Just the Facts, Ma'am

Happy Birthday to my amazing sister! I wish I could write something as witty and clever as her birthday tribute to me, but that is impossible, so I will not even attempt such a feat. Instead I will bore you with lists and facts.

FACT (Do you watch kid history? How many of you read that as "FaaaaaaaaaacccT?") #1: Kathleen is actually 7 years younger than me, and yet she still got her driver's license BEFORE me. This also means I was a self-absorbed teen ager for most of our years at home together. I am grateful that she has forgiven me for this and only remembers the good times, like our bouncy ball collection. I do not remember this, so Fact #2: She has an amazing memory.
Fact #3: She was born in the middle of the worst snowstorm Chicago had seen in over a decade. I had the date circled on my calendar because I just knew she would be born that day. I was so excited to have a sister and to share a room with her and I would wake up in the middle of the night and change her diaper. I just knew having a sister was going to be special.

Fact #3: I *adore* my sister, but my kids may love her more. Here's some "facts" according to my kids:

Ellie

• "I love everything about Aunt Lola. She's tells us funny stories, like when Nate was shouting 'Teetee,' in the middle of the night."
• How old is she turning: 24
• What makes her a good Aunt: She plays game with us
• What is her favorite thing to do: Read
• What is her favorite book: Harry Potter
• What does she say the most: "Want to hear a joke?"
• Memory: When I went to see her in her apartment at ASU and I was in ballerina costume. It was fun to have her living so close.

Nate:

• "She is funny. She tells jokes that aren't real. Like, 'There's cheesey worms in the apple.'"
• How old is she turning: 26
• What is her favorite TV show: Football
• Favorite food: Spaghetti and meatballs
• Favorite thing to do with me: Tell jokes and tickle me
• Memory: When she painted a rock of my underwear with my butt crack showing.

Sadie

• "I like when she comes to visit us and we get to play with her."
• How old is she turning: 25
• What's her favorite color: pink and purple
• What's her favorite tv show: basketball
• What's her favorite food: I don't know that one, but I know the one Olivia likes to eat: oranges
• Memory: When we were in Idaho and we built a doll house

Luke
"OLIVIA! OLIVIA! LYBIAAAAAAAA."

Random facts you may not know about my sister:

• She hates tomatoes and touching paper towels.
• She's is lactose intolerant.
• She wore boxers under her dresses from the age of 5 to 11 and my mother braided her hair in two braids every.single.day because she has the world's most sensitive head.
• She was also obsessed with horses and dolphins.
  
• She get supremely carsick.
• She was on the swim team and the rugby team in Thailand.
• She was on the newspaper staff in Virginia where she perfected the skill of making signs. My sister is literally the world's best sign maker.
• She has given birth to the world's cutest little curly-haired girl. I am already giddy at the prospect that she might be mine one day if Kathleen and Kyle kick the bucket.
• She did study abroad in Italy.
• She almost accepted a handicapped parking sign from William and Mary when she was pregnant with Olivia. Apparently at W&M pregnant women were a novelty.
• She loves ABBA so much she begged Dustin and I to join her in an ABBA cover band
  
• My sister kicks your sister's TRASH!!

Some sappy facts:

• She makes me laugh every single day. I was going to write some of our inside jokes, but most of them sound horrific unless you know the story. And if I explained, then you would be in our club and you don't GET to be in our club. I'm keeping her all to myself.
  
• She is my best friend. My mom and Aunt Kristine say this same thing but then they swear that they never fought. Kathleen and I have agreed that we will always be realistic and admit that we fought/fight with all the passion and intensity our crazy genetics have blessed/cursed us with.
• She willingly gets sucked into all my "good ideas." I used to repay her with baked goods, but now that she's mastered my chocolate chip cookie recipe, I will have to come up with something to offer her. This is am impossible task because:
  
• She is the most amazingly talented woman I know! She writes, she designs, she has an incredibly artistic eye. Everything she creates is perfect. Just look at Olivia.
• She makes everything more fun and brings life to the room. You will never be bored with Kathleen around.
  
• She loves with her whole heart and gives you her whole soul.

I am so lucky to have you as a sister! Happy Birthday Scuttlebutt!!