Annual birthday interview with Ada

Ada, playing "big sis" to Lucinda

Every year I interview my kids on their birthdays. Here's Ada's 8 year interview. I've included last year's answers, but there are plenty more in the archives.

What's your favorite color? Blue and turquoise. Last year: Teal

Your favorite animal? I just loved pigs. Last year: Pig

TV show? Do I have to choose a TV show or can it be a movie? I really like American Girl movies. Last year: LEGO Friends and Littlest Pet Shop

What's your favorite toy? Definitely dolls. American Girl dolls and Our Generation. Last year: LEGO!

What's your favorite book? American Girl books. I just love them. I've been reading a lot lately. Last year: The Best Birthday Party Ever, Just Grace, Ivy and Bean and Junie B. Jones

Do you have a favorite song? I actually don't, but thank you for asking. Last year: No.

What's your favorite thing to wear? Dresses, I definitely like dresses. I also like comfortable shorts, but I like dresses the most. Last year: Shirt and shorts or DRESSES!

What's your favorite sport? Soccer. I play soccer and I'm glad I'm sticking with it. Last year: Soccer.

What's your favorite restaurant? It depends. If I'm eating pizza it is probably Salernos. If I'm having ice cream it's either Oberweis or Brown Cow. Last year: Salernos.

Your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Pancakes. Totally pancakes. Especially those flapjacks you made, Mom. I love puffy pancakes. 

Your favorite cereal? I love Golden Grahams but we don't get them very often. I also really like Cheerios, but only with peanut butter. Last year: Corn flakes.

Your favorite food? Dessert. Totally dessert. And pasta. Last year: What kind of food? Food or desserts? I'd pick any dessert. And pasta.

What's the best part of school? Since I'm not counting recess, let's say…hmmm…art. And music. And if it's a real class, then reading. I really like reading, music and art. Last year: Recess.

Who are your best friends? Jessica, Bella, Ami and Sylvia. Last year: Jessica and Amelia.

Where would you like to go on vacation this year? Hawaii, Disney World and… let's see. How about Australia?Possibly we could go to China? And I could wear my Chinese earrings. Last year: Colorado, again. I loved it so much.

What do you want to be when you grow up? An illustrator. If not an illustrator than an art teacher. Anything art. Last year: An illustrator or artist. Well, they're the same thing.

Where do you want to live when you grow up? If I could be anywhere, I'd choose somewhere away from tornado alley and hurricanes. This is really hard to decide. Maybe where my grandparents live. More Virginia though. Last year: Here.

Do you plan to have children? Yes, I plan to have two. They're both going to be girls, I hope. And I'm going to name them…Alexis and Ella. Last year: [Holds up two fingers.]

Will you have pets? Yes, I'll have a cat. Maybe not a cat but a guinea pig. Not a dog…too much work! My children might have a frog. It depends if I get one. Last year: [Holds up one finger] Cat.

If you could change your name, what would you pick? Ellie or mostly I like Ada. Last year: Violet.

What do you love about Mommy? I love that she cuddles with me. And when she brings me to the American Girl Doll store. Last year: That she smells good and she's very cuddly.

What do you love about Daddy? He's a big goon. He's funny. And he plays with me in the pool. Last year: That he cleans things up for me.

What do you love about your sister? Recently she's been playing dolls with me. Last year: This is very hard…I know! That she does what I want.

What would you like to do when you’re 8 years old? Go to the American Girll Doll store. And enjoy being 8. And go to Maggie Daley again, for the third time. Last year: I want that Zoe takes me to get ice cream ALONE!

Do you have a birthday wish? Yes, but I can't tell it because that would be giving away my wish. Last year: I can't tell it to you because that's going to break my wish.

What else do you want me to know? I hope one day I'll be better at a cartwheel. Maybe someday I'll get supplies for dolls. The instrument that I play is piano. Oscar is a really nice cat. He never gets mad.

Happy 8th Birthday, Ada

Dear Ada,
I haven't updated my blog in over 6 months, but I couldn't let your birthday slip by without notice. This year you started and finished 2nd grade. You got glasses and quickly needed a new, stronger prescription. You're one of the shortest kids in your grade and skinny, with increasingly long wavy brown hair and those big dark brown eyes you've always had. Both fashionable and practical, you wear Converse low tops every day and never wear a skirt or dress without shorts underneath.

You started reading chapter books for fun and most mornings I emerge from the shower to find you plowing through an American Girl book in bed. You're still an early riser for the most part, but you'll sleep in after a late night out and you no longer show up at my bedside at 6am. For that, your Dad and I thank you.

On stage

Your interests have become very focused. You enjoy soccer and improved a lot while playing AYSO. You love musical theater and had the time of your life at Actor's Garden summer camp. You take piano and voice lessons and listening to you sing and play is genuinely enjoyable. At home, you spend hours in your room, dressing and playing with your dolls and begging your sister to play with you. You also like LEGO and art a lot, but you've spent less time on self-directed arts and crafts projects than in previous years. Now you're more apt to try something you've learned from a friend or YouTube video.

Helping at a work event

Your infamous temper took a turn for the better about halfway through this year. I don't know if it was your maturity or my taking a different, more empathetic approach to your frequent frustrations, but you're more likely to pout or burst into sad tears than throw a door-slamming, "I hate you and I want to run away" tantrum. And good Lord, when Zoe decides to hang out with you, you're a complete angel. (But when she doesn't want your company or spends too much time doing what you deem to be "teenager-y stuff," look out!) Some evenings you'll admit that you don't know why you're feeling upset, you just are. Letting you feel your feelings with a promise that tomorrow offers a new start is usually all you need. Well, that and a cuddle. You're still a very affectionate kid.

Perhaps its because your own emotions run so hot and cold, but you're increasingly empathetic and have a good understanding of others' motivations and feelings. Maybe that's why you've taken to acting?

Moving up to a bigger, faster bike

We celebrated your birthday today with pancakes at breakfast. You got to be the star at day camp, and after camp you, Zoe and I went downtown to the American Girl Place with the new doll your Grandma bought you, "Grace." There you and your sister spend 2 hours fingering the goods and deciding how to spend your birthday money. We finished the evening at the Mity Nice Grill downstairs and you and sister both marveled at what a perfect outing it had been, thanking me profusely.

Thank you, Ada, for being you.

7th Birthday Letter
6th Birthday Letter
5th Birthday Letter
4th Birthday Letter
3rd Birthday Letter
2nd Birthday Letter
1st Birthday Letter