I have a wonderful little sister. She goes by the name Hannah. And she’s a whoppin’ five years younger than me.
Tell me, then, how can it be that she’s already 11… that doesn’t seem very little-sisterly.
One of the most fun things to do ever is to hang out with her, and listen to her talk about her most favorite things in the world. When I want to draw, she wants to put on makeup and do hair together. That seems reversed, doesn’t it? 15, going on sixteen girl saying “Come on, Hannah, lets draw together!” whereas the 11 year old (as of today) saying “Can’t we put on makeup together, or do our nails or something?”
More than once she’s convinced me to put down my pencil and comply. I don’t think many other people could do that. She’s just too fun to be around, to refuse!
At the same time, I wouldn’t call her a girly-girl. Her favorite computer-game at the moment (I do believe she’s actually downstairs playing it, right now) is “the Hobbit”, based on JRR Tolkien’s book of the same name. She has massive fun hunting through troll-caves, looking for lost keys of legend, and discovering wooden chests full of treasures (or, better yet, magical potions!).
She’s an avid reader, as well. Her current favorite books are the City of Ember series. I introduced her to the movie, and then she found and bought the book. She still likes to talk about the deep, dark underworld of Ember, and how the kid heroes Lina and Doon make a daring escape (much to the distress of nearly everyone else, who are intent that Ember is the only city in the world) and thus rescue their little community.
And here she is, turning 11! I helped make a picture of her and her favorite Crew, for the “Birthday Wall”. 
The Birthday Wall is something mom invented a few years back. It started out as a simple “Happy 9th Birthday, Drew!” in colored text with some pictures from Microsoft Word’s clip-art, and it eventually evolved into our most current: A huge picture of my sister photoshopped into the group of the crew in Gilligan’s island, with a large banner overhead (which states “Happy Birhtday!” in large letters, with flowers and sparkles) and flowers and ocean waves, with the cute messy quote “Gilligan hopes you have a neat 11th Birthday” below. You really should’ve seen her smile, and exclaim “Oh that’s so neat…! How’d you do that?!”
She’s the best sister ever, and I simply love having her in my life to hang out with, and talk to.
Happy Birthday, Hannah!
The 90s Girl 