Rory is 8

I've had these lists for the kids running in my head for several months now, and I decided I better get them down on virtual paper or the details will be forever lost in the vast emptiness that is my brain these days.

So. Rory is 8.
(this is not her birthday - just Rory as an 8 year old)

She sings with complete abandon and lack of self-consciousness. It's sweet (albeit more than a tad off-key), and I know this stage will end sooner rather than later.

No matter how grouchy she might be each morning when I get her up and stick her in the shower . . . as soon as the water hits, she starts singing. Same with the blow dryer (which she's done ever since she was tiny) - as soon as the air hits her hair, she starts singing.

And speaking of blow dryers, she is at the stage where she HATES the 5-10 minutes it takes me to blow dry her hair (which I do not do every day, by the way).

She is a giggler. A , serious, infectious giggler.

She's always had such a tender heart. I have to say that recently, it's not been as tender. My cold heart is probably to blame for that.

She writes notes on post-it notes and leaves them all over the place. She especially loves to do this when I'm on the phone.

She's just not sure what she likes to do, how to spend her time, to eat, etc. This seems to be typical of a second child - pulled toward what Camden prefers without strong preferences of her own.

She is a people pleaser, a mama-pleaser in particular.

She is a care-taker with a sweet heart. She loves to "help" me out with anything that might make me feel better when I'm sick.

She is independent. Or wants to be in the worst way.

She wants to stand out in that particularly desperate way some girls have. I think her teen years might be interesting.

Her feelings are hurt very easily. I would like to say that this has made me softer. In fact, it's made me try to make her tougher, and I don't think I'm very proud of that.

She loves to perform for us, whether it's singing, dancing, exercising, etc. She performs, and then she poots. Because she is forever full of gas.

She cannot be bothered with little details like using correct words. She will substitute one word for another and think nothing of it. I used to think that something might be, well, wrong. I'm pretty sure that she just can't be bothered.

Her room is a constant disaster. About a year ago, I cleaned out approximately 75% of everything she owned and put it in the garage and told her she could earn it back when she could keep the rest of her room clean. It's still in the garage.

She is an incredibly expressive reader - she LOVES to read out loud.

Today marks 7 years home with her forever family.

I love her.

These photos from Saturday are also serving as my Week 8/52: Perspective.