Still Amber I Am: April 2025

Dear Charli,

I used to write these letters for you on my blog every year for your birthday, but I can't find one since your sixth birthday! So, let's restart this tradition and hopefully, I'll be able to dig up the other posts!

I can't believe you're already 9! When you were first born, people told me how quickly it would go, and I believed them a little bit, but when you're in the middle of the newborn phase, the days drag on and on sometimes, so it's hard to visualize that far ahead in the future. But, somehow, we've flown through these years, and here we are, on the edge of double digits!

You've been doing great in 3rd grade this year! You were nervous because you said there was so much you didn't know, but your dad and I kept reminding you that you weren't supposed to know those things and that was the purpose of school! I still don't know if you believe us! 🤣

You love PE and Art and recess. You've also said you like math and book club, which is a surprise since Gran and I beg you to read at home and you won't! You're a great reader, though, and you're great at math. Keep up the good work!

This is your third year doing Girl Scouts, and although we didn't do a lot as a troop this year because life has been busy for everyone, you've still had a lot of fun! You're also still into tumbling class and your form is getting so much better on your cartwheels! This summer, we're going to try to enroll you in a dance class, and you have theater camp for a week! I'm so excited to watch you explore these new things and see what you like!

You are still so sweet and caring, although I see a lot more of your fiery personality than I used to! You have a lot of big feelings, which leads to a lot of fussing back and forth sometimes. I promise to work on my reactions and work on being a calmer presence for you! You are very empathetic and pick up on people's emotions and feelings. I think that will be a good trait later in life, but right now it's tough because you get a little more upset about things sometimes than I think you would otherwise. I think you'll learn how to harness it as you get older, but we're going to work together on it more!

You are also super funny! Sometimes you come out with things that I don't expect, and it catches me off-guard! You love to do "try not to laugh" challenges, even though you usually end up laughing!

You love to dance and sing and be outside. You also love to play Uno, Mario Kart, and things on your tablet. You enjoy being on the phone with your bestie while you're on your tablet, but sometimes when those big emotions get you, we have to have you take a break! You love to draw also, and your top bunk is covered with papers and a bin of markers.

You love animals, but cats are your favorite, with dogs close behind. Your cat at Gran's is your favorite pet ever, and your dog here at home is so patient with you. Your cat is younger, so he's still learning that patience! You like to pet dogs that we see in public, and you like to look at the cats for adoption at the pet store. Unfortunately, you lost your fish this year, but maybe we can get more later on.

Little girl, you're growing up so fast, and I love watching you continue to discover things and find out more about who you are and what you like. Don't lose that spark that makes you, you. Things are going to get tougher as you get older and look more towards your friends and peers. You've already started to discover that sometimes your classmates aren't as nice as they used to be. Unfortunately, that's going to continue for the rest of your life. But, keep your close friends around you and surround yourself with people who love and support you. We'll always love and support you, and we're always there for you!