The oldest one has made it to eleven. Eleven years ago we were amazed that this tiny thing came from us. That she was so beautiful. That she had RED hair. That she was all ours. Our first baby. We could hold her and feed her and love her. It was the start of our journey together.
Since then we've come to know you better, Sandis. Here are some things we've learned:
- You are crazy about dogs. All animals, really, but especially dogs. When you were a baby, you'd yell, "DEEEEE!" while pointing at any dog you saw. It hasn't changed all that much over the years. The words are more fully formed, but the excitement is the same. Don't ever lose that, kiddo.
- You are obsessed with the color blue. It is your favorite color and has been since before you could speak. You also needed everyone to have a favorite color. When Stella was born, you assigned her a favorite color until she could choose for herself. When people would tell you their favorite color (you always asked,) if they said they didn't have a favorite color, you would assign them one. If they said, "black" you would say, "no" and assign them one that you found appropriate.
- You are highly artistic. You have been drawing since you could hold a crayon. Of course, you would also try and eat the crayons at first. Small price to pay for art, right?
- You're a reader. I knew you were my child when you walked from the library to the car to the house without taking your nose out of a book.
- Soccer is your game. BC (before children,) Brian swore his child wouldn't be one of those soccer kids. He thought it was crazy that they all played and yet didn't care about the world cup. Yep, you are one of those kids. You decided you wanted to play out of the blue and have been going strong for 5+ years.
- You are quite particular about your clothes you've gone through stages when you wouldn't wear jeans, would only wear jeans, wouldn't wear leggings, would only wear sweatpants, wouldn't wear a sweater/sweatshirt, couldn't get you to take off your sweater/sweatshirt, wouldn't wear pink, wouldn't wear a dress/skirt. There were YEARS when you refused to wear socks, even in the winter. There was the year when you wouldn't wear any clothes at all....
- When you are into something, you want to know EVERYTHING about it. You Google it. You check out library books about it. You draw pictures of it. You talk endlessly about it. You obsess. That is how you've come to know more than your entire family about dolphins, sharks, dogs, and many, many other things.
- Have I mentioned dogs and the color blue? Yes? Well, they deserve a second mention.
- Pizza is your favorite food. Any meal. Anytime.
- You love meat and despise vegetables. The total opposite of your sister.
- You are a great sister and friend. You stand by your people no matter what. You don't care about things like gender or age, you care about the person inside. When you've made a friend, they are a friend forever
Sandis my special girl, I love you so much. You are so much like me and yet wholly yourself. Stay true to that self of yours always. It is sweet and pure and true. I can't wait to see where this journey takes us from here.
This is your friendly reminder to vote. All you do is click, which takes you to the website where you then do nothing. Or you can do something, but you don't have to do something. It's easy. Thanks :)
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