Kaitlyn turned 9 on Tuesday and we spent the day celebrating our firecracker of a child. We eased into the day with requested blueberry muffins, an at home manicure while watching Full House, a group effort to bake her Tres Leches cake, and a long walk with the pup.

We left late morning to start the surprises. First, we went to lunch where she was surprised to find a couple of her best friends waiting with a table. Thank goodness for virtual school days which allowed our buddies to meet us on a Tuesday; the excitement on her face was so genuine!

After lunch we all hugged goodbye… then they surprised her 5 minutes later by meeting us at Pinspiration, a creative art studio. I had booked a black light splatter paint experience and it turned out to be a HUGE hit. They cover the kids in ponchos, then they truly go into a room and throw paint, each getting to bring home the canvas they created. They had a fun playlist going and Danielle and I heard plenty of giggles and shrieks of joy. I highly recommend the experience! Afterwards they decorated cupcakes, indulged, then parted ways for real.

Back at home, H had put together a scavenger hunt for her to go on, culminating in finding her gifts, though she had to wait until Dad got home later to open them. Luckily another bestie came over, with a thoughtful gift in hand, ready to play for an hour or so until Kaitlyn had to change for TKD. They have a tradition at TKD that if you train on your birthday and they find out it’s your birthday that the whole school sings to you. K insisted she did not want this to happen, but then beamed like a bright star when it did.

Back home I made her requested dinner (Applegate corndogs and French fries- easy peasy) and David got home about that time so she dived right into presents, then cake. This tres leches cake is quickly becoming a family favorite. It’s SO good; highly recommend.

Then we stayed up too late letting her play with her guitar, setting up her computer, and trying out her new oil pastels and 3d pen refills. The house was a mess but it made me smile to see her so lit up. She’s not always an easy one to please and we’ve worked a lot of cultivating gratitude, so to see her truly overcome with pure happiness was really neat. She sighed big at one point and said “this has just been the most wonderful day.”

It sounds crazy that my baby girl is entering her last year in the single digits (double digits is a big deal around here) but gosh am I enjoying the ride of watching her grow. She’s very much the baby of the family and probably gets away with more than she should because of it.

Kaitlyn is a true firecracker. There is no one more charming and magnetic than her when she’s in a good mood, yet she can portray the must dramatic, moody tweenager vibe when she’s not. She has big emotions that she’s learning to better understand and control them as time ticks by.

Her love language must be physical touch because this girl loves to snuggle, cuddle, hug and be touching at all times. She’s a mama’s girl and is always holding my hand when we’re out and asks to cuddle during movies; I’m soaking it all up while I’m still the one she wants to cuddle.

She is really into her TKD and has her mindset on earning her black belt. She enjoys soccer and has quite a good singing voice when she focuses on leaving the excess bravado out of it. She also really enjoys fashion and make up (though she knows she isn’t allowed to wear it out). A day spent shopping at a mall would absolute delight her.

She’s funny and smart as a whip. Math and science come naturally to her and she can rattle off human body facts with ease and mentally compute numbers in her head. She isn’t one to grab a book on her own, but the girl will listen to hourssss of audiobooks, happy as a clam.

Things she loves right now: her yoto player, her 3d pen, Finley, cooking and baking, learning about the human body, swimming for fun (not swim team), fashion and make up and jewelry, experiments, mom reading to her at night, pushing limits, singing, challenges and riddles, corndogs, mac ‘n cheese, cinnamon raisin bagels, dried mango, spaghetti, and anything SWEET.

Kaitlyn has humbled me as a mom yet brought unimaginable joy. I’m so grateful and proud to be her mom and look forward to all the fun this new age will bring. Happy birthday, Goose; we love you so!