HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER!

Today is my little sister Cathleen's birthday. Usually on my blog, I call her The Sister and link to her blog but since she hasn't blogged in months... I'll revert to calling her by her real name, Cathleen. Cathy was born a little more than three years after me, I remember being excited for her to come home from the hospital but I also remember being disappointed when she was too small to play with me. Strangely enough, I remember my parents wanting to name her Megan and for some reason, back when I was just turned four, I didn't like the name. At all. They called her Cathleen instead. (She now has a cat named Megan and I now like the name...for human or cat.)

It was great having a little sister as a kid. She pretty much did whatever I wanted her to do. She followed me around and thought I was the greatest...that's pretty good for the ego. Maybe that's why I still require lots of attention today.;) We had the greatest imaginations and had so much fun playing, house, school, (remember "Nadia Bishop" Cathy?) Barbies, etc. Some of our more creative games were "fabric store," "gas station, " and "Hollybrook King's Road." I know none of these games will mean anything to any of you, but Cathy's probably LHAO as she reads these.

Speaking of Barbies, I played Barbies with her (and by myself) well past the normal age of playing Barbies and if we wanted to play outside and make them go camping (we had all the camping gear) , I made her swear she would tell any of my neighborhood friends that I was just helping her "do their hair" so I wouldn't be embarrassed. No one ever saw me, but I know she would have done it for me.

Our summers were spent anxiously awaiting the arrival of our cousins Chrissy and Jennifer. We would spend hours and hours working on our "Commercial Show" that we would perform for our parents and grandparents at the end of each of their visits . It was so much fun but I'm sure our mom dreaded it every year because we made a huge mess. We looked forward to our trips to "Great Adventure" with them and we would dress in matching outfits with our cousins thinking we were so cool. She and Jen used to mix up their socks and wear mismatched pairs of socks...maybe that's why The Son likes to wear his mismatched crocs...it's genetic. We would play the game "Snodberries and Pronghorns" (don't ask.) with our cousins and inevitably end up in a huge fight until it finally blew over and we'd be back to playing again.

For the most part, I'd say my sister and I are pretty similar, but there's one HUGE difference. She's VERY neat and organized and I'm VERY... not. I don't know how we differ so much in that way but we sure do. I often wish I could be more like her in that regard. She's also got much better willpower when it comes to eating healty and dieting and remains a nice small size, even when pregnant, like she is now. I think she has someone else's genes or something because I certainly don't have that trait! ha ha!

My sister is a very talented woman. She took dancing for years and ended up in the Entertainment Department at Sesame Place dancing as The Count. I was always so proud of her in that job, those were coveted positions. She's a fantastic flautist (flute player?) and she played at my wedding and at The Son's christening which has always meant so much to me. She's very crafty and makes beautiful scrapbooks and cards. Our recent weekend away was so much fun. (Just don't ask her to knit.)

So yesterday, I had this brilliant idea to ask my Dad to scan some pictures of her as a baby. Unfortunately, he's still learning to work his scanner. We decided he could photograph some of the pictures and e-mail them to me. I think they came out OK and because they're old...really old huh Cathy? They wouldn't be all that much better if scanned. Here's the few that he picked.

This one's SO cute of both of us I think!

See any resemblances?

Her first Cabbage Patch Kid...Darren Bill. She wanted a bald-headed boy in the worst way and I remember my Mom being ecstatic when she got him because as I'm sure many of you remember CPKs were the "Tickle-Me-Elmo of the early 80s and it was very difficult to get one, especially the one you really wanted. See the bow in her hair? LOVE IT!

After my Dad sent those, I had to get in on the action with a few of my own pictures...she might not like me so much after a couple of these but I think they're cute!

I took this one and still can't remember why I thought it was a good shot. I had to post it because I know she'll think it's hilarious...nice roller skate lace in your mouth Cathy! ha ha!

This one was taken when my family came to visit me at college my first year. I don't quite remember where that cat came from, I felt it was OK to post this one because it really shows us in all our 1988 glory! That's hot. I was about 18 in this picture so Cathy must have been 14 or 15.


This is on our way to the airport when she and her best friend were going to a dance competition in Florida (I think they won) I had to include my picture in there too because I also wanted to put these on my facebook and I'm "facebook friends" with the "little" boy who's sitting next to me... he's all grown up now of course.


Cathy and our Mom one Christmas. The sweaters and turtlenecks are also hot aren't they?

Lastly, I thought I'd include her wedding picture so that she'd forgive me for posting the above pictures. What a beautiful bride... and yes, I had short dark hair and was much thinner. I'm working on that. (the thinner, not the hair)

Well Sissy, I hope you have a wonderful birthday. I'm sorry that it falls on the dreaded Super Bowl Sunday. If you do go to a party tonight, you can just pretend that it's a party for you and not football, right? I love you very much and hope you liked this blog post. You're a wonderful sister, daughter, friend, wife and mother. (BTW, have you ever thought of the names Soup or Cadita for your new baby?) Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday!