a story for katie

the day you were born we all went to a movie. you were going to be born at home, in our mother's bed, but when the time came, you were stubborn and didn't want to come out so they had to take you to the hospital. us kids had to go to a movie. man, we were pissed, we wanted to stay and see you. we wanted to witness the smelly, sticky, gurgling miracle of screaming birth. instead we saw disney's The Little Mermaid, which to this day is one of my favorites. years later in high school health class i got to see a video of the "miracle" of birth. it's a miracle anyone does that voluntarily i tell you. it was the single most gut wrenching thing i've ever seen. but we were all so glad when you finally came. you sure did take your sweet time, which i guess hasn't changed much (what do you DO for an hour in the shower?) and after that you were like the family side kick. even when i was fifteen and used to sneak out late at night to meet my friends at the playground and talk about our horrible lives with no witness but the silent nun moon, you followed me. you were a tiny sprite, galloping down the sidewalk behind me and snuggling up into the crisp with me. you followed us all around and didn't we love you? we patted you on the head and you giggled and made us happy. just so you know...you make me happy still, even when scare me and piss me off, you are a part of the warm center of my life...