Aubree Turns 9

Lookie what I found in my drafts folder!  Oops. (When I put it like that, it sounds like this is a fluke draft that somehow got overlooked.  The truth is that I have about 12 posts in various states of "draft" mode... many are from way before I got pregnant, which takes away my #1 excuse.)

Anyway... many, many months ago, Aubree had her ninth birthday.  I don't remember too much about the actual day (which is obviously why it's better to write immediately), but I do recall that she chose to go out to eat at Old Country Buffet (for the rolls and the Icees).  

Mark made her the now-traditional yearly CD mix, which was a huge hit.  

At age 9, Aubree is a very busy girl.  She's still playing violin, does Activity Days at church, has weekly Destination Imagination meetings, participates in the honor choir at school, and is currently playing basketball (at the requirement of her mother).  All of that means that we don't see her as often as we'd like, but she loves being busy and being involved in all things social.  

Speaking of social, Aubree loves going to school.  Her favorite part (by far) is recess, when she gets to play with her friends (check out her blog for more details of these great friends...it's private, so send me an email if you need an invite).  These girls still spend the majority of their time in elaborate imaginative games.  Aubree tries to explain some of the details of their make-believe worlds to me, but I have a difficult time keeping track of the complexities.

Aubree still adores babies, and even though Graham is no longer a baby, they are still great buddies. It's fun to hear him yell, "Au-BREE, Au-BREE, Au-BREE!" whenever she gets home from school. 

 

And no shocker here... Aubree still reads like a maniac.  She's trying to win a contest at school to see who reads the most pages over the course of the year.  As a third grader last year, she placed in the top four.  This year she's determined to win the top prize - a new bike.  She's read well over 53,000 pages since June.

Aubree is a joy, and we are so glad she's in our family.  She sets a great example for her three younger brothers (and her two parents).  As you might guess, she's really hoping the new baby is a sister. :)