Happy Birthday, Andy!

Today is my (biggest) little brother's birthday! So today's blog is about him. In my last blog, I posted a picture of him as he looks today. I did a little digging and amazingly (in the mess that is my apartment at the moment), I located the following:

Andy was born when I was 19 months old. I honestly think I remember looking at him through the hospital window. I'm sure I had no idea what it meant to have a little brother at that point! He was also pretty sick when he was a baby, but I don't remember any of that. I think I remember him as a pretty quiet baby. I do clearly remember your Lambie (whose tail you wore off!).








My memories start to be clearer more around this age....Andy is probably around 1 year old here, which would make me almost about 2.5. The date in the corner of the picture says November '81, but given the clothes we're wearing, I don't see how it could possibly have been taken in Michigan in the winter time (love the picture in the background, by the way, Mom....). So I'm going with November being the date the photo was printed. These are my paternal grandparents and my great aunt. We loved having my grandparents come to visit and going to visit them in turn. And when my great uncle Dale was there, Andy used to love to sit on his lap and comb his hair. I guess he just had to have a special affinity for Uncle Dale from the start (my parents say that's where he got his height - I wish you would have shared a little with me....two inches maybe??).

Josh was born when Andy was 22 months old, so the three of us were really close in age. What I remember most from growing up with Andy was how much fun we had (yep, Josh you were part of that fun, too!). Playing GI Joe, playing Legos, playing school, going to the park with Mom. Being in the Garden Club (heehee - but we sure made tasty gingerbread houses there!), going to the pool, playing on the T-Ball team (Andy picking grass when he was in the outfield - or was that Josh - well whatever, one of my brothers got a mock award for that when we were little), fishing with Grandpa, going to Boblo Island on the ferry with Dad...it didn't matter what we did or where we went, I always had somebody to play with (or wrestle with.....remember how I usually won until you got so doggone tall??) because of my brothers. Sometimes, then, I might not have thought it was so great.....but now when I look back on those times, I can see it so clearly! And for that, I consider myself to be so blessed. So I have to say "thanks for being my little brother, Brother! It just wouldn't have been or be the same without you!"

Of course, later, we had our moments, like all siblings. I can remember some pretty good "discussions" (if you know what I mean). But we always got through it....And now my little brother's a man.....He's married, he's going to be a dad soon, he gives great hugs, he's sooooo much like my dad (which is a good thing - mostly!!)...And he can answer (almost) all of my techie questions!! I'm impressed by what you've accomplished and I can't wait to see what happens next in your life!

So, Happy Birthday!!! Hugs from across an ocean....
Love,
Your Big Sister (Forever and Ever!!)

(Yes, older and therefore closer to 30, but what's 19 months in the perspective of a lifetime? And they say that older means wiser, by the way....just don't ask me who "they" are!)

P.S. Seth, I just want to say that I didn't forget you, it's just that you came along later, but I'm betting you would say that Andy's a pretty good big brother, too!