By Cat Borg 
She’s at that in-between stage—not a young child, not a teen. She’s tall. So very tall. And a little bit gangly. But she runs like a small child, and it looks so endearingly awkward.
My baby, my girl, still with the body of a child but the mind of an inquisitive adolescent. She’s curious, she’s funny, but still so young.
Her humor is on our level, she gets our jokes that go over her sisters’ heads, and she makes us laugh so much. But then, she asks a question that reminds us of her precious young years.
She’s still new to us in many ways, a fresh human, a mere 11 years old with so much still to learn and experience. But we know in her eyes she’s older, more mature, ready to take on the next stage of her life. She’s not small, she’s not big. Not a baby, not grown.
Asking for her own phone, then asking for cuddles; asking for a cup of tea, then creating with LEGO. Playing with dolls and watching slightly older films without her sisters. We tuck her in at night, and then she walks home from school by herself. A complete enigma of activity and experiences.
In some ways, she’s ready for the next step, and we’re trying to let her—all the while trying to hold on to her beautiful innocence and naivety.
We want her to be equipped enough for her age, giving her knowledge of bodies and change, helping her understand how certain things work. We also wrap her up, tell her how special she is and make sure hugs are in unlimited supply.
Watching her take her first few tentative, independent steps while still adhering to bedtimes and movie guidance ratings, we’re in the midst of the in-between, and it’s a bitter-sweet place to be.
The future is exciting! She’s growing up, there will be lots to experience, and we want to be along for the ride. And before she gets there while there’s still the little girl enjoying her play, we are going to savor the remaining years of childhood.
She’s at that in-between stage, not a young child, not a teen. But I love her with every ounce of my being, and I’m going to be there for the awkward, the new, the exciting, and the scary.
She’s in-between, she’s a little of the familiar, a little of the unknown, but she is, and always will be, my beautiful baby girl!
by Tynea Lewis 
