My Favorite Mouse

I think I've spoken of my older cousin before. Her home was my safe haven throughout my childhood. Whenever I needed to be away from my home, I'd go to hers.

I learned to baby-sit watching her kids. I was only 7 the first time I was left alone with her firstborn. I still don't know what they were thinking leaving me in charge of an infant.

Anyway, she had 4 kids. A son and 3 daughters. My sister claimed the oldest daughter as "hers". If I even looked at her, I'd be in trouble. I was never allowed to pick her up unless my sister was not around.

I was never so happy to hear that there was another baby on the way. Another girl. This one would be all mine.

She was a little roly poly thing with a cute little nose and she constantly wore a smile. I commented one day how she was always so quiet. Even her cry was soft. "She's like a little mouse!" The nickname stuck.

She was the one who would come running to the door every time I walked in. Their living room was raised up above the rest of the house. She'd get a running start and leap off the stairs totally confident that I'd catch her and not fall down. I always did, thank goodness.

I always played with all the kids, but Mouse was the one who always found my lap. She'd ask me all sorts of questions and always had a story to share. Her favorite pastime was singing. She'd think of a Disney movie and we'd sing every song we knew. Her favorites were from Winnie the Pooh but she also loved Mary Poppins. Everytime a new one came out, we'd watch it together over and over until we knew the words of all the songs. Sometimes I'd sing alone and she'd dance. As quiet as she was, she loved to perform.

As she grew older, she became more athletic. She was the star of the basketball team wherever she played. She went to 3 different high schools and was on the starting 5 of all three teams.

Now she's a junior in college. She's still as sweet, kind, and generous as she always was. I miss not having her around but am so proud of what she's accomplishing and the young woman she has become.

Today is her birthday. My little Mouse is 22 years old.




This was taken at a hotel in Town about 5 years ago. That's Mouse in the red with her little sister on her lap.