PIper Turns 12!

I've been thinking of Piper as 12 for the last half year, as that's the age I much put on our all travel documents, as we will be traveling with a 13, 12, and 10 year old.  Piper was more reluctant to not be 11, as she's enjoyed this preteen year.

Archetypical Piper.... 

….gnaws on Papa's shoulder daily, as a sign of affection,

...teaches herself to latch hook on a random evening before bed,

 … creates knitted outfits for Sam,

...loves her BFF to extremes,

… "loves" her siblings to other extremes,

… and finally, is mostly feline.

For her Valentine's birthday, the Friday before a week-long break, could have been an ideal party evening, but with her BFF already vacationing across the border, Piper decided against a friend party and voted for Daddy to make crème brulee, after a crab-with-butter-and-I-mean-butter dinner.  She made the chocolate dipped strawberries, which she liked so much that she incorporated it into her outfit.

  

Wes was so excited by it all that he figured out a new way to do push ups.  (Piper had just shared how terribly she did on the PE fitness assessment.)

Kyla. Chocolate. Strawberries.  Her happiness is always contagious, and it takes little to make her happy.  

This is not the time to detail the extreme sullenness and spitefulness episodes of our middle child, or other standout personality traits. My go-to with any of my children is simply to say, "Well, I'm excited/happy enough for both of us."  I have lots of Piper story-snapshots that will give her glimpses into her younger self.  This year I will remember as when she spent several weeks failing the School Success class every 6th grader has to take this year.  "F*CK you, External System" is not part of her spoken vocabulary yet, but it is certainly is part of her body language.  I've always believed that, if I could survive her childhood, she will be the most remarkable adult, and nothing this year changed my mind.  Watch out world, Piper is growing up!