Ten!

Della turned 10 a few weeks ago, and I can’t believe she’s in double digits! I always say it, but since we’ve had kids, to me it doesn’t feel like time has flown or stood still. It feels like it’s gone just right. Yes, I can remember the day she was born like it was yesterday, but it doesn’t feel like it was yesterday. It feels like we have known her for 10 years.

She is an absolute dream. (Sidenote: For some reason, it just dawned on me that I think I used to write these age update posts in the first person, like I was talking to each of the kids. Or the direct voice? Whatever that’s called. Geez, I’m embarrassing myself as an editor here. But anyway, I like this descriptive tone better, so I’m sticking with it.) She has a humongous heart, and we could not have ordered a better oldest sibling for the rest of our brood. She cares like a mother, and she takes care of the other 4 without even being asked.

She has become quite the chef! I keep telling her I love to see this, because I have never ever liked to cook, especially as young as the big 3 are. She can make a full meal, dessert and all. They get a monthly kids’ cooking box from America’s Test Kitchen Kids, and she’s all about it. Just the other night she made pan-seared brined chicken breasts with a chimichurri sauce (Morrison got to help with the sauce), chocolate semifreddo for dessert, and Lana made salted green beans with a lemon dressing and zucchini muffins. We were so impressed, because not only did they do it all themselves but it was delicious!

She’s definitely looking forward to 5th grade this year, and I just really, really hope she gets to spend some of it back in the building since it’s her last year at their elementary school. We’re starting the big 3 at home virtually for the first quarter of this school year, so I can see how everything pans out with COVID-19. If everyone stays healthy and properly distanced and school stays open, we will all be happy for them to go back to the classrooms with their teachers and friends. There’s just no way I want them to be the guinea pigs for it all. Plus, if one of us catches this miserable virus, we don’t have an extra room for quarantining! None of them relished the thought of spending 2 weeks alone in the basement. 😉

She picked up the 4th Harry Potter book again at the beginning of summer, then blew through the rest of the series within a matter of weeks. She loved it! Now we get to work through the movies, which I’m loving, too. I had only watched up through the 3rd one, so I’m enjoying them as much as she is. Math isn’t quite as high on her enjoyment list as reading is, but that’s not exactly surprising. She still loves to ride her bike, play outside, read in her new pod that hangs from the swingset, and play with friends. She’s starting to get to the point where she doesn’t want to play what Lana and Morrison are playing all the time, which makes them and me sad – I don’t want them all to grow up! But every now and then she joins right back in, which they adore. Especially now that she’s read all the Harry Potter books, their trio is back together more often.

Happy 10th birthday, our incredible Della Jolee! You gave me the surprise of a lifetime the day you were born, 8 days early, and my love for you has grown ever since. You are a fantastic kid, peanut, and I know life has wonderful things in store for you. We love you so much!!