Double Digits

As I said in my last post, today we celebrated my daughter's birthday a day early. She told me that she didn't want a cake, but I made her one anyway... she was not exactly sad about it! After eating cake we headed to Oita for shopping, lunch and bowling. We all had a really nice time... well most of us did. My husband used to be a pretty good bowler - has his own bowling balls (yes, plural), own shoes etc. and before we were married we often used to go and play a few games - with me losing badly each time. Until today - when miracles of miracles I won! Not that I am counting, and not that it was due to my amazing skill - just a bad day for Tom! The kids are getting pretty good now too - although I think it will be a while before we can remove the gutter protection rails!
Back to my daughter... to be honest this year hasn't been a great one in terms of our mother-daughter relationship in many ways. We have battled a lot and spent many hours trying to work out what exactly has been going on in her head. She is a wonderful child when she is at school, at anyone's house etc., but at home she has her amazingly disgusting moments - most of which have been aimed at me. I think perhaps hitting double digits has something to do with it, but it hasn't been pleasant! However over the last month or so she has gone back to her beautiful, caring, helpful self and our house has been a much nicer place to live in because of it. Here's hoping that once she gets her presents tomorrow she doesn't revert back into her monster self. Hard to believe she is already 10 years old!