I was five years old when my brother was born. I don't remember much of anything about the first time I met him, or the first few weeks of him being at home. I was only five.
I am told I was loving, yet jealous at times of my new brother receiving all my mother's attention. At the time I didn't understand that my mom and dad were actually worried about him. He wasn't getting enough food due to having a really hard time nursing. My mom didn't know why . He started going to the doctor weekly to get weighed and he was losing too much weight. He became quite skinny. They soon figured out that he was tongue tied. Basically the piece of skin under his tongue came all the way out to the tip of his tongue. Making it impossible for him to latch on. So he went to bottles and he got much better. He eventually had a procedure to cut the skin so he would be able to talk normal. I do remember being upset about my brother having surgery, I didn't want anyone hurting my brother.
I started calling him Guy Smiley. He was always happy and smiling, reminding me of a character on Sesame Street. A puppet talk show host of sorts, named Guy Smiley. His mouth was permanently fixed into a huge toothy grin. My brother didn't have teeth yet, but that's who he reminded me of. My memories of him as a baby start once he was several months old. I LOVED to read as a little girl,(still do), and he loved it when I read to him. My mom would lay him down on my bed with me before bedtime and so I could read to him.
There was a book of nursery rhymes that seemed to be his favorite. I would read them to him with different voices for each rhyme and he would laugh hysterically.
As my brother got older and started walking I became extremely protective of him. I guarded him. I loved him more than anything I had ever loved in my 6 years of life.
The older he got the more fun we had. He quickly learned how to make me laugh, as well as make me scream. But he was really quite a wonderful little brother. We had our spats and squabbles, but people said quite often how obvious it was that we were very close to each other. We had so much fun goofing off and playing pretend. We shared a room for 10 years, so the memories are endless. After being put to bed we were often being shouted at from downstairs to be quiet and go to sleep. Something about being in our beds in the dark encouraged many many conversations. Some ridiculous, bringing fits of laughter and some quite meaningful. He liked to hide under my bed in the mornings. Thinking, I guess, that I wouldn't know he was there even though he did it all the time. I would usually just start talking to him about something and hear "How'd you knoooow?" Silly boy.
As much as he annoyed me as we got older and I wanted him to go away when I had friends over, he was my best friend. He still is. I really, truly, have the coolest brother.
My brother is now becoming a man, and a great one at that. Today he is sixteen. I wish I could be there to celebrate with him. Out of all the things that have been hard about moving away from my hometown and everyone I know, being apart from him has been the hardest. I've missed him the most. I feel like I'm missing so much of his life. But he keeps me involved, because he is awesome. He texts me everyday, and we talk regularly as well. He tells me he misses me often, and that he is excited for me to come home for Christmas time. He is so considerate. He always has been, since he was quite young.
He is very aware of peoples feelings. He also has a great sense of discernment. He has great instincts and he listens to them. He has always been quick to greet adults and shake hands, something most adults tend to be taken aback by because of his young age. He makes friends easily and people become attached to him quickly. He has never abused this gift to manipulate, he treats his friends well. His friend's parents love him. My brother is a gifted athlete, one of those who can do whatever he tries. He runs fast and can climb anything. He loves baseball. His work ethic is strong, my father has taught him to give it all he's got. He is great with animals, getting hired regularly by neighbors for pet-sitting while they are away on trips. He is trustworthy. He is smart. He is kind. He is funny. He has a great sense of who he is already. I can't wait to see what he does and where he goes in life. I know it will be great.
He is my brother, I am proud to say. And I am so glad he was born.
This is from my visit home in July of this year.
He hunched to take this picture with me, he is actually much taller
than me.
