Baby Brother

My baby brother and I.....hee hee.

My brother and I are exactly 4 1/2 years apart, to the day. I remember when my mom was pregnant with him and I insisted that I only wanted a brother, not a sister. My wish came true. This age difference was...interesting...as we grew up. He was a pretty typical "little brother", always getting into my stuff, bugging me, etc. But under it all, I know that he very much looked up to me as his big sister and now, through long intense hours of therapy, I am able to forgive him for the little twerp that he was. (Just kidding....about the therapy...not about the forgiveness..or the twerp, ha!). I certainly wasn't perfect (don't even get my mother started...), but I was usually not the instigator of trouble in our relationship. Except for the time when I told him that we should find out what happens when you climb into the dryer and turn it on, with the door open of course. I will never forget his frail 6 year old body flying through the air in the dryer as it turned....awesome memory. Or the time I caught him sneaking some Skittles from our parents pantry and I used that as blackmail for the next, oh I don't know, FIVE YEARS when I needed something. "David, will you go grab my water bottle for me". "Sis, I don't want to". "David, don't make me tell mom and dad about the Skittles..." "Okay okay, don't tell!!!!!" Hee hee. Other then that, I am certain I was always the victim, never the perpetrator. :)

I moved out right as my brother went into high school. I didn't know it at the time but he missed me terribly and he experienced very different years in a private high school as an only child (basically) then I did in a public school with a little brother at home. I tried to stay connected to him but with me working full time plus and him in high school, it was hard to find things in common and ways to stay in touch. Occasionally would come over to my apartment and spend the night, us watching movies, running to 7-11 for late night slurpees, him spilling an entire jar of nacho cheese onto my carpet, lots of good times. :)

When Brett and I started dating David was not a huge fan. He and Brett were friends and I think he wasn't a big fan of one of his friends stealing his sister. He had some bitterness issues with my state of romantic bliss and I think that made us grow apart for a short time. He bawled like a baby at my wedding, I will never forget. He is a romantic to the core and even at a young age, I think he recognized the importance of marriage and that commitment.

Shortly after Brett and I got married, David and I were able to really reconnect and it helps that him and Brett are so close too. David makes me laugh pretty much more then anyone and we enjoy the same dry sense of humor. He lived with us this summer over his break and it was fun to have him as our "roomate". He is so good with Emersyn and every day he would come home he would stop in the entry way and say "Uncle's home" and Emersyn would get a HUGE smile. In college, David has found a soul mate of his own and I couldn't be happier for him and Jenny. I can't wait for them to get married and to start planning family vacations together and watch our kids grow up.

Dave, I love you and seriously....I am sorry about the dryer incident. :)