10 things I love most about Miss E

In the spirit of the previous blog about my youngest daughter, I also wanted to celebrate my elder daughter Miss E. Ive chickened out of using their full names, but most of my readers know them anyway! I suppose I figure that their privacy is not being protected in the long term (who knows how long the blog will sit in cyberspace) if I use their names. And its always better to be safer with indemnities of kids... Its so sad that I even have to consider their safety in this ether like environment, but consider it I must.

So, here are some things about the amazing Miss E, that I love, that challenge me too (in equal measures)

1. Your energy! Miss E, you have such an enthusiasm for life, and throw yourself completely into your activities. Just this-morning, when you realised you had to get your gym gear and swimming gear together for today, rather than do this quietly, you raced like a mad-tornado through the house leaving a trail of neglected items behind you! But you did it with such a burst of wild energy. So you!

2. Your creativity: You never have "nothing to do". You constantly amaze me with the delightful things you dream up to occupy yourself and your sister. When we stayed up in the snow for Dad's birthday, you got up at the crack of dawn, ran out into the snow in your PJ's and started to make "snow guinea pigs"... and then there are those endless barbie "scenario" games... incredibly how they last for HOURS. With so many bits of paper made into props.

3. You love the natural world. Walking with me up mountains, you delight in the trees, the birds, the air, the clouds. You see the joy in this, as I do.

4.You notice the small things that other people miss, Like the tiniest mushrooms on the trail, hiding under the leaf litter. And you point these things out to your sister, and she shares in this secret world of the small details, that so many adults miss out on. I think Simone has this talent too... in fact all kids do!

5. The crazy way you dress. You dont care if your jeans are ripped: they are your favourites. You like mint green and fuscia together. You wear skirts and jeans and messy hair. Vivid Stripes everywhere one day, and all red the next. There is a wild look to you. You throw out a fashion challenge... I love the fact that this is the way you put together your outfits for non-uniform day at school. There is not much conformity in you. YOu go Girl!!!

6. You can do 6 things at once, although it has to be said, you rarely clean up the 6 things after you have finished doing them, and moved onto the next thing.

7. You are growing up, and noticing that your violent mood swings affect others around you, and slowly you are learning to flip yourself out of the darkest of these moments, to find the sunshine inside. We are working on this together! Such extremes.

8. Your sister adores you, and follows your lead. Sometimes you use this to your advantage, but always you include her in your games. Sadly, you dont quite get the fact that she needs to have a go at making up the game too.

9. Your strength, Miss E. When I was pregnant with you and worried about the birth, and being a parent, I had a dream where you visited me and told me that I shouldnt worry. that YOU would look after me, and that was how it had always been. I had such a deep sense of being reassured. I still carry that sense of confidence in you, that you will always be OK. Weirdly, because you told me it was so.

10. Your passionate love. As you do everything, you commit 100%. You feel absolutely, and you communicate your feelings with your whole body. When you hurt inside, it hurts so much, sometimes your nose bleeds! When you love, you fling your whole body into it, and cling like a limpet with your arms and legs wrapped around me.