Kayleigh Joan

Kayleigh is my youngest niece. If she were a gem she would be a sparkly diamond. If she were a dog, she would be a playful puppy. If she were an actress, she would be Sarah Bernhardt. (or Meryl Streep for you young 'uns)
I think the best thing about my niece is her emotional response to every situation. She cries easily and without embarassment - she laughs in such a way that you laugh with her, even if the joke is on you. She is so loving that you feel embraced just by her saying "hello, I'm glad to see you."
Lots of people think that you have to rein in your emotions, but then no one knows how to take you. Kayleigh lets you know what she is feeling about things and you know how to react. How many times have you found out later that you may have hurt someone's feelings? Not with Kayleigh. If you hurt her, she lets you know. You never wonder if she is happy to see you because she shows you if she is. You never wonder if she is afraid, or sad, or lonely.
Her blessing is that you always feel like you belong. She doesn't act silly if she is serious You know not to kid or make light of what she is doing. She doesn't act happy when she is sad. In fact, you are wrapped into her sadness and allowed to be kind to her, or sympathetic, or just be sad with her.
Kayleigh is incredibly athletic and smart. With a family like hers, that is to be expected. She loves to play sports and puts her heart and soul into it. She is satisfied as long as she knows she did her best.
She is a good student, but like her mom (sorry Elaine - the secret is out) has a degree of fun with her studies. She is eager to learn and acts like every moment she has with someone is a way to get smarter. She seems very young and I think that is her cleverness, as you always have patience to work with her. Then she masters what you were doing and BAM! you are left wondering where "Little Kayleigh" went.
She is turning 13 this year and that will be traumatic for her parents; it will leave them with two teenage girls.
Never were two sisters so alike and so different. The only thing that makes one of the girls more funloving, more hardworking, or more goofy is the moment. Kayleigh doesn't push her way to be your friend, but once there, she is the friend you would hate to lose.
Kayleigh would fight to the death any one who hurts someone she loves...especially her older sister. While Rachael is protective and always ready to defend Kayleigh, Kayleigh would be proactive. She wouldn't wait for someone to hurt her sister and defend her, she would jump in before damage is done and would take them down...literally.
She is not one to weather it out and see what is going to happen - she makes it happen.
Do I love Kayleigh? Of course I do but more than that, I think she loves me, too.