have continued some pretty intense training, especially in ballet. You’ve gradually spent more time doing pointe work this year and will be doing your spring ballet recital en pointe! I’m so excited to see this, as I haven’t really seen you dance en pointe, though I still have small worries about whether it’s too much for your feet. I know, though, that Mr. Julio and Ms. Gigi make sure you have plenty of strength in those toes and feet and that you are using correct form, so I don’t worry too much about it. Ballet is also one of your biggest strengths, next to lyrical, and when I do get to watch you dance, it is such a pleasure. I get goosebumps and tear up just watching your graceful movements and seeing how you internalize the music and transform it into art. This year, we went to Universal for your birthday, and it was so fun! Papa and I hadn’t been for about 20 years, and Islands of Adventure was brand new then. Since you had been on a Harry Potter kick over the past year or so, you (and we) were excited to finally see Harry Potter World, and it did not disappoint. Though it was a little hectic when we first got there and we had to take some time to figure things out (and get food—and butter beer—in our bellies), we eventually figured out how everything worked and got started on rides. We did intense rollercoasters, like the Hulk, and simulated rides, like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. We splurged for fast passes, so we got through a lot of the lines pretty easily, but we couldn’t use them on all of the rides, including one you had your heart set on, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. But we all agreed we would tough in out in the long line (almost 2 hours!) at the end of our day. It was so worth it – we waited in line while it was still light outside, and by the time we got on the ride after waiting inside most of the time, we shot out on our motorbikes and side cars and realized it was dark outside! We flew out into the cool, dark night, which added to the excitement of the ride. You rode on the motorbike part of the car, and I’ll never forget your face from the picture at the end of the ride. It was a great choice for a birthday, and I’m glad we got to celebrate you there. You have developed a love of shopping online, or at least browsing, and in some ways it’s actually been helpful. You regularly place your own Amazon orders for both needed and wanted items (with permission, of course), and you have figured out how to check stores online when you can’t find what you want in stores. You have an extremely precise wish list that you regularly maintain for birthdays or holidays, and I am grateful for this, as the time has now passed where I can pick out clothes for you that you’ll like. You’ve entered a new domain of style that belongs to the tween/teen world, and parents should only be on the periphery (though ironically, much of it is being recreated from when we were just a little older than you are now – we’re retro!). So I’ve tried to let you navigate this world and have some ownership in it. And I know that if I ask you to find something online, you’re on top of it! I suppose this is somewhat like when Tita Lee and I used to do some of the groceries once we could drive and go to the store? That time will come too, but for now, I willingly hand over these small shopping tasks where you can use your well-developed technological expertise to help me cross off items on my to-do list. You have also gotten braces recently! We more or less knew this was coming, and I think you were mostly excited about it. It seemed that, around the same time, so many of your school and dance friends also got braces, so you’re all in it together. For now you just have them on your top teeth, but you’ll soon get them on the bottom. It was painful the next day or two after you got them, but you were a trooper, and now you’re even eating things on the “don’t eat with braces” list (you did get permission to ignore some of that list, though). Beyond all these moments and milestones, not to mention your physical growth this past year (you’re now basically 5 feet tall), there is something else about you that has changed—a way you’ve grown that is harder to put my finger on. I was afraid I would be disappointed when this happened, because I’d be forced to let go of you more and truly move past the years when you were “mine.” But instead, I am just amazed by you and thoroughly enjoying getting to see you in this new light. You are still mature, and really you always have been, even as a toddler. You have gotten more independent and confident in yourself, which I am so thankful for because I know the 6th grade year can take a hit to girls, especially, in these areas. You are still conscientious and family-oriented and you genuinely want to have harmony at home and take responsibility for yourself, even if you have small moments of resistance or struggle now and then. Even though our schedule is very busy right now, one thing that has happened is that Papa and I each get to have one-on-one time with you and sissy in the car since we take turns driving each of you on your separate schedules. We catch up about our days and talk about plans or worries or funny stories during these times, and even though we’re on the go and you may be alternating between doing your hair for dance and/or trying to cram dinner down in the small window you have to eat, it is still treasured time. I am, however, very excited that you will have more down time over the summer, as we’ll probably step back a little from summer camps this year to try to balance out the busyness of the school year. Plus we have an Ireland trip and an Ozarks trip, so those should keep us fairly busy! I love you to pieces, my sweet girl, and I can’t wait to see what this year brings. Love, Mama