Home Made Heros

Yesterday was Becca's birthday.  The big 13!  She was born in Valencia California in 1999.  I remember waking up in labor at around 2AM and she was born at around 6:30AM.  What a day!  When we brought her home that afternoon the older kids were amazed at how tiny and cute she was.  They absolutely adored her.  That lasted until she could talk back to them : )  Then it became a love/hate thing.

Since she is 3 1/2 years younger than Jeffrey, there's a large space in between her, him and the older girls that seemed to widen as the years passed.  She just couldn't seem to really fit it with them and their lives no matter how hard she fought to get there.  That has actually been the problem.  She's a fighter/arguer, which will come in handy when she gets older but she hasn't learned how to choose her battles yet.  She's never understood why she can't do what they were doing because in her mind, she is their equal.

Now when I say she's a fighter, that doesn't mean that she fights with everyone all the time.  In fact, she is really quite sweet to those around her.  She is a leader with her friends and is the one in her group who includes people, no matter who they are.  She goes out of her way to invite anyone and everyone to play outdoor games or what ever she's doing.  This just hasn't seemed to translate to her OLDER siblings.  Like I said, she thinks she's one of them (peers) and should have the same rules etc.  When she gets left behind, sometimes she takes it okay and other times, not so much, which I can understand (being the youngest of 5).

If the truth be told, Amanda and Becca have an interesting relationship.  Very similar to the Sarah/Amanda relationship when they were younger.  Becca is like I described above...and Amanda has NO patience for  anyone whom she thinks is "acting stupid to get attention, talking dumb or asking too many questions".   She has the ability to "see right thru people" and tell if they are phoneys or fakes.   She is happy and easy going as long as she is free to do and go as she pleases, and hates to be questioned (which Becca is PRO at doing).   Becca's personality is actually a great combination of Sarah & Amanda with her own personality mixed in there too.    It's like I'm raising all three girls in one person now!  I love it :)!  At least I've been there, done that, so nothing really surprises me, yet. 

Here's the HERO part!  On Tuesday nights the high school has "Open Gym" for volleyball girls who want to play next year.  More than anything, it's time to hang out, scope out your competition, have fun, and perhaps learn a thing of two.  Last week several of the girls that will be returning next year called Amanda and begged her to come play, so she did.  Then this week one of Becca's friends told her she could go too.  I assumed that Amanda would take Becca and they would have a good time, but Amanda said she wasn't going because she felt too much like a "super senior" (someone who doesn't know when to leave and continues coming back after they've graduated).  Amanda is clearly ready to move on!!

So Becca went with a friend, and as soon as she walked in...Que the heavenly choir...she was welcomed in and automatically fit in...because of the good reputation that Amanda had left behind!  The girls kept saying "you look and sound just like Amanda",  ''you are so funny, just like Amanda",  "we like you", "you're pretty cool", etc. etc etc.

She basically felt like a rock star, or at least like a rock stars' kid sister.  See, it was the older girls (Amanda's friends) who were talking and joking around with her, plus she's already friends with the younger girls, so it was, magic.  It was the best birthday present anyone could have given her (they even sang to her).  She came home practically floating! 

Earlier that day I saw Amanda and she was on her way to get balloons and candy to take to Becca's school for her birthday.  She delivered the balloons to the front office and then left.  Becca came home feeling loved by her sister, whom she thought couldn't care less about her.  Sometimes Amanda surprises me!  She is very aware of her actions and really attempts to fine tune the rough spots, but she has to do it, on her own terms.  The independent little cus!  Twice in one day, Amanda was a real hero to her little sister.