"When will I get to go to school, Mama," asked Sydnie. She was kicking the doorway as her older sister skipped off to school in her new blue dress.

"When will I lose my first tooth, Mama," asked Sydnie. She was wiggling all of them trying to get one to come out as she stared at her older sister's beaming tooth laying on it's special pillow.

"When will I learn to ride my bike like a big girl, Mama," asked Sydnie. She was pushing her bike from side to side watching the training wheels do their work. Her older sister rode by like a leaf on the wind.

"When will I get to wash the dishes, Mama," asked Sydnie. She watched the friendly bubbles rise in the water as her older sister sang a song and scrubbed a dish.

"When will I get to ride the pony ALONE, Mama," asked Sydnie. She watched her older sister gallop across the prairie, kicking up dust, and laughing.

"When will I get to have a sleepover, Mama," asked Sydnie. She watched all the older girls trading clothes and fixing their hair as they sat on a sleeping bag floor.

Then one day, it happened. Sydnie woke up and it was HER first day of school. So she put on her new red dress and skipped off to school with her sister feeling little butterflies flying in her tummy.

Then one day, it happened. Sydnie was playing in the yard, like she usually did, and she felt a funny feeling in her mouth. She wiggled, and jiggled, and giggled . . . and out came HER first tooth.

Then one day, it happened. Her Daddy had taken off her training wheels and she had been practicing. 

Before Sydnie knew it, she was zipping down the road with the wind in HER hair leading her sister.

Then one day, it happened. She gathered up the dishes, like she always did, but this time, her Mama handed her the washcloth and set the chair up by the sink. Sydnie happily sang her OWN cleaning song.

Then one day, it happened. Sydnie mounted her pony, Coco, like she always did, and then her Mama handed all of the reigns to her. Her sister was watching HER on the prairie in a whirlwind of dust.

Then one day, it happened. She got to have her own birthday sleepover. She smiled as she looked at the colorful sleeping bag floor full of giggling friends of her own. Her sister winked at her from the doorway and closed the door.

"I want to go to school," said Sydnie's younger sister. Sydnie smiled.