my little big girl

Tomorrow tristan turns 11 years old. Time has this annoying habit of flying by. My oldest daughter is a pride and joy.

I have spoken many times about how much i adored my time with her when she was a newborn. Truth be told i have enjoyed every single moment of her life. She has always been a pleasure to be around.

This year she has really grown and matured this year. Her sense of humour has continued to be this aura around her that draws people to her. She is always smiling and laughing when i see her with her friends. On two occasions this year she has gotten up in front of a large audience and performed magic tricks to the delight of everyone around her.

She has also become much more caring towards her siblings. Helping them when they need it and giving them a quiet hug or pat when they are feeling sad. She has even babysat for short periods of time.

This spring she has gone to sleep-away camp twice. Her first time doing anything like that. She leaped in with both feet and had a wonderful time. Joining the 4H sewing club has brought out her inner geekiness and she spends hours in her room sewing.

She has handled the separation of her father and i very well. In many ways it has been hardest on her as she has the maturity and intuition to really understand what is going on. She also had a stay-at-home mom for the longest and has helped in numerous way while we all adjust to our new lifestyle. She even makes my coffee in the morning when she knows i had an extra late night at work.

A couple weeks ago she had her first sex education class at school. I couldn't believe how mature she was about the whole thing, but then so happily childlike when i reassured her that puberty was probably still several years away for her. We are both not ready for that.

Oldest children, like middles and youngests, hold a very special place in the family. I need to remember not to expect too much of her as she forges all the new milestones for her siblings. I just adore her. I am so happy she is my daughter. She fills me with pride every single day.