Little Power Fishies

If you knew these girls, you would know that the Title of my post is a play of their last name. These 4 sweet girl I have known since they were BORN! There big sister is my best friend. We are 15 days apart and our Moms were best friends since before we were born. Anyway..I digress... I remember when H. was born... she just turned 12. How did that happen? H. was baby number 6 for this family. WE thought they were done because their had been 3 years between her and the previous baby. The previous baby had been the 2nd boy and we were so sure "this is it". Well, not the family and not God. H. was an exciting addition. She was the baby sister I desperately wanted. Now, N. will be 10 this year. I was all geared up to go to my best friends birthday party when I go the call "My Mom had that baby, it's a girl!" As I joke I said "the party is still on right?", lol. Right behind her (almost 2 years to the day!) Miss A. was born. SHe was the first of the babies I got to see in the hospital. SHe had the biggest cheeks, and LONG eyelashes, and smelled SO good. It took them forever to name her, I mean after 7 kids they had used pretty much every name they could possible want to use. Eventually they picked one out of a baby name book shortly before they had to leave the hospital. And L. How could I forget little L. I so couldn't. I knew L. was on her way before her big sister did ( only b/c her big sister was out of the country when we found out). L. was SO TEENY TINY when she was born. She was a few week early and barely weight 5 pds. My friend didn't like to hold her in public because people thought she was hers, and she hated that as much as I LOVED it. I would hold L. when her parent were in the bathroom etc. and others would gush about what I beautiful baby I had. I'd say thank you and then tell them she wasn't mine but I still liked that they thought she was. L. was like a live baby doll for her sisters. We got to care for her a LOT. And now each of these itty bitty baby girls, that I dressed, changed, bathed, loved on... are age 6, 8, 10 and 12. HOw on earth did that happen?

Since they were babies I have been taking them to the local pool, where I work. They would call me and say "Wiyl you take us wimming Viyet?" In their sweet little girl voices. How could I EVER resist? A. was been swimming length of a 25 yard pool since she was 3, and L. would jump of a diving boars starting at 2! Recently we went to the pool again. L. has decided I'm her best friend and is attached at my hip. I love it because the other girls are at the point where I take them and then they go off on their own. L. plays with me and lets me still teach her, and she is a FISH in the water. She is such a sweet girl and I love watching who she is becoming. I'm so glad they are growing in to such amazing little girl and young women but, it also makes me slightly sad to see L. getting so big as she is definitely the last child. 6 years old...oh my word!

Silly, sweet, loving L. She spent an hour coloring a picture for my Dad and put it in his room. She was so worried about him because he wasn't coming out. I took her in to see him. She snuggles so with me and with anyone. I don't think her eldest sister would accept so many kisses from one person but she takes them willingly from L. I think L. will grow up to be the type of person who makes everyone feel special, loved, and worth her time, because she does it already at just barely 6 years old. 
N. is such a pretty girl who is quickly becoming young lady. She is a tomb boy in many ways but has the most amazing hair. It takes her "a moment" to catch on to jokes, and she says some of the most outrageous things, and this makes her N., whom I love. lol. A lover of animals, I can see her becoming some sort of a care taker, maybe as a career and maybe just as part of her natural tendencies in daily life. I pray she grow up to be incredibly secure in who she is and knows she has a lot to offer the world.
H. oh H., what do I say, a sassy little thing who loves to tease. Can she POSSIBLE be a Pre Teen already? She knows more than she lets on and is smart as a whip, very social and athletic, and she is funny, she has whit. She has a feminine flare though that she tried to hid...I see it though, lol. She is an amazing big sister, and I think her best friend she would say is her sister N.  A little mother (in SOME ways a bit bossy, but it is simply from corralling 3 younger sisters in the art of constructed play). She is a leader and I know she will go far.
A., often soft spoken, sweeter than creamy smooth organic chocolate ice cream, and best friend of her little sister L. She is the girly girl of the bunch. Creative she is, and loves it when I braid her hair, she always lets me do whatever I want with it. She is determined and  works hard at whatever she does, school, art, play...  she has a sweetness and goodness to her that I just can't explain, and has concern for others. 
Just another of L. because she is so darn cute, and I got the most pictures of her! Lol.