Tag Archives: birthday wishes

Happy Birthday to my Baby Sister

My baby sister is a firecracker. Yes, she is a spunky little spitfire, but she was also born on the Fourth of July. She really is an all-American, red-white-and-blue firecracker. If I had to narrow down the field, I’d say she’s either a sparkler (for her extroverted personality) or she’s one of those ginormous multi-colored, layered ring, laced with gold sparkly stars ground shakers they use in fireworks finales (for her impact on the rest of our family). I’m not going to sugar coat this. When she was little, she used to say snotty things to us like, “Mom says you have to make my bed because I’m the baby” which was usually followed by her sticking out her tongue. She was THAT sister. If we heard “I don’t have to do it because I’m the baby” once, we heard it a million times. Luckily, she was cute so we didn’t kill her, rub her with honey and leave her for the fire ants, or sell her to traveling gypsies. Not that we didn’t consider it from time to time. When you grow up in a large family, random thoughts of leaving your siblings on the toy aisle in K-Mart do cross your mind. As she grew older, she became far less of a brat and more of the family comedian. Baby Sister was always the one that could make a face, pull a stunt or break out the slap-stick and make us laugh. She is our “most likely to tickle your funny bone.” She’s still cute, but she’s also smart, funny and thoughtful and can sing the full lyrics to just about any song (she was in choir). And while my own daughter is still my first pick for “crazy dance contest” partner, my baby sister will always be a top choice for family road-trip sing-along partner. She also makes an excellent trivia & board game partner, since she somehow retains random knowledge as well as she retains lyrics. She’s a weapon of mass instruction. She’s Rain Man.

Our baby sister on her wedding day - surrounded by nieces and nephews

Today, our baby sister turns 41. She’s all grown up with a child of her own (Gabe the Babe) and a rowdy, fun-loving husband (I’ll call J-Bird). She makes her own bed now. She may have settled down and created a family, but she’ll never really be tamed, and that’s what I love most about my Baby Sister. She is a free spirit. Her glass is always two-thirds full. She looks for the best in everyone. She rolls with the punches and makes the best of every situation. She’s not afraid to laugh at herself or others. She is the most like me. No wonder I love her. So today, I’m sure I speak for the rest of my sisters when I say, “Happy birthday, Baby Sis!” Now matter how old we all grow together, you’ll always be our baby.

Advertisement

18 Comments

Filed under Family Stuff

Happy Birthday to My Sweet Baby Girl

My Baby turns 28 today. Where did the time go? I remember so vividly being pregnant with her, as if it just happened. I craved chocolate, guacamole, ice cream and Mexican food all the time. Those are foods she still loves. Coincidence? I think not. Anyone who has raised children knows it’s not always easy. But those challenges make us stronger, and it makes our bond stronger, as well. I had the luxury of being a stay at home mom, and having that time with My Baby when she was little was a great gift – for both of us. When she was little, we were inseparable. When her first day of pre-school came, I anticipated tears and anxiety. I just didn’t anticipate they would be mine. As she stepped into her little classroom for the first time, she ran directly to the other kids and never looked back. Thankfully, my mother-in-law was there to pick me up off the carpet, tell me to stop throwing a tantrum, and dry my tears. When she was in elementary school, I was a parent volunteer. That volunteer work eventually turned into a full-time job, and we “went to school together” each day. The extra time she had after school while I was still working, gave her extra time with her teachers as she volunteered to stay and help or spent time in my office doing homework. I think that experience helped form her decision to go into education as a college student. She is now a second grade teacher, and she still has that love of the classroom. She thrives on being there for her students and nurturing them into children who love learning, just as she did. It’s another one of those “life coming full circle” moments I’ve written about before. We don’t always know if our children are watching or learning from our example, then one day we see them in the roles we previously played, and it all comes back around. I see patience in her as an adult that I never saw in her as an only child. I see the way she expresses joy and excitement and affection with my grandbabies, and it makes me very proud. She is a reflection of me in many ways, but her own woman in many others. She is a beautiful person, inside and out. She is an independent thinker, a compassionate teacher, a devoted wife and mother, and one of my very closest friends. I couldn’t be more proud of the person she has become, and I can’t imagine having a better daughter. Simply put, she is amazing. She is my greatest accomplishment and my proudest achievement. And isn’t that what every mother dreams of for her children? So today, The Complete Package and I share our warmest wishes for our daughter. Happy birthday, honey. We love you.

14 Comments

Filed under Family Stuff