she's always been my favorite

you see these 2 girls?

they grew up to be these 2 girls.

and today, the youngest of those 2 girls turns another year older. she's now the ripe old age....of 24.

i was 4 years, and 13 days old when i officially lost my status as "only child". then i became "big sister".

the only thing i distinctly remember for the first several months of her life was how QUIET i had to be. all the time. seeing as how, to this day, i haven't totally mastered the whole "inside voice" thing...this was QUITE a challenge for toddler hayley.

i also called her stinker until she was 2.

and since then...she's ALWAYS been squirt. i don't know how it started, i was only 6 after all...but since that day, i rarely, if ever call her by her actual name. which is robin. in case you wanted to know.

when she played soccer in middle school and high school? always squirt.

in my phone? squirt.

and no, NO ONE else is allowed to call her that. she doesn't even respond unless it's her beloved sister ;)

when we were younger, up until i went off to college...we fought. like cats and dogs fought. like knockdown, drag out, screaming and hitting fights.  it's because we're too alike in some ways...and they always say no one knows how to push your buttons like a sibling. which is what we did. ALL. THE. TIME.

but 4 years apart, and 4 years of growing put us in a much better place...and now i most definitely consider her my friend, along with being my sister.

in college, when guy friends would comment about the "hot girl" in my photos in my apartment? LOADS of fun telling them it was my 15 year old sister.

but more than being gorgeous (which she totally is, and if i didn't love her i'd hate her for it), this girl is amazing. strong, and hard-headed, and smart in all the ways her sister is not (that would be math and science). 

it's hard to sum up the way you feel about the one person who's seen you at your best and worst, and brought out the best and worst in you. but i do know i love her to death.

so today, i wish my baby sister, the ONLY one who truly gets what it's like to have our parents for parents, and my favorite sibling a VERY happy birthday!!!

she's getting some DIY gifts, so stay tuned for those =)