Rooney is 11!

Happy 11th birthday (a month late) to my Rooney, Roo, Rooster, Rutabaga! Eric and I took her out for lunch on her special day and I basically just stared at her and smiled the entire time because having a daughter like her is like winning the lottery.

ROONEY IS …

  • A quiet leader

  • Responsible

  • Involved in church, softball, volleyball, choir, band and hip hop dance

  • A great student

When I look at her, I see my baby girl and a beautiful preteen who is figuring out who she is. As we continue to approach the teenage years, I am so thankful for my therapist. (Funny, not funny.) He has helped me understand that kids today are growing up in a completely different world than the one in which we grew up, and his guidance has been invaluable. I know we won’t parent perfectly, but we are trying to get it right and learning as we go. There are many times she wants independence, but we are joyfully saying “yes” every time she asks to sleep in our bed or watch “Gilmore Girls.”

Most people comment on her height — she is already 5’3.5”! She does math problems for fun. The way to her heart is buying her a meatball sub or Dunkin Donuts. She begs to have a dog. She loves cleaning toilets (yes, I’m serious). We wear the same size shoes. When she is trying to decide something, she will ask “What would you do?” She is responsible to get herself to school on time (via bus or bike), remember which days she needs her band instrument, and the few times she’s had homework, she does it first thing when she gets home. Over the past year she advocated for a later bedtime, found out that Santa isn’t real, learned how to play the flute, and got into “Harry Potter.” She also mastered the sturdy dance and loves doing handshakes and clapping games.

INTERVIEW

I ask her the same questions every year, and it’s fun to see which of her answers change and which stay consistent each year.

  • Grade in school: fifth grade

  • Favorite color: sonic pink

  • Favorite fruit: watermelon

  • Favorite movie: “Matilda the Musical”

  • Favorite food: crab rangoon

  • Favorite board game: LIFE

  • Favorite animal: zebra

  • Favorite candy: Reese’s peanut butter cups

  • Favorite restaurant: Big Açaí

  • If you could change one family rule, what would it be? cleaning up messes

  • Favorite trip you’ve ever been on: Orlando, Florida

  • Favorite song: “You Belong to Me” by Taylor Swift

  • Favorite book: ”Front Desk”

  • Best friends: Brooke, Ollie, Kate, Eva & Sophie

  • Favorite drink: lemonade

  • What you want to be when you grow up? interior designer

  • What’s something you want to learn? organization skills

  • What are you looking forward to about being 11? going to Wisconsin and Colorado and middle school

  • Favorite vegetable: celery

  • What are you scared of? dementors

  • Favorite chore: laundry as long as I don’t have to fold it

  • Least favorite chore: loading and unloading the dishwasher

  • Favorite subject at school: math

  • Bedtime: 9:00 pm

  • Shoe size: 9-9.5

  • Favorite thing to do with mom: watching “Gilmore Girls”

  • Favorite thing to do with dad: playing sports

  • Favorite thing to do with Finch: playing Roblox

  • Favorite nickname: Roo

  • What do you want for your birthday? Apple watch, Athleta clothes, clay beads

  • What are you good at? jumping, math, softball, volleyball

  • How many loose teeth do you have? 4

  • Favorite TV shows: “Gilmore Girls,” “The BabySitters Club” & “Total Drama”

  • Favorite sport to play: softball

  • Favorite sports to watch: football, basketball, soccer, volleyball & softball

motherhoodkelsey williamsrooneyComment