Mothers Day Post # 1- The Kat Rat

People, it's less than  a week to Mother's Day.

 Also known as "D-Day" in the Hinsdale house.

As in the most important and terrifying day of all the year. 

Instead of treating you all to another week of posts just about my mom, I have decided to highlight the 5 most important women in my life.

 Anyone who reads this blog even casually should already know who I am talking about

My nieces, my sisters, and my mom.

To be honest, just about all of them hate these tribute blog things.

 They're not much for emotional declarations and such.

 But I want this blog to be; not just a record of my inane ramblings about Glee and Rock band, but also a format for me to leave nothing unsaid.

As a therapist I have really come to understand the power of speaking things out loud.

 And of supportive relationships.

 So few people have someone that loves them just as they are.

 I am blessed to have these women in my life.

That being said..let's begin with the craziest and the newest fabulous woman in my life...

the
infamous

 Katherine Danielle Monroe

Katy is important to me in a lot of ways.

 Not just because of who she is.

 She's fabulous and insane, all at the same time.

 But she's also important to me because, through her, I understand myself and my family in ways I never have before.

Seeing her being the youngest has given me some perspective on my own childhood.

 I've grumbled my whole life about being the youngest, being left out, targeted by my sisters, and accused of being spoiled.

Katy's plight as the youngest Monroe baby has given me a little glimpse into that time of childhood that I don't really remember.

She is frequently left out.

We even have a code for it- EBK- it means "everyone but Katy".

 Used in a sentence it might sound like this

 "I will take the kids to the park- well, EBK, of course".

She is targeted by her siblings, but mainly in response to her own craziness.

They would all pamper her unreservedly if she would just settle down a little.

 She inspires a lot of revenge plots..maybe I've even dreamed of getting even with her a time or two myself.

And, holy Hannah, she is spoiled.

 As in ROTTEN to the core.

It's like she's reliving my childhood.

 Except without the perms, weekly spankings and classic rock.

And I kind of get what my family means about me, seeing her.

The good and the bad. 

But she's not just like me- Katy is; more than any of Danielle's other kids, a perfect hodgepodge of everyone in our family.

She's loves animals, just like my dad and Erin.

She's feisty and a little nuts, just like my mom.

She's kind, just like David.

She's intelligent and determined, just like Danielle.

She's everything that's good about all of us.

Something about Katy reminds me of my childhood- catching fireflies in jars in our backyard, plotting to get pillow cases full of candy on Halloween, and watching the Muppet's under blankets on the living room floor on Saturday nights.

Something about her is as magic as those times were.

My favorite Katy memory of all time is this:

Thanks for being one of the four best things to ever happen to me!!

Love,

Aunt Lori