Why I Love Living With a 9 Year Old.

Of course there are NUMEROUS reasons why I love living with Michaela, and her latest report card says it best: "It is delightful to see the energy, enthusiasm, and creativity that Michaela possesses." Amen, Ms. L, amen. That's my Mimi in a nutshell. But in this particular case, I was in a bit of a jam: I was looking for a stack of Toys R Us gift cards that all three children had saved up from various birthdays and holidays that were going towards new toys for Alec and a motorized scooter for the girls. I was heading to Toys R Us yesterday and wanted to use some of Alec's for a new water table and some outdoor toys to play with this summer. You know, IF summer, or warmth, or sunshine actually ever comes again to the Northeast. And I couldn't find them. I looked in the first five or so logical places and found nothing. I was starting to panic and plan my all-out destruction of the house to find them in time for the girls to get their scooter this spring. I even looked a little in Michaela's room, thinking that she may have felt a sense of ownership over them and had put them in a drawer in her room. Nothing. So after dinner, as I was driving the girls to choir practice, I ever so lightly-and-casually-as-to-not-arouse-suspicion-or- panic said, "Hey Michaela... do you happen to have the Toys R Us gift cards?" "Hmmm... I don't have them, but I feel like I just saw them... Oooh! I know!" And she reaches forward and opens up the glove compartment of the car. And there they all are. "I was looking for a pen the other day and opened this up and thought it was weird that they were in here," says Michaela. "I could kiss you!!" I say to her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" Because I assure you, not in a million years would I ever have looked in the glove compartment for the gift cards. Ever. I now remember that we brought them on a shopping trip, ran out of time and didn't make it to the store, and I threw them in there so they would be hidden. So well hidden, in fact, that I forgot they were in there that day. And totally forgot about them since. So moms of young children, take heart! For all the messes and annoyances and frustrations of having little kids, keep this in mind: before you know it, they will be nine years old, their own little person, and they will be saving your butt.