1. She can make the ugliest or weirdest outfits look cool...and make you wish you would have thought of it first.
2. If I asked her to, she would willingly and with out complaint, wake up at 4 am to spend 2 hours curling my hair.
3. She has a true appreciation of Avatar the Last Airbender.
4. One time, a few years ago, it was a Saturday night and neither of us had plans and were home
alone. We decided we would make it a fancy night. We made homemade mac and cheese with fancy noodles and ate it out of fancy bowls. We drank apple juice out of wine glasses and settled down to watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3, in which we both promptly fell asleep 20 minutes in to the movie.
5. At least once a week, Jessica is making cookies, or a blanket, or brownies, or etc. for a friend's birthday or sometimes for no reason other than just wanting to do something nice for a friend.
6. Sometimes she is so dang lazy and has all kinds of tricks to getting you to do things for her...like calling for you to come in to her room where she's laying on her bed and then once you get there, asking you to turn the light off for her. And she is quite persistent. Calling your name over and over and over until you get sick of it and go just to get her to stop yelling your name. And most of the time (not all...I assure you) it is hard to be annoyed or mad at her because you often wish you thought of the idea first.
7. I don't know if she remembers this, but one time we were in Idaho visiting our Aunt Lynn and Grandparents for Thanksgiving. We were at our aunt's house and our cousin's little kids were there and so, naturally, we started playing with them. At one point, we were outside and the little girls found branches that still had leaves and stuff on them and took upon themselves to start "tickling us" with the branches. Needless to say, it hurt. I remember looking at Jessica and sharing this look with her like "holy crap." But despite how unticklish it felt, Jessica just pretended to keep laughing and giggling and than distracted them with another activity. Jessica is great with kids and they love her! She would let them play on and hang off her like she was monkey bars if it made them happy. She's a good aunt and she'll be an even better mom.
8. She is AWESOME at DDR and Guitar Hero. She's a natural.
9. Jessica makes the most delicious chocolate chip cookies. I have the same recipe, but when I make them, they just don't compare.
10. She is an excellent car dancing companion. I have yet to find a finer partner in the fine art of dancing in a car.
11. "Honey, I'm home..." "I'm not playing house." "Honey, I'm home...." "I'm NOT playing house!" "Honey I'm home..." "I'M NOT PLAYING HOUSE!"
12. Jessica could chew on a whole pack of Bubble Tape and she would blow the hugest bubbles. She can also fit the top of a soda can in her mouth. And I believe her fist as well. The Swapp's have big mouths, but I do believe she has the biggest one,
13. which works out well because she is loud. almost to the point of being obnoxious, and sometimes beyond that point. ;)
14. Jessica is fiercely loyal to her family and friends.
15. She may not look it a lot of the time, but she is just as sensitive and emotional as the rest of us girls in the family and I love her for it.
16. Jessica is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!
17. Jessica wears mismatched socks...always. To school ,to church, at my wedding reception with her bridesmaid dress. I think it is so cool.
18. She is the most creative person I have ever met.
19. "Gran Gran? I know Gran Gran."
20. Jessica is pretty darn cool. and awesome. both of those things.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESSICA!!! I hope it is a fabulous day! You deserve an excellent one. I love you and I miss you a million times, Best Second Brother!
(P.S. I was originally planning on doing a post for my mom and my sister Kait, whose birthdays were earlier this month, but it happened to be around the time I was making my blog private and so I was unable to post them on their birthdays...so Mom and Kait, don't feel left out, yours are coming!)
