7 years old

Every year it surprises me that the kids are a year older.  I'm not sure I'll ever get used to it.  Keeley is doing exceptionally well right now.  She has really come into her own lately and has become more assertive and more interested in her own things.  We constantly bump heads about how much technology she is allowed. She loves to be read to but doesn't enjoy reading on her own nearly as much.  She often retreats to her room (or closet) to play for 30 minutes to an hour by herself.  Her room is still covered in all things related to her multiple babies that she cares for.  I've enjoyed watching her become more interested in accessories this year - shoes/purses/hair accessories.  She watches the other kids at school and then decides what she wants for herself.  She is still incredibly unique in that way :)  Her favorite color is still purple.  All 8 of her front teeth are now adult teeth and she's stopped having to wear glasses which makes her seem so much older to me.  At school she is obsessed with research and has done several projects through out the year where she has had to do a significant amount of research.

Her 7 year appointment went well except for her height.  The doctor is concerned that she's not grown as much as most kids do between 6 and 7 (two inches instead of three).  At the appointment the doctor did some labs (one of which was a blood draw....Keeley was not a happy camper because she thought she was all done with "hurting" appointments until 11). All the labs and an x-ray we got came back fine so we are still trying to decide if we'll get into an endocrinologist or wait a few months to see if she hits a growth spurt. Another medical related issue we've been dealing with is asthma.  We've had several bouts of wheezing and now have a couple of different inhalers.

Stats from her visit:
* Weight - 46.5 lbs- 30.8% (She's still bitsy and a selective eater but she did gain 6 lbs this year!)
* Height - 46.5 inches - 26.66%

She is a fantastic big sister and plays well with both her siblings.  This year she has started to want some more distance from them and that has caused a few rough patches but I think that is totally developmentally appropriate.  So frequently I look at her and see me....with her schedules and routines and need for planning.  She is such a sweet kid with a loving spirit.