Friday Family Feature

This is my beautiful niece, Laurajane.

I wish she were still this little...

She was born while I was in high school. My sister and her husband lived with us for a short amount of time while my brother in law did an internship for his degree. During that time I was so excited to get home everyday from school so I could play with Laurajane!

My earliest memory of Laurajane was when my sister and mom left me to babysit for a while when she was a little baby. Laurajane was a mommy's girl; did not take a bottle, did not take a pacifier, and after a little while became really upset to a point where I couldn't console her. I called my sister and mom and told them to "come home!" For the record, they took their sweet old time. I just remember standing by the big picture window in our living room holding little upset Laurajane, and waiting to see their car. I felt so bad for her, I started crying too. I was mad at my sister when she came home.

I love Laurajane as if she were my own child. I couldn't believe it when I found out that my sister had in her will for her kids to go to my oldest brother if she and my brother in law were to die. "What????" I exclaimed. "They should come to me or Marianne!" My sister said we were both still single when they made their will, but I'm not single anymore...

I can't believe my niece will be driving soon and dating soon (can't date until she's 16), it seems like we were just celebrating her second birthday yesterday...







It's so crazy to watch your nieces and nephews grow up, and worry about them. I keep telling Laurajane that boys are gross, but I don't think she believes me.

She is very talented, and I hope she knows she can do anything she wants to put her mind to. She has the most gorgeous, naturally curly hair, and she also got my family's genes (I did not get the short genes, though) and is super tiny for girls her age, but that makes her even more adorable. I love that she has her own sense of style, and wouldn't let me persuade her to get something I thought was totally cute. She totally wears leopard capri leggings underneath her shorts when she plays basketball, too funny.

Growing up, and I think still, after we have all been together as a family, my sister would ask Laurajane what her favorite part of the trip, or holiday had been, and Laurajane would always say, "Just everyone being all together." Isn't that so sweet?

When Laurajane was little I think my sister Marianne taught her the song, "I Believe I can fly," and Laurajane used to sing it ALL the time. It was so cute! I hope she still believes she can fly. Because she can... if she wants to.


Thanks Laurajane for being such a great helper while you were here!! Could you please come back, and could you please stop growing up?!!!!