Glitches, Hitches & Life with the Nishes: July 2026

Our third kid to hit double digits, and I'm not sure I'm okay with more than half my kids being on the second half of their childhood. The reality catches me off guard lately, and I hate that everyone says the years go fast is right. Maybe it's because the memory of all the negative is overshadowed by the positive. At least that's what I'd like to think.

Scarlett celebrated her birthday with her friends in May, so we could catch everyone before they left for summer holidays. She had a pool party with her friends at the indoor pool, and then cupcakes afterward.

For her actual birthday she had a full day lined up. She started with crepes for breakfast, a massage, then we did our yearly mom and daughter pedicure. After Granny took her to lunch at the mall, and then she had a friend's birthday party for that afternoon. Once she was home, we opened presents, then went for dinner at Old Trapper (the kids most favourite place for family dinner). The night ended with her *current* favourite movie Hoppers.

Bday interview
Favourite colour: red (this is a new development, and more specifically she likes scarlet red)
Favourite animal: flamingo

Favourite movie: Hoppers

Favourite book: Judy Moody

Favourite food: peach

Favourite subject in school: science

Favourite thing to do for fun: play with Brooklyn and Lily

What would your super power be: flying

Describe yourself in 3 words: pretty, funny, creative

What do you want to be when you grow up: a surgeon

What was best thing about being 9: I didn't have to do my sheets (meaning changing the sheets on her bed. Once they are 10 that job gets taken off my list and added to theirs... almost like a present to myself. And they wouldn't have a birthday without me so...)

What are you most excited for about being 10: grade 5

This year Scarlett continued her violin lessons. We played Away in a Manger for our first violin/piano duet for our church Stake Music Festival. She asked if she could play something for Christmas at church, and as the music festival had just been announced, I thought that was what she was referring to, so I volunteered us. Later I found out she had meant to play at our small church Christmas party, not this larger performance, so she was a little intimidated, but was a good sport and one of the youngest performers there.

She played "We don't talk about Bruno" for her winter recital (link https://youtu.be/nbS_xkGj_mg?si=xlm1FveVWDqLyowz), and the piece, while fun, was quite challenging with lots of notes and tricky timing. She had more than one moment of self doubt and tears, but she persevered. Her and an older student played it as a duet, and I was absolutely beaming with pride as she swallowed her nerves and played, in sync with her advanced partner, one of the best versions she had ever played. Every time they got to a part that had previously been tricky, I would subconsciously hold my breath, but then with a sigh of relief let it out, as the notes just seemed to flow easily. She also won the award for the top practicer, having practiced more days than any other violin student. I feel like I should get as much credit for this award as her haha.

She also fully committed herself to judo and earned her yellow belt, which had been a goal for her. I had the privilege of watching her in a fight to the end, where each kid is paired up and fights. The winner of each pairing stays on and then finds a new partner to fight. This continues until there is only one pair left. Scarlett made it to the final pairing, but up against a boy nearly twice her weight and taller than her. I fully expected her to lose, but with a little maneuvering and pure grit she landed that boy on his back.

She is also a great mini coach to Lily, who just started judo this year.

Scarlett is still our "tiny little", a nickname with she thoroughly embraces. But it really only refers to her physical size, because there is nothing tiny little about her personality.

This girl has a sharp mind and even sharper tongue, with a quick wit and ability infuse more sass than should be legal into any response. Sometimes we refer to her as our cactus or pineapple. She can be a little prickly! She is a master negotiator. And not much gets past her. She is often explaining things to the other kids, even her older sister. Once I was telling the kids I didn't want them listening to a certain song because it was about two people "hooking up". Mia looks at me and says "hook up like a fish?". Scarlett side eyes her and says "not that kind of hook up Mia".

Another time, my mum had sent me a video of a dad asking his daughter "If you were blind, how would you ask for a sandwich". The girl proceeds to do all kind of charades and gestures not realizing for quite a long time that she can still speak if she is blind.

I decided to try this experiment with Mia and Scarlett. Mia immediately began to think of an action to do, and I was in fits of laughter. She did catch on pretty quick, but I was curious to see how Scarlett would respond. Scarlett was much less entertaining. After I asked her the question, she repeated it once, gave me a look like "why are you asking me such a dumb question?", and said "Can I have a sandwich?" with only a hint of sarcasm.

She is the leader of the "little girls". Isaac and Mia being referred to as "the big kids". I don't know if she'll ever graduate to a "big kid" to be honest. Maybe when she's a teenager.

But I digress.

Scarlett likes to be the boss of whatever is going on, whether she is actually needs involved or not. Most of their make believe games are her brainchild. And she does not take kindly to people who try and usurp her authority.

She is quite the social butterfly, and takes every opportunity she can to be with her friends.

She loves a good photo op and is always asking for me to take pictures of her. She will happily dress up in costume, and loves theme days at school. (Picture from the day they were supposed to dress up like a titanic passenger, after studying it in school).

She has no problem with striking a silly pose or making a weird face to capture on camera.

She is a mostly unpicky eater with a huge love for fruit, candy, chicken, and most recently ramen. She doesn't like pizza unless it's on naan bread or homemade mac and cheese, so she has however essentially halved the number of meals every one will eat. She will order poutine at every restaurant that offers it. She and B are my best meat eaters

She has become very conscious about her personal grooming habits this year, and you will not get her to leave the house without a perfectly trendy outfit, with matching accessories, hair in perfect order (good thing she doesn't have the curls of her sisters), and sometimes mascara or lipstick to match. Her class did swimming lessons this year, and I volunteered for one of the days. After lessons, when we are rushing the kids to change, she walks out of her change room with a little hair towel wrapped around her bed, pulls out her brush and leave in conditioner, and proceeds to do her hair like she is at the salon instead of trying to catch the bus leaving the pool.

She is also very opinionated about my fashion sense (or lack thereof). Her comment on a sleeveless dress I was asking her opinion on was "it's nice, but what's with the shoulders?" or on a different occasion "Why do your shoulders look like that? They look like a man." (I fully embrace by football shoulders btw). Another time I was in denim shorts, and a Harry Potter graphic tee. She asked me "why are you dressed so fancy?" (Guess you know how much I dress up).

She enjoys reading, especially scripture stories, and has a book of scripture stories by her bed that she reads every night. It even goes with her on sleepovers, because it helps her fall asleep. We are reading our last Judy Moody book together (#16!). I think the plan is to move on to Dragon Girls next.

She also loves her animals, any arts and crafts, helping in the kitchen, and being outside. Her sense of adventure used to live on the tame side, but she's breaking out of her comfort zone more and more to try new things.

Still very much a mama's girl, she bids me goodnight every night with a "kiss mummy, mummy kiss?". But her dad has been working on softening her up to be more of a daddy's girl. When Gordon goes out of town, instead of me getting a nice king bed all to myself, Scarlett insists on taking his place.

She makes us laugh with her dry humour and candor.

Gordon was patching and filling the many holes in our walls from the kids antics, before our exchange student from France arrived the following week. Scarlett asked me why Gordon was doing that.

My reply was "because we don't want it to look like a bunch of feral children live here when Arthur comes".
Instead of indignation or denial she responds with "but they do live here".

Yes, yes they do.

Another time we were playing charades using a clue generator, and the clue was "giving blood". After Scarlett reenacted a vampire scene, I explained to her about donating blood and how I used to do it when we lived in Edmonton. Her response "Oh. That's why you're so pale."

Scarlett likes to play board games, and will sometimes put her own twist on them. I once overheard her and Mia playing Guess Who, but instead of the normal questions like "does your person have blue eyes?", it was "does your person look like they went to jail?", or "does your person look like they broke up with someone?"

She is one of the most creative people you will meet. She is constantly inventing things- imaginary games, worlds, people. She can turn any toy into 5 other toys to suit whatever purpose it needs to. The girls collectively have a giant bin full of barbies, and she knows every single one's name (they all have names).