You're the get away car

Most of you - if you haven't already met her, you've heard me talk about Fat Baby Keara (even though right before my very eyes the "fat baby" part of her has disappeared!). Three and a half years ago when my parents told us they were expecting their seventh child - well, you can imagine my great disdain for such "irresponsibility". I was 21. I had two nieces. And my PARENTS were going to have a BABY?! Crazy, right?

Or Jesus.

You see, from before her very first days on this planet, Keara has been much more than the seventh child. She has been a delight. She is the one who says the most outrageous things when you least expect it (Keara, where do you live? "In a castle with my prince."). She is a barrel of laughs and she oozes excitement constantly(as most tots do). She is what you crave at the end of a rough day. She is always an anticipated escape. Keara was born and about one month later my ailing Grandma moved in with us. The two of them became inseparable best friends for the following nine months. Keara had a heart defect. Grandma rarely got out of bed. I think Keara's favorite place on earth was on Grandma's bed. Grandma bought Keara a little purse on one of her very few trips accompanying Mom to Wal-Mart and Keara carried it around like Grandma carried her oxygen tube around. When Grandma died, Keara was a little funky for a couple of days, and two months later when she turned one, Mom made her a birthday cake in the shape of a purse.
Most days, Keara keeps us going. She certainly kept Mom going during the pregnancy. And as difficult as that time was on all of us, none of us could have imagined the delight that was being given to our family. When my parents started talking about names, they decided they wanted something significantly Irish-sounding. So they chose Keara Joy. None of us knew it at the time, but Keara means "pure" in Irish. she literally is PURE JOY. And she is.
Even as an almost-three year old, she has one of the most vivacious personalities. She loves romance and singing and all things girly. She really loves singing. She has been singing "Jesus Loves Me" with a great amount of passion for almost two years now. WELL. Keara's most recent song-obsession is GET THIS: Everything, Michael Buble.
She sings it - EVERY WORD - with such gumption, often clutching her little hands at her chest and raising her toddler chin into the air. I'm not gonna lie; it's hysterical. It's adorable and laughable when her over dramatic face squinches up and she sings "I can't believe that - uh - I'm your man and I get to kiss you baby, just because I can." at the top of her little lungs.
If you don't love her already, lemme know. I've got more stories.


You're a falling star, You're the get away car.
You're the line in the sand when I go too far.
You're the swimming pool, on an August day.
And you're the perfect thing to say.
And you play it coy, but it's kinda cute.
Ah, When you smile at me you know exactly what you do.
Baby don't pretend, that you don't know it's true.
Cause you can see it when I look at you.
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're a carousel, you're a wishing well,
And you light me up, when you ring my bell.
You're a mystery, you're from outer space,
You're every minute of my everyday.
And I can't believe, uh that I'm your man,
And I get to kiss you baby just because I can.
Whatever comes our way, ah we'll see it through,
And you know that's what our love can do.
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
So, La, La, La, La, La, La, La
And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
You're every song, and I sing along.
'Cause you're my everything.
Yeah, yeah