happy birthday, kiki!

You say it's your birthday!
Well, it's my birthday, too!
Can't wait for next weekend ...
To celebrate with you!

Kiki, Kiki, Kiki! Can you believe that we are another year older? That one minute we are watching cartoons and playing with Barbies ... and the next minute....well, I was just watching cartoons and playing with Barbies...but I was doing that with my kids because we are adults and we are old!

Both you and I had the same fear when lying down on the ultrasound table for our first pregnancy ultrasounds ... dear god, I hope it's not twins! It comes from a totally selfish response of how much work it must be to raise not one, but two, babies at once. Because, you and I both know that really, we are two of the luckiest people in the world that we got to grow up together.

How many people can say that they spent virtually every day of their lives with their best friend? Every single day we played together, talked together, lived together. People were always amazed that we didn't fight...but why would we? We were (and still are) the perfect compliment to each other. My loud personality spoke up for both me and you, the shy, quiet one. Your kind heart made sure that any feelings I hurt were soothed.

We were lucky that we got to navigate the big, bad worlds of elementary school, middle school, high school, and even college together. Our conversations now can lapse into a secret code of inside jokes and obscure references spanning 34 years that only you and I can understand. And we know each other so well that we can laugh until we cry about something while our husbands, friends, and parents look on wondering what the hell is so funny.

The only thing I hate about our relationship is that you are too far away from me. I miss you every. single. day. I love that we can now talk face-to-face on webcams...but even then it's too short of a conversation and too long between calls. That's why I'm counting the days until you come to visit...so we can hang out in our PJs and talk.

So, have a happy birthday, Kiki! I love you and miss you and can't wait to see you!