Not My Baby Brother!

It's funny how your memory works. Most people can not remember anything before the age of three and for some not even that soon.

I was three years old when my brother was born. I don't remember a lot from that period of time. They say my mother called the house from the hospital. When my father gave me the phone the first thing I said was "Guess what Mommy, we have a new baby brother." That I do not remember. That was something they shared with me later in life.

I do remember when my new baby brother finally came home. My mother was changing his diaper. I certainly noticed the difference right away and questioned it. I really wanted to know why he had something I, a little girl did not have. My mother tried explaining the situation. I was very concerned about this. How it got there and if I could get one. My mother explained how he was born with that and so on. I was always very curious.

As time went on my mother eventually returned to work. We had a baby sitter,of course. I don't remember her face or anything like that but just a few things she did. I remember her potty training me and threatening to flush me down the toilet. I was totally terrified.

I also remember one day it was raining outside. We could not go out to play. My sister, brother and I sat on the floor playing with toys. The rain changed to snow. I remember looking out the window at the brick sidewalk and the snow was starting to lay. I said something to our babysitter.

She looked out the window. Immediately turned and picked up my brother who was only wearing a diaper and t-shirt. She ran for the door which scared me to death. Where are you going? She never answered. Just ran out the door with my brother in her arms. I was so scared thinking not "my baby brother."

Watching out the window I saw her running down the steps to the sidewalk. She then stuck his foot in the snow making a baby foot print, then she ran back into the house. I was so relieved.

That was something that always stayed with me. She really scared me when I had no idea what she was going to do. That would have been about fifty years ago.