Best Big Sister
I was an only child for a long time. I desperately wanted a sibling because everything in my life at that time practically convinced me that having a sibling would give me a more fruitful and enjoyable life---The Jetsons, Chip 'n' Dale, The Baby-sitter's Club, and worse, Sweet Valley Twins. They couldn't just be sisters, they had to be twins too? Unfair. And here I was all alone, stuck with stupid grownups who didn't believe I could grow a beanstalk from some beans soaked in water. I'm not sharing my golden eggs with them. Hmph!
It's a boy
I don't know how my parents did it (Just kidding, I know how they did it---BLAUGH), but they gave me a brother. Not entirely sure how I felt about that. I mean, I think I wanted a sister. Add to that their abrupt dismissal of my name suggestion "Gretel", and I didn't really feel like I was involved that much in this big decision of adding to our family. Can we exchange him for a girl when he gets out?He finally arrives and everybody's happy. But not as happy as I am.
I was so happy I brought his pictures to Show and Tell, and later that year my class gave me a Best Big Sister Award. It was just a piece of paper with a glittered border, but I absolutely loved it. I demanded my parents take a photo of me holding it and I even did my own makeup. (Thank goodness photos of that are missing.)
"Ate" to the rescue
Being a big sister is great. You feel like it's your responsibility to look after your little brother or sister and when they experience something new for the first time you're like, "Relax man, I got this." Because you're all, "been-there-done-that". It's absolutely fantastic. Not to mention he's the kindest kid brother anyone could ever ask for. Once at a children's party, a bigger kid pulled his shirt to try to get him to give up his chair. He didn't even blink. He had that Droopy kind of face on and he gave it up without any fuss and moved on to other things. I saw it and got so mad I---let's just say that kid didn't go home with dry eyes---or clean clothes.Those cartoons and books weren't lying about that fruitful and enjoyable life.By the way, we named him Michael.