On the day that Shanie was born!

On the day that Shanie was born the angels sang and they 'tooted' their horns and they danced and they danced. (I got this song from Shanie's kindergarton class and she used to get so mad about me saying 'tooted' instead of 'blew' on their horns.)

November 26th, 1989 Shanie was born. She is now 20....I know I have been saying she is 20 for a little while, I get confused in my old age! We have a tradition in my family that you grow fangs and claws as soon as you turn 13 and then they fall off at 20 (but may return later during mid-life....like me).

Shanie never wanted anyone but her momma when she was a baby....I felt like she was attached to my person. She never liked to be on the floor and refused to crawl....and I was just as determined that she should because I heard that if babies didn't learn to crawl they would have trouble reading. Shanie finally crawled at almost one but then the next day stood up in the middle of the floor and walked and that was that! She used to run around in a walker....I couldn't put her on the floor...she would howl! She ran like crazy.....but I was still trying to get her to crawl. (By the way, she is a great reader and won all sorts of awards for reading.) I used to put big bows in her hair and she would always pull them out....I should have known I was going to have a tomboy on my hands! Shanie taught herself to do everything she wanted to do. She taught herself to ride a bike by continually trying....so much like she still is....so motivated! She is an amazing girl! She is one of the most truly confident persons I know....deep down confident! When she competes it is to win but not necessarily to be better than anyone else but a deep drive within her to do better....she loves to win but it is different kind of competitiveness....unusually great! I miss her being home to organize me! So glad she is here for Thanksgiving and her birthday! She is sooooo loved!