January is for birthdays

I have four birthdays to remember in the next week. One, my sister, is a true rememberance more than a celebration.
Cody and Olivia share the 8th.
Both are redheaded, fairskinned, blueeyed. Other than that, they're not too much alike. I mean, they're both human; both eat, sleep and like attention.
Cody was a robust baby, born with a room full of well wishers and a tired, totally surprised mom. He was supposed to be a girl! He's had a full, sometimes frustrating 10 years. He's spent a lot of time without his mom and wants and needs her so desperately.
He plays chess with his grandpa and is getting pretty good at it. He feels the sting of injustice and his anger often errupts into physical altercations. He has a strong wild sense of humor and truth. In the past year, he's gone canoeing with his grandpa, helped his grandpa build the roof for the studio porch and put in guttering on the sunroom. He loves to get up on the roof.
In kindergarten, he had the highest scores in the city, but of late he's stuggled with his education as well as struggling with his social skills. His aunt, whom he lives with, has a house full, but she took him to a movie, just the two of them, in honor of his birthday. When he talked with his mom, he described the intricacies of the plot in detail. Basically, he's a bright eyed, well cared for, intelligent kid who wants his world fixed now. Hang on buddy, it's coming.
Olivia, on the other hand is grandma's girl. Yeah, they all are. But Liv lights up like a flash when she sees me - which does absolutely nothing for my ego. Yeah.
She was born to trouble and doubt, and has turned out beautiful, intelligent, funny and mostly healthy. She's lived with her aunt since her second day. Of course, she stays with grandma whenever the two of us can work it out. She's a thinker and a quick study. She can be soft as satin and tough as bark.
In her two years, she's seen her mother less than a dozen times, yet, she knows her and responds to her when she does see her. She figures it out quickly and takes her cue from the way the other two behave.
She can count fairly high depending on her mood, and can say and sing the alphabet. She knows O is for Olivia or "Oleeleeah". In December, she stayed with me for the better part of a week while her aunt went to Jon's graduation from basic training in Illinois. We looked at pictures and she told lots of stories about her trip to the big water (ocean) and her time with her cousins.
Frafra is one of her best people and he loves her as much.
So happy birthday sweet children. May the years lead you to the best you can be and bring you all you were meant for.