Nine.

 Yesterday was our eldest daughter's 8th birthday, which means we've been married 9 whole years now.

Halloween 2021

I ship us.

There are two kids who meet at summer camp for nerds.  They live in different states, he's about to head off to college, she's going into her senior year of high school.  They instantly fall for each other, their first kiss is incredibly awkward but incredibly adorable.  Their time together is brief and then they go their separate ways, make new friends, pair off with new romantic interests.  But they keep talking- he calls and talks to her for hours, something her actual boyfriend can't bring himself to do, a detail that savvier members of the audience surely pick up on as the writers' hint that these two are destined for each other.  They even start writing letters to each other, and maybe at that point some viewers turn it off, finding the whole concept ridiculous.  

Their plot lines don't really intertwine again for a couple of seasons, and then when it does, they're still in separate cities, and I'm sure there are viewers who wish this storyline would end already, but it doesn't.

In season 6, they finally live in the same city.  Then he proposes.  The big wedding comes in season 7.

They've got a spin-off show now about raising three kids in a house that's too small.  The storyline is sort of repetitive- the punchline of each episode involves the zany antics of the four-year-old son or the disastrous effects of sleep deprivation (the audience is really tired of hearing about how the new baby won't sleep).  The camera no longer lingers on their kisses, and the most romantic episodes revolve around him volunteering to cook supper.  The only source of suspense is wondering if they'll get the eldest daughter to ballet class on time and with both of her shoes.

But you know what?  I still ship them.  They're definitely my OTP.

Much love,

The Geeks

Currently, Chief is...{8 years}

 This has been simultaneously the longest and the shortest year ever.  The pandemic continues to drag on seemingly to no end, since nobody wants to make the minimum amount of effort to end it, and yet also it seems like I just blinked and Miss Chief aged an entire year.  She has only gotten more amazing as she's grown- check out just how amazing.

Thanksgiving 2020

Currently, Chief is in second grade.  She did the entirety of first grade online, and while it was the right choice for our family, it was a pretty crummy school year, academically.  Thankfully, Chief is self-motivated and seeks out further knowledge on topics she's interested in, so through games, educational shows, and books from our local public library, we've been able to sustain the momentum started with her pandemic-induced independent study in Kindergarten to make up for the absolute boredom that was first grade.  Second grade started out rather boring as well, but she's finally being challenged in Latin, religion, and spelling, if not math or science.  Hopefully she doesn't lose this love of learning and is always able to overcome the limitations of a classroom environment.

Christmas 2020

This year has really defined her role as a big sister.  Her brother is finally old enough to play with and otherwise interact with her as a peer, which means he's old enough to annoy the heck out of her.  It's also become exceedingly obvious that he wants to be just like her, and she's equal parts flattered and irritated by that.  Her baby sister was also born this year, and Chief is old enough to be actually helpful, which she absolutely relishes.  She can make her own sandwiches and fetch the baby's pacifier and fill up Mommy's water bottle and even- her favorite- hold the baby and entertain her if necessary.  

'20-'21 Dance Photo // Sterling Ballet Academy

I'm continuously amazed by how mature, how intelligent, how graceful she is- and I'm continuously fooled into thinking she's much older than she is.  She's 8 now, not 18, and I am constantly reminding myself to give her space to indulge in some nonsense every now and then.  I want her to wear princess dresses, and make up silly songs, and cook imaginary food in a pretend kitchen for as long as she wants.

Halloween 2021

Eight years of love, joy, sweetness, and sass; I can't wait to see what her future holds.

Much love, 

The Geeks