Happy 19th Birthday, "C"

This is my niece, C, who is 19 today! I can't get the picture to appear bigger, but you can tell from the little postage stamp that she is a beautiful girl.

C is #3 in line of the nieces, and is the second child of my sister, P. I chose her birth-day. When P had to schedule a C-Section (no pun intended...a "C" section? get it?), she called me and said that she could have it on the 24th or on my birthday, the 25th. I thought that this child deserved her (or his, we didn't know at that point) own birthday. So, P went in for the C-section on the 24th. And ever since then, even though they are on separate days, I've shared my birthday with C. Because when you are 17, like I was when she was born, you are pretty much done with birthday parties anyway. So every year when P threw C a party, I felt like it was for me, too. I always enjoyed watching C open her presents because her whole face lit up when she saw what was inside. She didn't care if it was clothes or a new toy, she just loved opening presents.

C was a funny little kid too. She was terrified of dogs...mostly due to my sister's fear of dogs. One time when I was babysitting there, we watched the dog movie "Beethoven". That night, when it was time for bed, C came back downstairs crying and said "I can see Beethoven in my eyes"!!! We had to check the locks on the doors to make sure that no dogs could get in the house.

Hubby's favorite memory of C is when she was about 18 months old. We were having a cookout at their house and C was eating some chips. As she was toddling away, she tripped and as she was falling, she stuffed the chips in her mouth! Hubby was laughing so hard, and no one else had seen what she did. It was so funny.

Today she is turning 19 and is a freshman in college. I can't believe it. She has turned into a funny adult, too. She loves clothes, makeup and music like every other girl her age. She has a long-time boyfriend and he is a nice kid. My hope for her is that she finds her niche in life and is happy and successful.

So, Happy 19th Birthday, C. I love you.

Love, AG