Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Miss Mikayla

So today is Mikayla's turn.

She is 11 going on 20. It's a little scary as she grows up. I am never prepared when she reaches new milestones...we probably never are for our eldest kids. I mean this year she enters the Young Women's Program at Church and I KNOW I am NOT ready for that!

She is amazing. She is the most responsible young woman EVER. She is really helpful and good with the others kids.

A lot of people ask if she is the second mother at home, and I am quick to point out that Emma is actually the our second little mother. Mikayla, on the other hand, is the BOSS. Mikayla will make sure that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing, while Emma will make sure that you are okay while you're doing it.

Mikayla is somewhat of a perfectionist and she is really hard on herself when she makes mistakes. I feel badly about this because I know it comes from the mistakes that I have made as her mother. Why we are so hard on our eldest children, I will never know. And having been an eldest child, it makes me feel even worse!

But as I have become aware of my shortcomings as a mother, and especially as I have had more children, I have tried to let the little things go, and reassure Mikayla that it is pefectly okay to make mistakes...I do it ALL the time!

Mikayla is very talented and she loves art and music, and pretty much anything creative.

She is also really smart, but more than that, she is an incredibly hard worker. I think that her dedication will take her farther than her mind alone ever could.

She is right at that age where everything we do as parents embarasses her. I try to be somewhat sensitive to this, but Troy lives to embarass her...I guess every Dad feels like it's his personal responsiblity to bring a little embarassment to his children. Oh well.

I feel really lucky to have Mikayla as my daughter. She really has so much confidence, and a real sense of self that even now I wish I had. She is prefectly happy being who she is, and I think that's a gift.

A funny Mikayla story is from when she was about five or six. Troy was telling her about how his brothers used to tease him when he was a little boy. He told her about how one time they made him wear a striped blouse and a polka dotted skirt. He was trying to tell her how embarassed he was to be wearing women's clothing, when she stopped his story just horrified and asked, "You mean, they made you wear stripes and polka dots at the same time?" Her fashion sense has always been impeccable (which is much more than I can say for her dad).

She really is just such a good girl and I am proud to have her in our family.

6 comments:

Sarah said...

Mikayla is the best! I always loved having her in my Primary class. Not only did she almost always know the answers, but she wasn't afraid to tell the others they were wrong, ha ha!

Kimber said...

As Bronson approached his teenage years, I was terrified! However, this stage has its own wonders and it sounds as if Mikayla already has a good head on her shoulders - which will make the ride on your end a little easier :)

Kirsten said...

Mikayla is amazing! Hard to believe she is ONLY going to be 12 this year. So much more mature than that. She is one that makes the adage that girls mature faster than boys so very very true.

The Valentine Fam said...

What a beautiful girl...inside and out!

Robin said...

She sounds just like you Denise. You really are so lucky!

Amy said...

Two peas in a pod- her and Hannah. I hope she gets to come this summer- I might as well plan my own vacation and leave Hannah and Mikayla in charge!

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