Stuck in the middle...

with her makes the middle just right.

Today Delaney is 12!  D is a middle child, as am I. Now, in a blended family, everyone seems to be a middle child. Delaney isn't the oldest of either family, or the youngest. Nor is she the oldest or youngest girl on either side. She's squarely, wonderfully a middle child. And she makes it look good. Being in the middle means you're never too far ahead or too far behind. You're also never alone.

Delaney is at the age where everything about her seems to be changing. She's grown so much in the past year, she's almost as tall as I am. She's, of course, beautiful and funny and bright. When she was little, she was our big headed baby. She was plump and soft and quick to laugh. When she was two, she'd wake in the middle of the night and make rooster noises... "doodle doooo!". The first word she said with us, besides the normal "dada" "mama" was "Stacie", her aunt's name. The girl could empty an entire cabinet in seconds. She was under and over and on all the time.

She's an animal lover and has always been somewhat fearless. She will try any food, but prefers spaghetti to most things. She will absolutely do anything for you. She's the kid that, if you ask her to find something, will look until it's found. If you need her to do something, you can ask her and there's no argument or whining. She will just do it. She thinks ahead about what she can do to help and how she can make things easier for us. At age 12, "thoughtful" isn't a word you usually associate with girls, but our girl just is.

Delaney is part tom-boy, part cheerleader. She splashes through mud puddles and loves to compete.  She has started to worry about whether this goes with that. She's starting to be less pony-tail and more "Shannon will you do my hair?"  However, she's still basically a jeans and t-shirt girl.

She will be the one making up games for the little kids or telling stories or leading an adventure through the backyard. She's patient beyond her years with her little brothers and sister.  She somehow seems to know everything that is going on at all times. I tease that she's either going to be a lawyer or a gossip columnist. She forgets nothing, but holds nothing against you. She's forgiving and a peacemaker. She's kind and can make friends quickly. She's slightly jealous and somewhat nosey. She's cuddly and loving. She's a hugger and an eye-roller. When she sets her mouth a certain way, you know something is up. The good thing is, she doesn't keep secrets well and you'll know quickly what that something is.

Delaney doesn't disappoint. You always can count on her to act a certain way and do certain things. That's refreshing and terrifying all at once. When she's headed for trouble, you can't stop her. The flip side of that is, when she's doing the right things, you can't stop that either. She's is daring and brave and funny and silly and trying and striving. She's is exactly what a 12 year old girl should be. A lot of sugar and just enough spice.

One more year until we slap the word 'teen' on her. I believe that as she approaches those years, Delaney's big soft heart, her easy-going attitude and her kindness will make those years not quite heaven or hell... perhaps she'll be somewhere in the middle.

I love you, I love you, I love you, I do...
but don't get excited, I love monkeys, too.