Happy birthday, Sister!

My first REAL memory is the day that my parents brought my sister home from the hospital. Maybe because it was traumatic and exciting and life changing all at the same time, but never the less - I really do think it was my first memory, ever.
I was 2 years 9 months old. I didn't really know what in the world was going on. Both sets of my grandparents (and I'm sure there were others, but that is all I remember) were at our house. I was standing by one of the blue wing-back chairs as I watched the old tan Buick (with a navy top) slowly pull in to the driveway from the window closest to the garage. Grandfather was standing next to me. I want to say that I was wearing a smocked white dress, but that may be false. (But we did have lots of those dresses.) Everyone was so super excited, but I still don't think that I really understood what everyone was so excited about. After that, the memory picks up sometime later that day when I was apparently annoyed that everyone was paying so much attention to the little one. I was found, hiding in my closet, by Grandfather, who picked me up and took me in the den where people still oohhing and ahhhing over her, of course. Grandfather probably then gave me a very convincing speech about how she was going to be a fun sister (little did I know that you can't really play with them right away - ugh) and that I would be the big sister that would help Mom and Dad.
Well, of course, Grandfather (and everyone else that talked to me about being a sister) was right. It has been an absolute BLAST having a SISTER. Probably one of the best things ever. I always had someone to play with, someone to trade food with when Mom and Dad weren't paying attention, someone to spy with, someone to sing with, someone to torment me, someone to talk to, someone to share clothes with, someone to endure long torturous road trips with, someone to enjoy Texas A&M with, someone to have a beer with (I like beer, too!), someone to vacation with, some to share tragedy with, someone who was also forced to wear sister outfits, someone to watch The Sound of Music over and over with and someone to love.
I love you, MA!
And now, for some pictures of cute little baby, Mary Alice.

This was the first sister Christmas card picture. MA's first Christmas, 1984. She used to always say that I was squeezing her in this pic, but clearly, I wasn't.

This is a mad Mary Alice in the chair in Meemaw and Grandfather's kitchen in Odessa. Notice the AWESOME wall paper. And the tiny screaming baby. This would have been her first trip to Odessa. Later in life, we would learn how to play jacks in that exact spot on the kitchen floor.

Looks like the same Christmas trip to Odessa. This is Meemaw (Mom's mom, Mary Jane) holding Desha and MA. I love Desha's face in this pic. And look! MA isn't crying!! :) She was sooo tiny!

Here is Mary Alice in what I would like to call her own personal torture chamber. She HATED car seats. Passionately. I'm also totally amazed that she isn't crying in this picture. Maybe because she knew that she was about to be freed. Mom says that on one car trip I couldn't entertain MA enough to get her to stop crying (Mom was driving), so I told mom to pull over and let me drive so that she could try to get MA to stop. :) Good big sister - that was no where NEAR big enough to reach the pedals.

Mary Alice, Aunt Thera and Papa in Grandma and Papa's entry hall. I don't really know much about when this was taken. If I had to guess,  I would say MA's christening or Easter. MA was the baby on both sides of the family! Youngest of 8 grandkids on Dad's side, and youngest of 4 grandkids on Mom's side.

A pouty MA hiding in the corner at Grandma and Papa's. Behind the china cabinet/hutch in the dining room. 

Cute outfit, MA! Standing in the doorway from the dining room to the kitchen at Grandma and Papa's house. I especially love the red tights and shoes. She looks so darn cute!

Bath pic! Had to do it. We learned the flags of the world with that shower curtain. :)

Reindeer MAW. With a cool sweater with matching leg warmers. I had a similar outfit, as well. :)

MA loved magic. This was her magic-themed birthday party (I think.)

MA's COOL soccer ball cake in Austin. She was a soccer stud. And made us all sit through many a torturous cold Panhandle soccer game.

I could go on and on with pictures, but I will leave it at that. (You can see a bazillion on FB.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SISTER! I love you!

Me ke aloha, 

RAWE