one is the current object of mean girl behavior
one is appalled that i demanded she spit out the gum she was smacking
& one
well
she's nine and half
she's not dealing with mean girls, college apps, or boys
she does occasionally smack her gum
which she dutifully spits out when busted
but no major dramas yet
no drivers license
or tampons
no particular shampoo preference
or expensive jeans
they were nine and half just the other day
i swear it was just the other day
& now it's flat irons, facebook & curfews
last night the little one fell asleep in bed with me
our toes are painted the same color
(OPI suede suzi skis in the pyrenees)
her little nine & a half self is like a port in the storm for me during
what can sometimes be turbulent teen waters
i held her little hand as she drifted off to dreamland
she'll smell like a warm buttered biscuit when she wakes up in the morning
but sooner than i'd prefer
she'll smell like peace love & juicy couture body cream
sigh
chances are
in a few years
she'll hit that fabulous age, thirteen, where she won't like me all that much
for a while anyway
she'll wise back up & realize my wardrobe will occasionally be of benefit
as are my opi & essie inventories
she'll borrow my shoes and raid my jewelry
she'll complain that i use too much salt in my cooking
that i don't recycle efficiently
& disagree on the length of her chosen homecoming dress
her boyfriend hopefully will not sport a gauged pierced ear (barf)
there's many a day when i wish they were all around nine and a half, seven and six
7:00 bedtimes
tucked in after reading a classic
maybe a visit from the tooth fairy
smocked dresses
& mary janes
the last one is almost there
proms, high heels and shakespeare
but for tonight
she's nine & a half
& the biggest issue she faced today~
would tinkerbell have a successful great fairy rescue?
every single post becomes my favorite.
ReplyDeletei love this one.
isn't it so true.
every word of it is true.
if they could just be nine and a half forever.
but, then we'd miss seeing them grow into all that we dream of them to be and more.....
and as my oldest, who is a whole 10, tells me often....God made him to grow. :)
My Maddy turns 9 on Saturday. Little hand still tucked into mine. I love that they are still on the cusp and this post just reminded me to soak it up before its all gone. XXX
ReplyDeleteoh paige! i love this post! i know it will be here for my cuties in a blink of an eye! ugh! i love her dress and all the pretty bling she was wearing! can i borrow?! ha! hope you have a great week! xo
ReplyDeleteit all goes by so fast.
ReplyDeletewhen my first two were small..someone told me ..enjoy these simple days..they go soo fast.
boy was she right!
they are 25 & 26 and one is a parent and the other will be one in the spring.
my babies are now 15 and 11...and i wish they were still 9 &1/2!
caroline is a sweetheart..buttered biscuit..smile...
(i will say an extra prayer for the mean girl to have grace and peace in her heart and to leave your girly alone)
blessings~
She needs to be a model...seriously. So beautiful and at ease in front of the camera...thanks to you momma:)
ReplyDeleteThis post made my heart hurt. I'm in that same age with my big chick and she makes me so happy. The thought of her changing...not being the same makes me ache. Oh at least we'll be going through it together right?:)
How can those teen years be so Gloriously Fun and so Horribly Stressful all at the same time ?!? My five children are spread between 22 and 12. I have one happily out of the teen years who is one of my best friends in the whole world. Youngest little guy still loves me and thinks i know way more than i do! And we are just holding on for dear life with the middle three! The teen years may be the most stressful but they are also when the most learning takes place :-)
ReplyDeleteYour girls are all so pretty and it is obvious that you are doing a great job raising them!
Beautiful. I just came back from a short vacation and couldn't wait to see my niece. She's almost two and has started a rockin vocabulary. Would you know she say my husband and bust out in a smile shooting his name for the first time. I got all teary eyed, he about fell over. I guess they do grow up too fast.
ReplyDeleteLove this. So sweet and heartbreaking all at the same time.
ReplyDeleteLove this. So sweet and heartbreaking all at the same time.
ReplyDeleteBless her heart...what a precious smile...and I LOVE her pearls! What a team you make...you with the camera and Caroline with her natural beauty!
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you. Are we having "growing pains" of our own? That's what my 13 year old tells me. They'll make it...and I hope we do too:)
You are such an eloquent writer and put so many of my feelings into words....I am just going to title my posts, "See Paige's" :)
ReplyDeleteI know you love your girls so! Your sweet 9 1/2 year old melts my heart with her precious smile. I hope she stays young forever. As for the other girls, well, in time all the drama will pass and they will love you again more than life itself! Hugs!
I love 9 and a half so much. Seventeen? Not so much. My little bit has been my port today and many other days too. A blessing. It always amazes me that your oldest and youngest are the same ages as mine. It's a fun connection!
ReplyDeleteshe does 9.5 well :) these photos of her are all so gorgeous! love the b&w treatment - so pretty! my 12.5 year old is so . . . sigh. . . . almost a teen. so i almost know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great age! My JJ is 9 1/2 too. Love it.
ReplyDeletePaige - I so agree with the first commenter - every time I read a post I think 'she's done it again! this is the best!'. I love your descriptions of nine and a half as my daughter is that age too and the similarities are uncanny. It is just the cusp of everything isn't it? I am conscious on a daily basis that those childhood characteristics will slip away and newer grown up ones will come. I will welcome them of course but as you know from experience, those teen years can be er, what can I say? tricky! Lou x
ReplyDeleteSweet post!! Love having a young one still around to be "my girl" too! She is so adorable! You are one lucky Momma!
ReplyDeleteJanet
She is so precious! I can only imagine how quickly my girls will become teenagers, although they are only four and five at the moment. Looking forward to actually meeting you one of these days, I know you could give me a world of advice for raising great girls. Perhaps we'll run into each other at the gym one of these days.
ReplyDeleteAnother great post, you make the sound of my babies growing up a bit sweeter! :)
ReplyDeletethis one made me cry.
ReplyDeletebeen butting heads with my 9 yr. old. she's my oldest. and my hardest. and she's growing up too fast. wanting to be 13 now. wanting to exercise every shred of independence i will allow.
i feel like i fail her every. single. day.
thanks for putting this in perspective.
absolutely adorable!! I have a 14 year old, 10 yr old and 7 year old.. I swear there are days they just melt my heart and others, when I just want to say, I am that rotten.. I truly love having girls and all that it involves although trying at times...great pictures as usual!
ReplyDeleteYou have captured the feeling so well. Alas, all four of my girls are grown or nearly there. I was just looking at old pictures over the weekend of their fresh faces with no makeup and wearing headbands and longing for those days. Being the mom of a teenage girl can be painful sometimes and I've often wished and prayed I was better at mothering. My older two have tattoos and it breaks my heart. As if the tattoss were badges of my failed attempt at motherhood. Just being real here. Snuggle your baby close. I don't have to tell you to hang on tight for the ride. I love this post. And she is just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteCould I have two or this little princess please? Paige, God's love literally shines in Caroline's face! What a treasure. All of them!
ReplyDeleteApril
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOh and I have been meaning to ask you if you have ever heard of John Waller or According to John??
ReplyDeletebless her heart! hold her tight, oh so tight, my friend.
ReplyDeleteXO
This is so very true ! My son is 13 and oh how I sometimes wish he was nine and a half !
ReplyDeletewow! you are preparing me paige!! she is just so gorgeous, great, great picture:)
ReplyDeletei know exactly what you mean in this post. my girls are 14, 12, 10 and 3.
ReplyDeleteif I could freeze time...
xo
~molly
Oh my goodness....she is PRECIOUS!!! I love her bling by the way and that gorgeous green chair....all so lovely. I guess enjoy this time, huh?!?! Soak it all in :-)
ReplyDeletePaige, this
ReplyDeleteone is really
resonating with
me ~ My youngest
turns 12 this month...
He's gaining on me
fast in the height
dept. {and that's
saying something}
but more than that,
he is gaining more
and more independence
and it's oh so hard
to let that {once}
little hand go.
xx Suzanne
PS: You've captured
your little one's
spirit, here....
Oh this is so beautiful, but it made me a little sad. My boy is nine and a half and I'm in a bit of denial about him getting bigger. I just don't want to let him go...he still tells me he loves me and hugs me all the time and I don't want that to change :)
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures, love the dress, love the chair!
ReplyDeleteShe looks beautiful Paige...I love how you bring out her personality in the pictures...or so it seems to me with how you describe your girls :) Love the pics
ReplyDeletei love the way you say things....your words are my hearts' wishes about mine who is 4 almost 5 as she reminds me...you will be the greatest inventory of essie and OPI and the most lovable friend forever to your precious girls...how many more sleeps?
ReplyDeleteSweetness!
ReplyDeleteLoving these fun images.
I wish I fit in that dress!!!! I know you are laughing
but I do! :)
She is such a cute buttered biscuit and Kate will be this same age when Will goes to college..sigh!
ReplyDeleteThe skirt came today and Kate LOVES t...she immediately put it on. It is too big but it will look darling n a year or two!!!!
ADORABLE !!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteShe's 9 and a half, really? I thought she was younger, how did I not know!! My daughter is 9.5 too :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos and words Paige, I love the way you write.
If I come over, will you make me look this pretty too please?! ;)
Yet again, a post that really connected with me. Thank you so much for posting this. My oldest is 11 and she's wedged right between those two stages. I'm both excited and nervous for what her future will hold. Thanks for reminding me to enjoy the present.
ReplyDelete