Life was good. Things were going along great. I had my mom and dad to myself, tons of toys to play with and I was going to start school in the fall. Kindergarten was just around the corner. My days were full of playing with my Barbie dolls and my friends at pre-school. Evenings were spent doing fun things with my mom and dad at night. All of that changed on June 2, 1987.

    My mom and dad were very excited about having another baby. Things were sure to change since I was nearly five years old. Dad wanted another girl, and mom was hoping for another healthy baby. I didn’t know what to think, but was very excited too.

    The new baby was supposed to be born on my parent’s anniversary. Since my mom was to have C-section, they planned her delivery on my grandma’s birthday. Traci weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces and was 19 ½ inches long. We weighed the same; she was a little bit bigger than me and had full head of dark hair.

    My dad was working with my grandpa at Ellis Auto Parts. Things were going pretty well in the parts business. My mom also worked with my dad. She was the secretary, the one who kept track of all the paper work and the money.

    I was the one named my new sister. I named her after a little boy at my day care. My dad would take to day care everyday while my mom was in the hospital with Traci. Everyday I could go visit them and take a friend with me from the day care. I was so proud to show my new baby sister off.

    I introduced Traci to some early Saturday morning cartoons, "The Smurfs," "Chip ‘N’ Dale Rescue Rangers," and " The Flintstones." In the evenings dad and mom watched "Cheers" and "Cosby Show." Traci was always jabbering and cooing when someone talked to her or held her. That could explain why she is such a talker today.

    In the world sad and happy things happened in the year Traci was born. The USSR performed a nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh. Earl Wilson and Art Davis died. Linda Chamberlain was convicted of murdering her baby NASA launched a space vehicle S-209. Cherry 7-Up came out with a commercial. Vanessa Williams and Ramon Hervey got married.

    A few big things went on in our family the same year Traci was born. I started Kindergarten at Lincoln School, our grandpa got remarried, and my parents had their 12^th anniversary. On the sad side, my aunt, who was Traci’s godmother, had a brain tumor and was recovering form a successful surgery.

    Things went well having another person in the family. I had a lot of fun playing with Traci. I’m glad I wasn’t the only child so I wouldn’t be blamed for everything that went wrong in the house, and I had someone to play with. Also I was lucky not having to share a room with her. Through the years we’ve grown closer and even share clothes now. So in the end it was nice having a sister around; I’m glad she was born!