GROW UP - (but don't really grow up)

My daughter Aubry is 9 years old and I have caught myself many times lately telling her to "Grow Up."  I have told her to act her age and while I may mean it for the moment, I would actually like to keep her my little girl forever.  I am not ready for her to be exposed to all the things in this world (I have to be careful what I say because she reads my blog :)) 

So all that to say,  what am I doing to build a relationship with her that is strong enough to weather the hard times that she will experience?   How do I make sure I keep the communication doors wide open?  How do I teach her to be a modest, young girl who will keep her priorities in the right place and keep God and her family the center of her life?  How do I make sure that she has the confidence that every young girl needs?

The answer - I don't know (maybe y'all could give me some suggestions)

Things we are doing right now:

• We have a girls outing every couple of weeks.  We don't even spend a lot of money, but just hang out just the two of us.  It gives us time to just talk about whatever we want to talk about without any interference from the boys.
• We just finished reading the American Girl Doll Book - "The Care & Keeping of You, The Body Book for Girls"   Very detailed book about all the changes that will be happening in her body.  We read this together and I encouraged her to ask questions.  We even got some samples of feminine products for her to see.  I wanted to let her know what will be happening to her body before it happened not after or during. 
• We play games together.
• We clip coupons together and she helps me get them ready. 
• We cook in the kitchen together.

What I need to work on

• Making sure I praise her way more than I point out what she needs to work on.  This is something I really need to work on a lot.  It is balanced the wrong way right now.
• Pray for her.  I do pray for her, but I could definitely be more consistent. 
• Let her have more privacy from the boys.  This is something I have just started.  Since she is doing the diary that goes along with the American Girl doll book that we read, she found out that her brother and his friend had been in her room reading that.  So I decided it was time to set some ground rules, that he is not allowed into her room to play unless she invites him.  Good thing though,  is that she doesn't mind sharing the diary with me  - YAY! 
• Be more open and honest with her.  I have always been one to bottle things up and hide them, but if I'm open with her then that will help her feel like she can be open with me. 
• And many more areas - always room to improve!!!  I truly would love suggestions!!!!