Feb 17 2008
Another Birthday. The 39 Year Old.
I have a lake in my backyard. Now, before you get all jealous and shit, it’s because the 8 inches of snow that we got last week is melting. It’s 44 degrees outside and raining. I’m waiting to look out the back window and see some geese and ducks landing.
Of course, tomorrow morning, their tail-feathered butts may be frozen into an ice cube, because it’s supposed to be 5.
Today is my little sister’s birthday. She was born while I was in kindergarten. February 17, 1969. I was thrilled to have a sister. She would sleep in my bedroom; I’d read her stories. We’d do each other’s hair. Share clothes (she ended up being 5′3″; I’m 5′9″ - it never really worked…). Become a team against that THING in the other room - our brother. He was such a creep.
But first, a couple of things about her. She was born in February. Freakin’ cold February. (She never suffered the indignity of being thrown into the algae filled pond on her birthday like my brother and I did. She would have simply bounced off the ice).
She was born with a tooth. Seriously. The girl came out of mom with a bottom tooth. That tooth was always smaller and kinda brownish…but it was a real tooth. (The tooth fairy took it, so it had to be, right?)
She had the darkest brown hair and the darkest brown eyes and olive skin. She also had a streak of pure blonde hair down the back of her head. Newborn full-head-o-hair, like Frema’s little girl - with a blonde streak. She always lamented that it was on the back of her head (once she figured out that women pay big bucks to have their hair streaked) instead of in the front.
She came home from the hospital in a snowsuit that had a hood trimmed in fur. With her olive skin, brown eyes and hair, she looked like a little Eskimo baby. Dad immediately started calling her Skimo. Then Ski.
To this day, she’s Ski. She always will be.
When she could pull herself up in her crib, she chewed on it. Gnawed the headboard like she was a damned beaver. Woke me up every night. I’d tell her to go to sleep. She’d gnaw louder. I’d cry for my mother to “Come get her out of here. I want to sleep.”
Then she started having seizures. No one knew what it was. She would stare off into space, pursing her lips like a fish. No thrashing, no fear that she would ’swallow her tongue’. Just staring. And those fish lips. Nights in the hospital to see if the doctors could figure out what was happening meant that I got to sleep through the night without feeling like a tree would fall on me.
I was scared to death that I had killed her - that she was sick because I bitched about the noise she made.
Apparently, in addition to being born with a tooth and a blonde streak in her hair, she had been born with some sort of scar tissue on her brain. Years on phenobarbital and normal brain growth cured the seizures.
We went to North Carolina one year for a family vacation. It took us two days to get there, but we got to see Top Sail Island - where MomandDad lived when they were first married. It was a wonderful day at the beach. We’d never seen the ocean before. It was the first time we’d taken a vacation, ever. We talked about it for weeks and weeks before. Ski and I had matching bikinis; we built sand castles and collected shells.
That night - the first night we were there - someone shook me awake. It was my mom. “We’ve got to get home. Your sister is sick.” She had a huge tumor that came up overnight behind her ear. We drove 14 hours straight through the night and she was back in the hospital. Doctors removed the tumor, and she was fine.
Ski grew up, had an arranged marriage, (yes…that’s what I mean. My parents picked her husband) and gave birth to the first grandchild. She now has 5 children. The oldest is 18. The youngest is 4. Four boys, one girl. She’s a terrific mother; has had her share of nights in the emergency room with kid’s with breathing problems and allergic reactions and puke-fests galore. She claims it’s payback for everything she put my parents through.
I claim that it’s because she’s the one who is strong enough to deal with it.
—- Happy Birthday Ski. I love you, little sister. —-
Ski and #4 - the third son.
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This is so sweet! Happy birthday to your sis!
Jules
House of Jules
HouseofJules’s last blog post..Now with twice the music, twice the entendre
I’m sure you had alot to say today, but after I got to “arranged marriage” I stopped taking it it. Seriously? I didn’t know women in America did that any more. Was it a blind date that went really, really well? Wow. And it worked out well for her? I’m in awe. Was it arranged from childhood? My mind is still boggling. OK, I have to go back and read the rest of the post.
happy birthday, happy february and all that.
I don’t have a sister, I have a cat, the cat chews everything she can get her fangs on. Including my big toe if I leave it out from under blankets at night. Awful way to wake up.
warriorwitch’s last blog post..smoked by a flying cat
What a wonderful story! Glad Ski’s OK now. You’re a good sister.
SarahO’s last blog post..I THINK I’M IN HATE WITH FACEBOOK.
*wiping a tear* This was a beaut, Hot.
I hope her birthday is wondrous.
Sorta like you.
witchypoo’s last blog post..Peep of the Week
Happy Birthday Ski!
Sisters … unless you have one, you can’t imagine what an extention of ourselves they really are. You both are lucky to have each other.
Beautiful birthday post Ree. I added it to my shared in google reader =)
Nancy’s last blog post..The Great Interview Experiment
Sisters are the best aren’t they although I didn’t always think so growing up. I was the eldest and me and my middle sister did not get on at all. Now….we are the best of friends.
She sounds like she was unique right from the get go with a tooth, a full head of hair and a blonde streak. I would also like to hear more about this arranged marriage and if your parents arranged one for you too.
I answered your question about the forgiveness thing on my blog but just to summarise in case you don’t get back to read it - some will forgive and others won’t. I personally wouldn’t blame them if they couldn’t get past it because the repercussions of being snatched from their parents didn’t just effect the victims but also their children.
Happy Birthday to your sister Ski. A baby eskimo would be SO CUTE!!
Gypsy’s last blog post..Mute Monday: Diversity
Happy Birthday Ski!
Dawn’s last blog post..Weekly Winners
What a wonderful post for her birthday.
I hope she has an amazing day. She certainly deserves it.
Veronica’s last blog post..Weekly Winners
Her birthday is only a couple days off from mine (except she is the same age as my older sister), very nice! Tell her “happy birthday” from another girl born in the dreary month of February!
Arranged marriage? Seriously? Wow! I’m hoping you blog about this at some point, as that is interesting in this day and age.
RC’s last blog post..Rain and ice storm
I have three siblings and our birthdays are all within 6 weeks of each other, which means just one thing:
our parents apparently only had sex in the the Summer.
I always love sibling stories and this a great one. Having spent the morning with mine (celebrating a BIRTHDAY) it was nice to read about yours.
and sorry about that lake. Come to Seattle….. it happens year round.
Jenny’s last blog post..Mute Monday
Wow. What a beautiful testament to your sister. Give her a birthday lick from your Aussie gal.
Oh and if I was to write to my brother on his birthday?
Dear Golden Child,
Bite me Mr Perfection.
Your sister,
Hotter than you will ever be sailor boy
xx
Kelley’s last blog post..Boo’s homework.
Happiest of birthdays, Ski!
daysgoby’s last blog post..I may never be a real grown-up
Awww - Happy Birthday Ski!
Ree - fabulous post!
Lys’s last blog post..Not Dreading the Monday…
A beatiful tribute!
Jenny, Bloggess’s last blog post..Speakerphone is sometimes a bad idea
What a survivor! I think my favorite thing about your story is all the unusual and wonderful details you share about your sister–the blonde streak, the gnawing on the crib, the tooth–she sounds extraordinary! Lucky you to have such a sister!
Melissa’s last blog post..They Put the “Fun” in Dysfuntional
My sister and I are just over a year apart. We have a younger brother and yeah… he was always the brat in our eyes,. He got his own room. We had to share a room our whole lives until we grew up and moved on. There were times we absolutely hated each other’s guts but if anyone else stepped in and bothered one of us, we were right there with fists flying.
flutterby’s last blog post..Saturday Silliness
Happy Birthday, Ski! Sounds like she put your parents through a lot growing up! I cannot imagine! Best wishes to her and her family.
Shelly’s last blog post..Meme Friday
What a great story!
We had a moat around our house yesterday from the melting snow and rain…now I could ice skate in circles around my house if I could get the fence gates to open!
Erin’s last blog post..Your 2008 Bloggie Doggie Nominees
I got stuck at the ‘arranged marriage’ thing too. Was it her choice or your parents? Why didn’t you get an arranged marriage?
Jennifer @ The Cubicle’s Backporch’s last blog post..The Cleaning Lady
Happy (belated) birthday, Ski!
Solomon Broad’s last blog post..Things I’m Grateful For on Monday 18 February
I am really intrigued by this whole “arranged marriage” thing…
Happy Birthday!
marlee’s last blog post..The World According to Snacks, part 5
I, too, am intrigued by the “arranged marriage.” As in, are they still married? Happily? And how did you escape this?
Candy’s last blog post..Nurse’s Log, Day Two
Michael Jordan was born on Feb 17th as well.
Both my brother and sister were born in Feb too!
Kristabella’s last blog post..Eject