My "baby" brother is now 14-years-old. I have no idea how that happened. One day I came back home from college to visit, and he was magically grown. There were a few warning signs. When I would call home, I started confusing my brother's voice for his dads. When did his voice drop like 12 octaves?
During that visit, when I was finally able to see him in person, I noted the vast amount of physical changes he'd endured as well. His shoulders had broadened, his voice was even deeper than over the phone, he'd started getting facial hair, oh yeah and he'd become a freaking giant. The once tiny baby boy who'd I used to be able to hold in my arms now towered over me. That once little baby boy had started becoming a man.
It's bad because even now I still think of my brother as a toddler. It's particularly due to the fact that his mannerisms are still close to the same as when he was little. I also wasn't very nice to my brother when he was growing up. I was used to being an only child for so long, and now with this new human being added to our family, I was incredibly jealous that he was stealing my spotlight. For reference, I was six-years-old at the time, with a major princess complex that I have still yet to grow out of. I like to think that now I have at least some control over it.
I think that because I was so mean to my brother when he was younger, I wasn't able to appreciate him as a baby, and he was a CUTE baby. So now years later I'm trying to make up for it, only now he's currently experiencing his teenage years, wanting nothing to do with his family, and thinks of me as an embarrassment of a sister.
It's okay though. I get it. I remember what it was like to be fourteen and think your entire social life is over because one person said your shirt looked stupid. It's a tough time, but I know he'll grow out of it. For the most part, he's a good kid. All I can do right now is try to bond with him however that may manifest. Even if it's only through fart jokes and dumb YouTube videos.