As a baby Kayla was big! She was round and had chubby cheeks and she was fearless. Kayla was fiercely independent. She didn't need help with anything and would stubbornly insist on doing everything by herself. Kayla was also sick a lot. She was allergic to so many things and when she got sick she would get very sick. I was always scared of losing her. I would do anything to make her smile.
Elementary school was awful. Looking back now it seems so obvious that she had ADD. She was brilliant, maxing out scores on all of her mandated testing. She could draw detailed pictured when she was 3, light years ahead of her peers. She was still stubborn and fierce and exhausting. She couldn't be punished because nothing worked. She was happy to talk to her hands when all of her toys were taken away. The Kayla show was 24/7/365. Kayla performed in her school's annual talent show every single year. She sang songs and in 5th grade she choreographed a hula hoop dance with Madison. People went nuts. She was never afraid, she never backed down.
Middle school is when things got a lot easier for me. Kayla hated boys (fine by me) and had a handful of good friends. She was awkward and nerdy and no amount of hinting could get her to not take a fashion risk I knew she'd regret someday. I didn't want to change her even if her ensemble made me cringe. I loved that she felt so confident with her style and I envied her bravery. When her peers had boyfriends Kayla was making stop-motion videos with her dolls. She was a late bloomer who loved Girl Scouts and sleep-away summer camp. She would have lived on the mountain all summer long if I had the funds to send her. Kayla has this amazing ability to go into a space where she doesn't know anybody and she just owns the space.
Kayla started high school short and underweight. She was maybe 90lbs and shorter than her peers. She still had very little interest in dating. Looking back I really miss those days. I miss my awkward skinny kid who did puzzles with me and only worried about what color rubber bands to get on her braces next. Things were simple then. It was sophomore year when things started to change dramatically for Kayla. She grew overnight and had her first boyfriend (it lasted a couple months). Junior year she cut her hair off and we couldn't go in public without somebody stopping me to tell me how beautiful she was. I remember becoming aware of the effect she had on boys and even men. She was taller than me and looked older than her actual age and she was devastatingly beautiful.
Kayla had her first real boyfriend her Junior year. The heartbreak that boy put her through changed her. He broke her down and all I could do was watch as she put herself back together. I was so proud of the strong person she became because of that. Her senior year was so exciting. I was equal parts terrified and proud. The next relationship she had came to an end because she realized he wasn't what she wanted or needed. That was a huge step for her and I loved watching her come into her own.
She's in college now and I couldn't be more proud of her. At the end of the day, here's what you need to know about Kayla as she is right now (but I doubt much will change over time): Kayla is stubborn and bossy and convinced she knows the best way to do most things. She is kind and brave and incredibly loyal. Kayla has integrity and she isn't afraid to have the tough conversations. Kayla is not the kind of girl you leave. Every single boy she ever dated (even very briefly) has tried to come back into her life after messing up. And I do mean every single guy, down to the boy she dated for a few days in 8th grade. Kayla is forgiving, but she's not stupid. I mean, sometimes I have to kick her in the butt and remind her of who she is, but she would have gotten there on her own eventually.
Kayla makes a lot of mistakes and unfortunately she (quite often) doesn't learn the lesson until she's learned it the hard way. Kayla is optimistic and hopeful. She gets all mushy for babies and kittens and puppies. Kayla believes in the fairy tale and she deserves every single bit of it. She makes me a better person every single day. Kayla is my best friend and the reason I believe in God.
