I have two sisters and a brother. Now being the oldest is not always the best thing. It comes with some problems. One being you are suppose to be an example for the ones that follow. Not sure how good an idea it was having me first. If it had been up to me, I think Deb or Char would have been a better choice.
Deb is next in the age line. We are 13 months apart. What Mom and Dad did that year, they have paid for ever since. (see what happens when there are too many cold holidays the first part of the year) She was the one that I got to sleep with. The house we lived in had two bedrooms. One big one for us girls and a smaller one that Mom and Dad slept in. When we openned up the attic, we all had our own rooms. Now our room housed a double and a twin bed. Deb and I in the double and Char in the twin. Deb was one of those sleepers that moved a lot. She slept everywhere, but on her side. Foot in the mouth, finger up the nose, knee in the belly, all things I enjoyed while sleeping with my little sister.
We were not close then, as I was the big sister (what girl wants her little sister around) and had to take her everywhere. YUCK. She trailed after us all the time and made it hard on me and my friends. You could lose someone really easily just taking them in the field. We played hide and seek in the Bracken at the top of the hill. (Bracken is really tall free standing ferns. And I mean tall some growing up to 3-4 feet high). Good hiding places, specially when you are only 3 or 4 feet tall. She always found us though.
Funny how life changes. Now Deb and I have become best friends. We talk daily and have not said a mean or bad thing about or to each other in a very long time. She lives close to 2000 miles away and I get sad when I think that I can't see her everyday.
Char was the third child of what was to become four some years later. Char was the youngest and was what we called "special". Special, in she was the youngest and did not get blamed for anything. She used to get away with murder. Being older I would get blamed because Char looked innocent still. Not sure how someone so small got away with so much. She was really the "devil" in a cute dress. She was also the worlds biggest tattle tale. Or so I believed then. We would threaten to beat her up next time Mom and Dad went out, if she told on us for doing things. Did not work. Mom and Dad would ask, and Char would spill just like a tipped glass of milk. Today she is one of my best friends and I could not live without her. She also lives 2000 miles from me and I wish we had time to spend everyday together.
We did over the years have a lot of fun together. Sisters in all, no matter how much you don't want them around, you do have a good time together.
THEN CAME THE "BROTHER"
Now don't get me wrong, I love my brother Shawn more than anything, but 16 years of just girls then "HE" arrives!!!!
I still remember the day the call came. My dad had told mom that if she had another girl, to call in the morning if she was born through the night. Well the call came at around 7AM. So you know what everyone thought. Funny, I had never heard my dad giggle and squeal before. We had a BROTHER and mom had roses before noon. We had a baby in our house. What are we going to do with a BOY. It had always been just us 3 girls.
From day one, he was fun to have around. He was cute, and liked being held. He giggled and cooed like all babies. The diaper changes were a little trying, as every time you changed him he peed on you. Thought it was funny too. Giggled everytime. Then came the trucks, and boy things. Not so cute now. He got into stuff that was ours. Thank god for stairs. Deb and my bedrooms were upstairs or he would have been into everything. (He was too small to go up stairs). New learning curve. Put things away or the kid would get it. No dolls to dress or comb their hair. This was not the cute little thing mom brought home. Not sure when that happened.
Being the last kid in a house, and a boy, HE got a few more privileges than us GIRLS. Of course I had moved out on my own, got married and had kids of my own, but heard all about. For some reason, not known to us, boys don't have the same rules as girls. (Remember this was in the 70's, so rules were different then or so we figured) He got to stay out when we didn't, he drove the car when we didn't, he did all sorts of things that we were not allowed to. We watched him grow up and have to deal with his sisters critiquing all his girl friends, his cars, his friends and his life. Lucky guy to have such loving and caring sisters.
I can remember one girl friend he brought to the house one hot summer's day. We were all home and having fun. Here comes this girl with her red hair all done, makeup perfect and a dress on. Sorry Linda, I had to tell this one. She was all shy and sat at the picnic table not saying much. WELL in our house, the one thing that all of us love to do was have water fights. Now, I am not talking plastic water guns, or cups of water. I am talking hoses, buckets, cups, whatever you could find that holds water and lots of it. This day was no different. Over the balcony comes the first bucket of water, right down my brother Shawn's back. Mad, oh my god was he mad. The war was on.
Out came the buckets, everyone running for the hoses. Basement door flies open for access to the laundry room taps. No place was safe. No place to hide. In the house was not even out of bounds. Within a few minutes, everyone was soaked to the bone. Including, the now crying, Linda. We felt a little sorry for her. She did not ask for this. She did however, learn not to come to our house all dressed up in the middle of summer. The next one she was part of, and had a great time.
All of his girlfriends had to endure the gauntlet of sisters. We could drive off a potential girl friend in a matter of seconds, with questions and comments. Usually very snide comments, about hair, clothes or scent. Sisters can be soooo mean. We were however out for his best interests and payback for stepping into our perfect female world (pre brother) was hell. He survived. Not sure how. Not sure why. Guess it is the stock he comes from. All of us are pretty hearty people with strong wills and minds to match.
He is now married to a great lady that loves water fights as much as we do. He also lives 2000 miles from me. I don't get to talk to him very often. I love him dearly and think of him everyday.
I have great memories of days gone by with my family. I am looking forward to the days ahead. Our family is a close one. We try to keep in touch. We don't see each other as often as we would like. My love for my sisters and brother grows with each passing day. They are in my heart forever.
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