My senior year of high school I found out I was becoming a big sister. After 18 years of being an only child, a new baby would be coming into my family. I would like to say that I was excited from the start and was totally mature about the entire situation. That would be a lie. I had concerns and acted in a typical only child fashion. However once my baby brother was born, this all changed.
All of my fears about a sibling quickly faded when I saw my brother. I no longer cared about sharing attention with a new child. Everything seemed miniscule to the new human that was now a part of my life. My brother is now two and it is hard to remember life before him. He brings our family together and makes new adventures for us.
There is a love that I didn’t know was possible until he came along. It is very comforting to know that I will have a larger family and will be able to now have nieces and nephews someday. I also feel a great responsibility in how my brother grows up. Being so much older, I hope I can be a mentor and not the sister who he hates and wants to put gum in my hair.
It definitely is a different type of relationship with such a huge age gap. I only live in the same house three months out of the year and during holidays. While This is great for missing all-night crying sessions. I also miss big moments like first words or steps.
Going to college out of state can be really hard when he grows so fast, but Facetiming him is one of my favorite activities. It’s funny how my fears went from how he would affect my life, to now worrying about not being a big enough part of his life. I’m very thankful for social media and my parent’s constant postings on his life.
The time I am home is full of some of my favorite memories. I get to practice all of the fun things I would do as a parent. I live for planning his birthday parties, completed with Pinterest projects and Etsy purchases. My brother is also like a personal doll. I get to stay informed wjth child fashion and dress him in the cutest clothes.
I also watch way more Disney Junior and Sprout than I would ever have expected. I also drive around with a car seat in my backseat and am often assumed to be his mother. However, all in all it is definitely worth it.
My life is different and great in a new way thanks to my brother. Even through the terrible twos, he is still the cutest thing in the entire world. Being a big sister is one of my greatest blessings and I can’t wait to see him continue to grow up.
