Mia: 12 years old

 Mia turned 12 at the end of January! We celebrated with her best friend the week before by having pizza, a sleep over, and going to Starbucks and wall climbing the next day. She really struggled with how she wanted to spend her actual birthday which is very out of character for her. Normally it's planned down to the minute weeks in advance. I think she was so concerned about making it the perfect day that the choices just seemed overwhelming for her, so I offered to plan it. Our rule is they have to go to school for the first half of the day and then they can take the afternoon off. 

I was already volunteering for hot lunch at the school that day, so I dropped off Timbits to her class at lunch and then when I was done we went to McDonald's for her lunch. Lily was lucky enough to be allowed to tag along. After, I dropped Lily off at a friend's to play and I took Mia for a surprise spa day. She got a facial and her nails done, capped off with a Starbucks visit for her favourite drink and a cake pop. We went home, opened presents, and then went for family dinner at The Old Trapper. The night ended with playing her new board game, and some Wii. She used her birthday money from Granny and Grampy to get her ears pierced a week after her birthday, and she was able to celebrate with the rest of her close friends that weekend by going bowling and having donuts.

 

 

Mia birthday interview

Fav colour: aqua green/blue

Fav movie: Harry Potter or She's the Man

Fav animal: tiger...but like all animals

Fav show: Just Add Magic
Fav book: Harry Potter (she's reading number 4 right now)

Fav subject: math and gym
Fav thing to do for fun: read and hang out with friends
What do you want to be when you grow up: marine biologist because it's my two loves of the ocean and animals

What are you scared of: being alone, and clowns

What would your superpower be: shapeshifting or hypnotizing people

What are 3 words to describe you: ocean, caring, flexibility

What was your favourite memory of being 11: going to Victoria and swimming in the ocean

What are you most looking forward to about being 12: going to YW camp

Mia has accomplished a lot this past year. She has moved into her 4th year of piano, and through her school music program has started learning the viola. She passed her 2/3 swim patrol levels (or jr lifeguarding as she calls it), and is contemplating skipping the last level and doing the two day Bronze Star course, which is the furthest she could go at her age, in her goal of eventually being a lifeguard. She won the citizenship award for her class at the end of the school year, for the 3rd year in a row. 
She participated in the Edmonton International Judo Tournament as a yellow belt for the first time.

She has had her first real paid babysitting job and loved it.

Not necessarily an accomplishment, but she got her tonsils out last March. Prior to her surgery she was showing me a picture she drew of what she thought would happen.

"There's my uvula, there's my teeth, there's my tonsils, and there's the telescope."

"Telescope..."

"Yeah so he can look at my tonsils"

"A telescope is what you use to see stars"

"Oh a magnifying glass then"

"Well he's taking them out, not just looking at them"

"Oh I'll just add a rope for when he yanks them out." (purposely did not explain cautery to her because there would have been no getting her into the OR after that) 

She insisted I video her if she was "loopy" and boy was she loopy. I work in the recovery room, but even I was a little unprepared for how out of it she was (especially when compared to Isaac who was totally with it). She was talking in this little baby voice, and extremely upset that her tonsils were gone. She was worried they would be lonely and kept asking if they had other tonsil friends in outer space. It took every ounce of energy to keep a somewhat straight face. She pretended to drive and honk the horn when we were wheeling back to day surgery. I waited until we were in a more private space to actually take a video, but it's one of our favourite family videos to date. She was however a pretty good recovering patient, after we got home at least. I feared she spoiled me for the next kid getting them out, hopefully in spring.

She loves the water and couldn't get enough of swimming in the ocean on our Victoria trip, this summer.

She also loves a good thrill ride and it was amazing to have her at Calaway Park to go on all the rides that I couldn't' handle with her little sisters.

She also loves animals and they love her. Our cat will often be found giving her snuggles and "hugs" where he wraps his front paws around her neck.

                                               

Mia is good at setting goals and making a plan to accomplish them. She is determined and likes to find out everything she can about something to make her plan a reality.

She is a great big sister. Lily absolutely adores her and will often go to Mia if she needs a hug or someone to play with. Mia is great at getting down on her level and coming up with games for them to play together. She was in charge of a lot of our Elf on the shelf's antics when I would work evenings.

She is the board game queen and loves to play any and all sorts of games.

She is still my pickiest eater, although I will say she is getting better at trying new foods without gagging and running to the bathroom. Chicken is definitely getting more of a foot in the door. But toast with PB and jam is a very regular meal. The last few weeks though she has so many epiphanies about foods that she loves that have surprised or unnerved her. I feel like I have failed her as a mum that she's coming to these realizations now, but also I'm like 99.999% sure that I've educated her on this before.

Exhibit A

Looking at the menu for Old Trapper and sees one of her favourite foods-mozza sticks. 
"Ooo maybe I'll get mozza sticks" Stops and looks at me with disgust on her face "Ugh it's just breaded cheese?" *I never thought I had to explain what mozza sticks were to her, but apparently I betrayed her trust by "hiding" this

Exhibit B
"Mom, I don't think I like feta cheese anymore." (Literally been eating feta cheese almost every day for like the last 4 or 5 months. Also don't ask me why my cheese hating child likes feta).
"Oh? Why?"
"Because it comes from goat milk."
"Yeah... we've had this conversation before. You knew that. So are you not eating it anymore?"
"Ugh I don't know. I hate this!!!"
Storms off to room for 30 minutes.
"Can you make me greek salad?" (Mia's version of greek salad is cucumber, feta, and dressing)
Clearly the goat milk part was not a deal breaker.

Exhibit C
Me putting sweet pickles on my burger at dinner
"Mum are pickles healthy?"
"Umm not really. They're just cucumbers in sugar and vinegar etc"
"Wait pickles are cucumbers? Like actual cucumbers?"
Stare at her for 10 seconds, because I know we've had this talk before. Probably multiple times. 
Turn the jar towards her and point to the ingredients.
"So....pickles aren't just like a thing?"

Mia is my social butterfly. She loves hanging out with her friends, and she has a really great little group of close friends with parents who don't make me be the initiating hangout parent all the time. We take turns hosting friend evenings and making time for them to hang out doing different activities. Mia is a fiercely loyal friend. She will defend her friends to the last. She is also the peacemaker who tries to smooth disagreements over, encourages inclusion, and listens to other's opinions.

Mia often makes us laugh, but more-so because of her sweet naivety and sometimes living in the clouds.

Exhibit A

About 45 minutes into watching the movie Mufasa she says "Wait, so this movie is about Mufasa?"

Exhibit B

Have to come up with countries that start with the letter "b" for a board game, and then compare answers. Mia proudly lists off "Bongolia".

Exhibit C

She signed her letter to Santa "Mia, 1st daughter, princess of Genovia". (I always tell her I got her name from Princess Diaries which was an iconic and well loved movie of my preteen/teen years)

Contrary to the above, she has also really grown and matured this year. She's willing to make the harder decision that she knows is right, instead of the easier but maybe less right choice. She is good at apologizing and owning up to her mistakes. A few months ago, she told me "Mom I'm really happy with who I am.", and it was one of the best things I have ever heard from one of my kids. 

May you always feel that way my sweet girl.