When you were born, you were my world. You consumed every part of my heart in ways I didn’t know were possible. You were my learning curve. Through you, I learned how to juggle marriage, motherhood, work, and a lot of new and overwhelming emotions. I went from being selfish to selfless. I spent late nights snuggling you and long days at work missing you. Watching you grow up was hard, but it was also a beautiful ride that I miss every day.
When your brother was born, you shared the spotlight and watched the attention shift to the new baby. You were only four, but you were so excited to be a big sister. You were quiet at first. You were curious, cautious, but really just as in awe as everyone else. What was going on in your little mind? If you were jealous, you never showed it. With every month that went by, I noticed you growing more independent. You started picking out your own clothes and shoes, and then eventually picking out your little brother’s clothes and shoes. You picked up his bottle when it fell. You helped me pack a baby bag. Do we have diapers? Wipes? Snacks? Oh, grab an extra water bottle in case we need it. When we had to take your brother to the hospital, you were there to distract him from the scary things. I watched the two of you make silly faces and giggle in the backseat when times were stressful.
