Petra, at 11

At 11, Petra is coming into herself in a big way. She used to struggle because she was intellectually advanced, physically on the small side, and emotionally right on target; this confused people, and they often treated her like she was two years younger than she was, which was frustrating for her, especially since, depending on the context and subject matter, it felt like it was four or more years off. This year, she’s grown physically and people usually guess right at her age. They treat her more like a big kid, and I think that has led to her being more in tune with her own self.

She loves helping to cook things (and was very proud of the “sushi cake” she made for her birthday). I think she gets frustrated because I’m not good at cake decorating or that kind of thing, and our attempts at kawaii food never look like the pictures in the books.

The other big development is that she’s found her people in a big way. She loves hanging out with all of the “Kutelopes Extended Universe,” but especially Merryn and Esther. These three amigas have a great time together. They’re funny and adventurous, and always full of surprises. They love crafting things, following the cats around, and building structures in the understory and the bamboo. These pictures are from Esther’s birthday, when they went to a miniature landscape store in the Dayton Market and made itty-bitty terrariums.

I consider this a big development because Petra is often slow to make friends, but when she does connect with someone, she’s truly devoted. I couldn’t have asked for better people for her to connect with. I think she’s going to enjoy being a tween!