Where does the time go?

It's hard to believe it has been almost 6 years since my baby girl was diagnosed with kidney cancer.  She is now a healthy 3rd grader at St. Peter's Episcopal School.  She stopped sucking her thumb a few weeks after the end of 2nd grade at the age of 8.  I was sad to see it stop although for years I really wanted it to.  But when she did, it was like the last link she had to being a baby was gone.  Now she is approaching 9 years old and is growing taller everyday it seems.  She is 4'4" now and around 61 pounds.  Picking her up is quite a task and her long legs are a bit awkward in my arms.  But, there are times when she still allows this.  She is definitely outgrowing some of her snuggliness, but she does still want me to walk to her class every morning so I am very thankful for that.  I really dread the day that ends.  She also still wants me to come to chapel and spirit day every week so she is not distancing herself from me yet.  However, I have a feeling I am going to be one of those embarrassing moms so it will probably happen sooner than later.

She still loves crafting and creating and during our recent snow days she perused many magazines looking for ideas.  She is into gymnastics and is going to start a new sport type activity next week--Girls on the Run.  She got a trampoline from Santa for Christmas and that, along with a slack line and air pogo, helps to keep her active and entertained in the basement at home.  She loves to listen to music and choreograph different routines which she then performs for me or whoever else may be at the house.  Tennis lessons may also be in her future if we can get them set up and she seems to be excited about that.  Team sports are not something she is interested in at all at this point.

She is excelling in school and all of her teachers find her to be a joy in class.  Her favorite subject is math which is something her dad and I both enjoyed.  She also enjoys after school art classes when they offer them.

She still hasn't lost any teeth since the end of 1st grade.  She has no real best friend, but seems to play with several different girls in her class.  Her and Abby Teruya are becoming close again after about a year long break of being BFFs.  The only friend she has stayed the night with is Elizabeth Bruce and that was a birthday slumber party.  I believe she is starting to be more comfortable with the idea of staying with friends, but her preference for overnight stays out of my house is definitely Memaw and Nanny's house followed closely by her cousins, Leah and Jonathan.  The cousins sleepovers are rare though since we live an hour away from each other.  Grandbaby sleepovers at Memaw's house are heaven for them all.