I am the oldest of 5 kids.
But I have a favorite sibling. Now don’t tell them, I don’t want to hurt their feelings.
Maryann is my favorite, by far.
Maryann & I are 23 months apart. I used to feed her ice cream even though I knew she was allergic to dairy.  What are sisters for right? I can still remember the first day she told me no. She was 4 & I was 6. It was shocker  to my system, let me tell you. I also remember the first time she one upped me in an argument, that was also a  shocker. In fact, it still hurts a bit.
She’s always good for a good phone call, especially a major B fest when I’m super ticked or super upset or just freaking mad because the sky is blue. Yup, she’s always good for one of those phone calls.
She’s also going to be starting law school in August, so I’m really glad she’s my favorite so I can hit her up for free legal advice or say things like, “Listen lady, you mess with me one more time & I’m going to call my lawyer. Yeah, that’s right, I have her on speed dial.” Boom.
Whitley is my favorite, by far.
Whitley & I definitely talk just about every day. She’s pretty good for a phone call too. Only I usually call her  just because I’m driving & I have nothing important to say. Except for when she’s at work. Which I honestly  hold it against her that she doesn’t answer my phone calls when she’s working or watching movies with her  husband. Doesn’t she know that I AM the most important person in her life?!!! Geez!
I tend to really “big sister” Whitley. I hope it doesn’t drive her nuts, I just can’t help myself! She’s got some killer hiking skills, she’s great with my kid (all kids really) & you’ve never met someone who cares more about people & who is willing to go the extra mile for a person.
Thomas is my favorite, by far.
Okay, so Thomas is pretty good about the phone calls too.
He lives in the same college town as me, but when he was a senior in high school I told him that as soon as he moved to my town I was going to make him my slave. At which point he promised me that he would enslave Lboy & all future children that I have should I ever make him do anything for me. Yeah, he totally trumped me on that one.
When Thomas was in kindergarten it was my job to walk him to class before heading to my own class room. It was one of my favorite parts of the day. And it wasn’t anything I ever resented! It’s cool that we shared that!
We live about a mile apart & I only see him at Thanksgiving, Christmas, & Easter…at my parents’ house…3 hours away.
John Michael is my favorite, by far.
The baby. I was 8 years old & my mom asked me if I wanted my own bedroom or a new brother or sister. I said I wanted a new brother or sister (good thing huh? She was already pregnant, what if I had said my own bedroom?!! That was a risk!)
This kid can crack you up like no one else & he’s also the smartest person you’ll ever meet. When he was in kindergarten he had a bigger vocabulary than I did in the 8th grade! He’s always blown me away with how intelligent he is, he seriously knows the most random stuff about everything.
He’s good about talking to me on the phone too (like he did this morning & yesterday morning.) We give each other a pretty hard time joking wise. And people always tell us that we are bookends!
He will also be at the same University as Thomas next month. And I will also only see him at Thanksgiving, Christmas & Easter…at my parents’ house…3 hours away.
Okay, okay, so you caught me. They’re all my favorites.
As a whole, we 5 stick together. We’re always texting each other an inside joke or something completely crazy that we’ve heard. We get a big kick out of each other that’s for dang sure. I wouldn’t have traded a single one of them for my own bedroom ever!
Thank you Kludgy Mom for your Idea Bank for this post!
Your brothers could be twins!! I have one brother and he lives about 10 miles away. I never see him. Kind of sad but we’re just in two different directions right now. He’s career guy and I’m family girl.
Your brothers look so much alike! That’s great that you’re so close like that.
What a cute post. Of course they are all your favorites.
Question, does Lboy like that Thomas is named after Thomas the Train?
What a great family you have there Kate!
Well Kate, you know if I had to pick a favorite cousin it would be you 😉
(And is that the infamous picture with Grandma’s behind the scenes antics?)
Awww what a sweet post…looks like you have an awesome family there!
oh mah gah – I love that last picture!! So awesome! I’m one of 6 kids, and of course i have my favorite 🙂
What an awesome family! I have 2 sisters and love them both equally, but for very different reasons.
“Only I usually call her just because I’m driving” … don’t call while driving!! Want you to be safe 🙂
that’s a great post! aww, I feel left out of sibling love. I’m an only child. I do have 11 step siblings that my mom married into when I was 18. but we never see each other – ever. ….and, of course, it’s not the same.
How cool to have a whole big family! Is everyone in AR?
How fun to have such a large family! I always wanted a lot of brothers and sisters, although my only sister drives me bananas and we don’t really get along that well. LOL 🙂
Aww friend, I love this. I hope my own kids are as close as you and your sibs are!
what a beautiful fun set of “kids” you are! I do have a favorite (for reals) but I won’t get into that here… 😉
great family! such a sweet post.
Awwww! You have a beautiful family!!! My sister & I hated each other for most of our lives. She was a planned only child.
Oops.
How cool that you have so many siblings. I wish I had more. Two sisters just isn’t enough and I think big families are way cooler and more fun than smaller ones. You’re so sweet highlighting each one. You’re a good sister.
What a GREAT post! And I love the last picture – that is classic. Totally makes me wish I wasnt an only child.
This is why I’m trying to talk my husband into having lots of kids – I want them to have this relationship! You guys are so blessed.
Ha, awesome! I have 3 siblings and I love that I’ve got them now that we’re grown up. Would have loved that for my kids too, but it looks like we’ll have two, max.
That pic of your whole family is priceless! It makes me happy just seeing it.
I love this Kate! So sweet!! Love that last picture too, you guys look like a fun family!
Big families are the BEST!! I love that you are so close to your siblings…my sister and brother are my best friends!
What a great post! I always wondered what it would be like to have a big family, then I married into one.
Its not quite the same but it will have to do 🙂
How sweet that you are so close to all of your siblings!
Shhhh, I think I have an actual favorite.
You have an awesome family, and I love that they are all your favorites. At first I was a little astonished that you would choose one, but then I saw where you were heading! 😉
I would love to have such a large family (but we’re stopping at 3).
How cute! Love this post..I only have the one sibling but she’s totally my favorite…I “big sister” her alll the time! I can see how it would be even harder to pick from 4 sibs 😉
These photos are ftsatnaic! Kate is such a little princess. I love all the pictures especially the one with Kate reading her book and Kate and Michelle nose-to-nose! Love it.
I loved learning about your family here. And I love that you come from such a big family – I came from a smallish fam, so I hope to create what you have here one day 😉
I always wanted a big family but instead I have one swell sister. Wouldn’t change her out for anything!
Anon, I’m not sure if you read my follow-up cotemnms above. Fiona gets plenty of time alongside me doing daily housework, outside work and errands. She also gets lots of one-on-one time with siblings. She doesn’t get constant adult time devoted expressly to her – but she certainly wouldn’t be getting that in school, nor do I think she’d be getting that in most structured homeschooling families — except perhaps families with only one child. Time always needs to be divided between different people and priorities and I think accepting this is part of learning to be part of a family or community rather than an egotistical young child.We unschool because my children prefer to lead their own education. Unschooling doesn’t mean a lack of structure, unless, like with my older kids, that’s what the children want. Because Fiona is different from the other kids, and requesting structure, I’m trying to respond — though it’s not my natural inclination I’m working hard to give her the kind of unschooling she wants. As it stands I spend about 2 to 3 hours one-on-one with her per day on learning pursuits. I daresay that’s a fair bit more than most 5yo’s get. We do 30-60 minutes on each of violin and piano, half an hour or so on reading and the same on math as a typical minimum. Then I spend time here and there on other stuff … teaching her to knit, helping her cut out stars, coaching her on cartwheels. So I think she gets lots of time and attention. What I’m not very good at is setting it all up ahead of time on a rigid schedule.So no, I don’t feel guilty about Fiona lacking time and attention, because I honestly think she gets loads of that. I do feel a little guilty that the busyness of everyone’s lives, including mine, prevents me from sticking to a rigid schedule with her. But I also think that the opportunities she gets as a result of being swept up in our busy family life more than compensates.
Love this post.. I have a semi-big family, but we’re not close. At least, not as close as we were when I was a kid. Which is probably why I wanted to keep having babies.. I wanted to recreate the family I always wanted.
Great pics.. Aren’t you glad you never wanted your own room? Siblings are WAY more fun!
Aww, how cute! Such a great post idea…and my sisters ALL my favorite too… 🙂
I was an only child til 12, and then my brother came along.
The nights I dreamed of a family like yours – just color me JEALOUS!
Where are you??