My Cinco De Mayo Baby

Today, my sweet Sydney turned fourteen. There is something about that number that just tugs at my heart. For some reason, 13 didn't seem so old, but that extra year she added today just does me in. We always celebrate her birthday for about 2 weeks because it gets pushed aside with all the little league games, end of the year school assignments and the baseball state tournament. So, to start, she opened presents this morning and later I bought her lunch. Normally, she would choose her favorite dinner, but the baseball team was having a BBQ, so she chose to go to that. (I really didn't have to twist her arm). The boys were great. When she showed up, they started singing "Happy Birthday", and then posed for this picture with her. You can tell by her smile that it wasn't torture. I've already printed it out for her so that she show off at school tomorrow. This weekend, we'll do a little shopping in her honor, and then when we actually have a free day, she is going to have a little party with her friends.

In her honor, here are 14 facts about "Syd the kid".

1. On the day she was born in Flagstaff, it snowed, rained, hailed, blew and the sun came out. All in one day. It has always reminded me of her personality...a little of everything.

2. When she was a baby, she did not like to be held or comforted. If you tried to snuggle with her, she would throw a fit. But if you just laid her down, she could be happy for hours.

3. When learned to talk, she couldn't say her "l" or "r" sound. So we spent a lot of time saying "Lori loves lollipops" to practice. It sounded a lot more like "Wowi Woves Wowwipops". She did finally catch on.

4. Her first word (outside of the mama one) was "stomp". She was bossy about it. When she said "Stomp", you'd better get with it, or she would get angry.

5. She loved my parents dog, "Suzie". Suzie moved in with us when my parents moved to Alaska. She was too old to make the trip. Syd made her final years happy. They spent a lot of time laying on the grass and eating Cheetos together.

6. When she was younger she was a champion snake catcher. She had watched so much Crocodile Hunter that she could copy exactly how he would catch snakes with a stick.

7. Speaking of TV, she loves to watch shows like "How it's Made" and other Discovery Channel shows. Sometimes I'll leave my room because Ryan is watching some "BORING" show, only to find that Syd is watching the same boring show downstairs. But she will watch Cold Case and The Unit with me, so it's not all bad.

8. She is COMPETITIVE. She comes by it naturally, but phewwwww! She is a spitfire when it comes to winning. But she also has the ability to channel it in order to fuel herself, not cut down others.

9. She has always been a beautiful girl. But when she was little, that competitiveness often resulted in a scowling face (and a little attitude). So every morning when I brushed her hair I would remind her that Beauty comes from how we act, not how we look and you're not pretty if you don't act pretty. She still can chant it to Lauren when Lou needs that talk.

10. She plays the piano extremely well. She has been taking lessons since she was eight. She's excited because she only has 2 more lessons before I let her quit. I love to lay on the couch and listen to her play.

11. She is an incredibly determined girl. If she sets her mind to something, it will happen. She has amazing will power. (I think she is adopted).

12. She is at the top of her class academically.

13. As I've mentioned before, she likes to be alone. But at the same time, she does enjoy having fun and being silly with her friends. (Just not for long stretches of time).

14. She is a super athlete. She plays soccer, volleyball, basketball and her all-time favorite softball.

and one to grow on...She is a great daughter and I love her "too much"!

Happy Birthday Syd.