Dear Kannamma
You are now a brand new teenager! Can you believe it?
While you have grown drastically in height and are no longer the tiniest in class and of course you are a young lady who is now wearing my clothes, the spirited giggle, the adamant resilience, the obstinate commitment to fun first and the overcrowded teeth tell a charmingly different story altogether! :)
We had a great busy summer this time. Once back from Greece, the last term of school was not great - in the sense that somebody whom you thought was a close friend, turned out to be a huge disappointment. You took it in your stride, faced it head on and indomitably took on the head of your form staunchly defending your truth. You class teacher and the school counsellor were very clear how much they admired you for the same. You did it politely but firmly. You simply had no fear.
The other friends were too scared to support you outright as this 'friend' had mental health issues, but you took our advice not to take it to heart but continue to be friendly with them. A very important life lesson that would serve you particularly well in corporate life. But, I must say you handled it much better than I would have. I may have done the same things you did but back at home, I would have sobbed my heart out. But you stood strong there and you stood strong at home. You were practical and better at slowly but surely regulating your emotions regarding the whole sordid but beyond silly affair.
A new update on the above. This year, despite all the drama that happened before the holidays and the rift before the holidays, you said 'hi' and initiated a conversation with the 'friend' when you met after the hols. I would have never done that and have never done it. She would have been banished from my life forever. But you said life was too short and you would rather not hold grudges but just be a bit extra careful with said girl. One more aspect where you are just like your dad.
Despite all this and more, you prepared for your exams all by yourself, wanting to try complete independence, had a wonderful Snowd*nia school trip and came back to sterling results. Very good for your first step towards independence.
You also managed to, for fun, memorise the periodic table in its entirely during these hols!
We have now moved to a flat while our house is being renovated and you have adjusted with coco reasonably well.
We have raging arguments still as the more I control, the more fiercely independent you are. You give wonderful shoulder and neck and leg massages to Daddy and I, whenever we are tired.
You would not do things out of the way on your own yet, but if we ask - you will help us with anything and everything. You are slowly learning to observe and do things even when we do not ask. But given that you are an only child, I think we need to ask more of you to develop this more in you.
With all the shifting, lifting and the daily building site visits, my back pain and daddy's leg pain were stessing us out and on the eve of your birthday we went into a raging argument while decorating the place. You stepped in firmly between us, told us off , asked us to 'stop going on about silly things, while other couples have bigger reasons to fight -fighting because of chores is very silly of you two!'. We did stop as what you said made us realise, it was the stress that was affecting us and not any real reason to blame each other.
As usual, you and Coco have made friends with neighbours here as well and you have them cake and all of them very sweetly gave you gifts and cards.
Y uncle came as is his usual practice and the wishes from so many people made us realise how social you are and how very much the grown ups are fond of you. Most of your friends changed their status to 'Rrulez' which was kind of sweet!
You topped in religious studies, English, history and maths. Very good scores in science and Spanish but can do with topping :) Especially given your passion is science. It is the graphs that always seem to trip you up!
Grade 5 in singing is what you are working towards. Keyboard classes only to supplement the singing. Still fascinated with Katniss and very interested in medical dramas. Still Social, still cheery, still funny and for me, mind bogglingly still marching to your and only your own beat.
But you still give us a lot of hugs and kisses, call out 'love you' ten times a day and still get thrilled with Pizza, pasta and chocolate milkshake! Some things never change da kuttyma!
Love you kannamma and may you have the very best in life and may you give the very best to life!
Love you to the moon and back
Amma
