My Grown-Up 9 Year Old

I just got back from dropping the kids off at the bus stop and I just have to brag for a sec. Normally Emma is a little bit of a challenge for me. She's a high spirited and very opinionated little girl. She's going to be 9 in another month but you'd swear that she was already 15 with all of the attitude she puts out. I honestly have never met a kid who knew EVERYTHING! She also expresses her exasperation for her younger siblings' immaturity. If they're acting goofy or forget to shut the bathroom door, she pops off with some comment about how you'd never catch her acting that way or about how disgusting they are! I have to say, though, that she also has the great capacity for kindness and compassion. When I took the kids this morning, Ian was acting a little goofy. As he was getting out of the car he gave me the thumb up, first finger out "see ya later, Mom" as he winked and got out of the car. He flopped the hood for his jacket on (apparently that's what ALL of the kindergartners do) and proceeded to get out of the car. The only problem is that his hood is ginormous and he can't see very well when it's on. I was chuckling to myself as I drove away and then looked out the side mirror one last time. Do you know what I saw? My cute grown-up little girl putting her arm around her little brother and guiding him to where he needed to stand in line. So maybe she does love her family after all...