My daughter Annie is all girl. She takes care of her babies with more loving devotion than any woman I have ever seen. Yesterday, she asked if she could take family pictures. Not with Ryan and I. With her bears. Her newest saying, as she stands on the fireplace (her stage) is, “Hello. I am Anniston Cate Simmons and I am going to be a girl. And I am going to sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” She is unconcerned with clothes. They drive her crazy. However, when she really wants to be a girl, she layers herself with tutus and bracelets and scarves and about twelve fake, plastic rings with emeralds the size of her nose.

Yesterday we played outside. She was dressed in two tutus. Our neighbors were playing baseball with their little boy and Annie, in all girl form, very kindly informed their five-year old son that it was, “MY TURN NOW!!!” So in between twirls, she hit the ball and ran the bases, and when it was all done, we collapsed in the grass and took pictures of ourselves. I love her.

- Jenny Simmons (Addison Road)

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