I have a birthday reminder system that emailed everyone on my list years ago and asked them to put in their birthdays so I would receive a reminder the week of.  One day I got, "Reminder: Tomorrow is Hookie Beanawitz' birthday!  Do you wish to send him an e-card?"  So of course, I started laughing hysterically.  It had my brother's birthdate on it, but of course,  my parents did not name him Hookie, and we are not the Beanawitz family.  Also, I had already received a response from my brother and his name was on it.  It wasn't until a couple weeks later that I told my dad about the weirdness  and I noticed him (hardly) trying not to laugh.  Apparently, Hookie Beanawitz was the name his father had blamed when the kids in the family had clearly done something wrong but wouldn't admit it.  "Who ate that cookie?  Perhaps it was Hookie Beanawitz!"

So, another year has passed, and I have received another reminder which means...

Today is my baby brother's birthday!  He is turning sixteen which makes me feel about a hundred and twelve.  I used to change his diapers!  I taught him how to write his alphabet!  The year I turned 10, he spit up all over the bitchiest girl in the class at my sleepover party!  Yes, we've had some wonderfully supportive times together.

Happy Birthday Hookie!