Ila at 14
Ila is now 14 and in the 8th grade. English is her favorite class this year and she loves to read. She’s an incredibly fast reader. She will sometimes check out two 400-500 page books from the school library before school, finish them during the day somehow (I’m not sure how she can find the time while in class), and then return them after school and check out the next two 400-500 page books. Some of her favorite book series are: The Unwanteds, Keeper of the Lost Cities, Land of Stories, and Fablehaven.
She is in her 2nd year as a percussionist in the Jr High band. She tried a photography class this year, but didn’t like it very much. She is excited to try out peer tutoring and ceramics this semester.
Ila’s obsession with cats continues. She says that she knows that God loves her because he made the perfect orange cat for her. He knew she would need him to comfort her when she feels sad. In addition to real cats, of which she is not allowed to collect unlimited amounts, she collects plush cats. She particularly likes to collect what she calls “sprinkle cats.” She calls them that because they are plush cats that are fat and they “look like giant sprinkles.” She also has lots of cat shirts, cat jewelry, and other cat accessories.
Ila enjoys spending time with her siblings. She has a good relationship with each of her siblings and enjoys spending time with them. She shares a room with Charlotte and they enjoy late night talks and excursions to the grocery store during the daytime. Thomas is the sibling that she plays computer games with the most. She also enjoys being around extended family and looks forward to seeing grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles.
Ila likes to spend time with her friends. Some of her favorite things to do with friends are walking to Dairy Queen together, walking around the mall, watching musicals or plays together, playing computer games, going to a trampoline park, playing card games/board games, or just hanging out. Because Ila tends to be shy and quiet, she usually prefers to hang with her friends one on one more than being together in a big group. Ila’s best friends are Tim, Addy, Elena, Cecily, Evie, and Isaac.
Ila enjoys playing chess. She plays chess online, but prefers to play on a real board. She recently started going to an after school chess group. She enjoys card games, board games, and computer games. Her favorite computer games are Cat Quest, Cat Quest 2, People Playground, Stardew Valley, and Terraria. She likes to draw, paint, and bake.
Ila loves the outdoors. She likes to explore, go on walks, go swimming, have water fights, and jump on the trampoline in the backyard. She typically chooses to walk home from school and stops to pet every cat she encounters along her walk.
For years, Ila has been an extremely picky eater. She is diagnosable as a “selective eater.” She has eaten a limited variety of foods since her fist bites of solid foods and her diet expands very slowly. In anticipation of our trip to Europe this summer, she has been forcing herself to take a bite of every dinner in hopes that she will be able to eat the new foods on our trip.
Oh, and she got braces this year:
Ila is a kind and compassionate girl. She likes to help others. She loves children and enjoys taking care of children and babies. She never forgets to hug me goodnight and I am grateful to be her mother.
Here is what I wrote about her last year.