Ode To The Middle Child.
I know. You don't think I know but I do. I know that sometimes you feel like you get lost in the chaos. That you go unnoticed. That no one appreciates anything about you.
I know that sometimes you feel that all I concentrate on is your older sisters, and their activities, and their schedules, and their boyfriends, and their needs. I know you get tired sometimes of hearing about all of their accomplishments, about how proud I am of them. About their talent, their beauty. And don't even get you started on your little sister. How I am obsessed with her. How she gets to behave in ways you never did. How she monopolizes my lap and you think, my heart.
Oh 3. If you only knew. If you only knew how excited I was when you were born. Dark hair, bright blue eyes, beautiful skin. How exciting it was for me to have people stop me every ten feet to look at you. You were the most beautiful baby anyone had ever seen. That didn't happen with your sisters. Only with you. And then you started to grow up. And you stayed beautiful. And now you are beautiful on the inside. If only you knew how much your presence in our family DOES go noticed. The kindness you show to your little sister. The tasks you help me do. Do you think I don't notice who is first in the kitchen to help with dinner? Who is the ONLY one who never argues when asked to clean her room? Do you think I don't notice how hard you try in school, how faithfully you practice the piano and the cello? Not for me, but because you truly want to be good. Don't you know how incredible that is? How incredible you are?
Don't you ever dare think that you aren't the most important thing in the world to me. Don't you ever worry that I don't think of you every minute of the day. Because I do. Don't you ever doubt yourself, or compare yourself to your sisters. Maybe you aren't a gymnast. Or a basketball star. So What! You will be who YOU are. And that will be exactly as exciting to me and to your entire family.
Your calmness, your grace. You have an innate ability to know what I need. What our family needs. Our house does succumb to chaos at times. And you calmly go about helping with whatever needs done. Do you think I don't know?
3. Always know that I am aware of you and who you are. Always know that you are the most special girl in the world. Always know how important you are to me and to our entire family. There is a reason you are the Middle Child. Because you know how to do it right. I will love you forever. No matter what.
I know that sometimes you feel that all I concentrate on is your older sisters, and their activities, and their schedules, and their boyfriends, and their needs. I know you get tired sometimes of hearing about all of their accomplishments, about how proud I am of them. About their talent, their beauty. And don't even get you started on your little sister. How I am obsessed with her. How she gets to behave in ways you never did. How she monopolizes my lap and you think, my heart.
Oh 3. If you only knew. If you only knew how excited I was when you were born. Dark hair, bright blue eyes, beautiful skin. How exciting it was for me to have people stop me every ten feet to look at you. You were the most beautiful baby anyone had ever seen. That didn't happen with your sisters. Only with you. And then you started to grow up. And you stayed beautiful. And now you are beautiful on the inside. If only you knew how much your presence in our family DOES go noticed. The kindness you show to your little sister. The tasks you help me do. Do you think I don't notice who is first in the kitchen to help with dinner? Who is the ONLY one who never argues when asked to clean her room? Do you think I don't notice how hard you try in school, how faithfully you practice the piano and the cello? Not for me, but because you truly want to be good. Don't you know how incredible that is? How incredible you are?
Don't you ever dare think that you aren't the most important thing in the world to me. Don't you ever worry that I don't think of you every minute of the day. Because I do. Don't you ever doubt yourself, or compare yourself to your sisters. Maybe you aren't a gymnast. Or a basketball star. So What! You will be who YOU are. And that will be exactly as exciting to me and to your entire family.
Your calmness, your grace. You have an innate ability to know what I need. What our family needs. Our house does succumb to chaos at times. And you calmly go about helping with whatever needs done. Do you think I don't know?
3. Always know that I am aware of you and who you are. Always know that you are the most special girl in the world. Always know how important you are to me and to our entire family. There is a reason you are the Middle Child. Because you know how to do it right. I will love you forever. No matter what. 
And your Grandma Annie thinks all the same things of you. You are an outstanding young woman and the only thing I can add, is watch out world - because THIS girl with all her charms and talents and goodness WILL change the world in BIG ways. I Love you Angel.
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