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Nine is halfway between a newborn and a high school senior, off to college.
Nine is soccer practice, but still needing me to tie his cleats. Nine is knowing obscene language but still snuggling with a stuffed animal at night. Nine is wanting more freedom but needing boundaries. Nine is learning to play the recorder and the violin. Nine is multiplication tables and then fractions. Nine is wearing shorts and high socks even on chilly days. Nine is Monopoly and Checkers. Nine is palate expanders and braces. Nine is no longer a baby or even a little kid. Nine is not yet a tween or a teen. Nine is reading chapter books together. Nine is being brave and trying the trapeze. Nine is letting go but holding on tight, too. Nine is a moment in time to cherish. Happy 9th birthday to the "bear of my heart"- my brave, strong, smart, handsome son Alex.
4 Comments
10/8/2019 07:23:18 pm
Your poem captures so well that age nine seems neither here nor there, yet it is a magical number! I was grown before I knew that digits of the multiples of nine add to nine ... alas. The line that struck me most is "Nine is letting go but holding on tight, too" - so very true. Wishing your Alex a happy, happy birthday - and joy to you. :) 10/8/2019 08:00:23 pm
This is beautiful! My 9 year old will be 10 at the end of the year, and I love this idea of really naming what the age is... So much truth in this piece!
Terje
10/9/2019 08:05:27 am
Happy Birthday! Your poem says so much about this age, the last year of single digit, the time between no longer and not yet. Leave a Reply. |
AuthorKathleen Neagle Sokolowski Archives
January 2022
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