Jillian

Today is my baby's 12th birthday. Jillian was born on an extremely nice (weather-wise) Friday, and she was two weeks past her due date so I was induced. After a very long day (6 AM to 9 PM) she was finally born, and my mother likes to say she emerged "pissed off and with her fists wrapped tight around her umbilical cord, and she's been pissed off ever since!"  The whole day was a blur to me because my pain strategy involves mentally retreating to where I would rather be than laying in a hospital bed in pain, so I was out of it for most of the day, though there were no pain medications involved, just whatever drug induces labor. She's been a challenge and a joy ever since.

While my other two daughters are fairly reasonable, sane angels, Jillian was born sans bullshit-o-meter. She questions everything, and her favorite weapon is sarcasm. I suspect she learned this from one of her older sisters, but she has perfected it on her own. She also has a quick temper, often jumps to completely wrong conclusions and is really, really social. The rest of us in this family tend to hang back and scope things out with the eye of suspicion before we jump in with even something so innocuous as an opinion or even a "hello," Jillian is right there with quick, amazing social skills and friendly patter. As you might know with really social people, drama follows her and sets up camp around her like an aura. She's really, really compelling and determined and sweet and quickly angry. Maybe because her father is one of those dynamic people you envy because even though most of what they say is bullshit, they say it in a way that is compelling and believable even when it's not true. I know that sentence doesn't make sense, but think of the average Tea Partier and add in a dose of AIM and a reservation education...while I'm working on teaching Jillybean some critical thinking skills, she still has the makings of a future politician, and I mean that in the most motherly way possible. She's going to be scary incredible when she grows up fully. Also, she's really, really beautiful.

Jillian, 12 years old.

All three of my daughters: Sheridan, Cassidy, Jillian.

Let us not forget the boy, my Greyson.