Happy birthday, Al!

Today, my baby brother is turning 50! Yikes! Somehow, this is harder to process than my own 50th birthday which happened almost two years ago!

Here is a picture of the two of us at Al's 3rd birthday party. Behind us is the Nativity Scene that was part of our Christmas celebration. The desert landscape in the background was painted by my uncle Armando on a canvas that was rolled up after Epiphany and reused every year.

 

I remember being in love with my dress, which was made of black gingham with yellow rick rack trim forming a band at the bottom of the skirt. The party hat I wore was made of yellow shredded tissue paper, with white trim and pom-pom. I recall, as only an older sister can, Al being a brat that night. He was given a party horn and wouldn't stop blowing it right in my ear! Even when this picture was taken, he wouldn't let go of it. Finally, the photographer talked him into hiding it behind his back. Happy birthday, Al! And many, many more!