A Letter To My Baby Sister

This is an article I published back in July on The Odyssey Online, a national online news/entertainment platform I write for:

The other day at my internship, I was telling a story about you. I referred to you as "my baby sister," which resulted in one of the other interns asking me, "Oh, how old is she?"

I blushed before I answered: "Seventeen..." 

I guess you're not really my "baby sister" anymore. You're driving (what was once my car) to your own senior parking spot at high school. You're picking out a prom dress. You're deciding where you'll attend college. You're taller than me. Even though I stand on my tippy-toes when we take pictures together, and even though you have to bend down for me to braid your hair, you are still, and will always be my baby sister.

When I look up at you, I still see that chunky little baby I was afraid to carry at three years old. You were too precious, too perfect: what if I dropped you? That feeling remains even now: what if I let you down? 

I've spent the better part of my life trying to be an acceptable role model for you but the more I think about it, the more I realize that all along you've been a role model for me.
I think the world of you. You're daring, kind, hilarious, tenacious, dedicated, intelligent, hardworking, and above all else, unapologetically you. 

With your big heart and that sparkle in your eye, you've taught me the true meaning of loyalty, friendship, adventure, and love. You'll forever be my favorite argument, my choice partner in crime, my favorite friend to play dress-up with, my first phone call, and so much more. Thank you for everything you've been and will continue to be for me. I only hope I can be a semblance of that for you. 

My greatest wish for you is that you continue to conquer your dreams with courage and confidence, always keeping your beautiful smile. You know you're capable of anything you set your mind to, right? 

You are nothing shy of spectacular, Sam. Nothing makes me happier than getting to call myself your big sister. You may not need the advice or support that comes with that title so much anymore, but I promise I will always love you and be there for you. 

After all, you're my baby sister.

The Obligatory First Post

Hi!

I'm Taylor, and this my blog Taylor Tots.

Welcome to my own corner of the internet where I'll post about anything and everything. For the most part, I'll just feature short ramblings on anything and everything. That's how the name Taylor Tots was born. It's a play on the school cafeteria favorite, tater tots, but gets right to the blog's main purpose: having a place to chronicle my little thoughts.

I'm a junior in college at school in North Carolina. There, I'm studying journalism in entrepreneurship with no seriously formed idea of what I want to do with my life quite yet. When I'm not pretending to be a southern sorority girl in the heart of the South, I'm soaking up the sun in Miami, Florida.

I grew up in Miami attending an all girls Catholic school and enjoying every second of life with my Cuban-American family. I have a younger sister who is about to apply to college and I spend most of my time trying to convince her to come to my school and live with me.

When I'm not doing that this summer, I'm working a marketing and PR internship at a South Beach based fashion magazine and trying to figure out what to pack for my European adventure. This fall, I'm heading to Venice, Italy to spend a semester abroad.

I imagine I'll write a lot about what I'm doing, what I'm liking, what I'm thinking about, and where I'm going. Essentially, I'll maintain my own little lifestyle blog, but I use the term "lifestyle blog" loosely. I absolutely don't have my life together in a way that somehow gives me the authority to tell others how to live theirs-- I literally just turned 20... but I think this could be an incredible platform to keep a record of what is supposed to be the best time in my life in an innovative, entertaining way.

If you keep reading along, thanks for taking on 20 with me! I hope you're ready for all the Taylor tots I'm hoping to post.