Attitude

I'm pretty sure my 7-year-old is turning 14 tomorrow.

Over the last couple of months and especially since school has started, she has so many ups and downs in a day that my head is spinning. She has not had a day go by in school where she hasn't shown major attitude. One day it will be because she can't write properly; the next it will be because her little brother gets to finish before her; the next it will be because she simply CANNOT make a sentence with the word tree, butterfly and flower. (Her sentence was A tree. A butterfly. A flower.!!!) This from a girl who has written TWO songs.

Then, she'll be the sweetest girl I could ever hope for. She hugs me regularly and tells me I'm the best mom in the whole world and that she loves me - several times a day. This from a girl who generally does not display affection even half the amount as her brother. She offered to wash my dishes tonight and did an excellent job. She carefully folded all of my towels that had been dumped on my bed, and again did a superb job of it. Unfortunately, the attitude showed up when I walked in on her doing it (she was trying to surprise me) and could not be comforted. It didn't matter how much I told her that I appreciated the job she did, all she could say was, "but mom, I wanted to surprise you!"

{{Huge sigh}}.

I cannot imagine what her teenage years will bring, but I'm sure hoping she'll have this part of them over with by then.

Ten more years of this and I'll likely have permanent residence on the fifth floor.