On the night of January 12th my sister and I were rushed to my grandma’s house in the next town over from ours. We knew that our mom had gone into labor and couldn’t wait to hear if we gained another sister or a baby brother. We spent the time watching Disney movies on VHS while plopped on the couch of my grandma’s wood paneled living room. Occasionally we played with toys but spend a large amount of time at her dining room table playing games. UNO and a dice game she taught us were two of our favorites!

I don’t remember what we were doing at the exact moment when the phone rang but I do remember Katie and I zooming to the kitchen where the cream colored phone hung on the wall. The extra long cord touching the ground swung as my grandma answered the call. After saying a few words she hanged the phone to us girls as we listen to my mom’s cheerful voice “You have a brother!”. In an instant tears filled the room with pure joy! Over the last ten years all we had known was having a sister and now we felt complete with a brother to finally have tie breaker in any disagreement.

Early the next day my dad picked us up so we could finally hold this little man, the one who now is taller than both of us and makes us laugh daily. I will never forget the shirt I was wearing, an odd thing to remember I know but it is so distinct in my memory anytime I think back to this moment. A light purple long sleeve shirt with a rhinestone “N” in the corner. I remember being a little afraid to sit on the bed where my mom was lying because I was a little intimidated by the cords that attached to her hand.

While we visited with our new brother, Austin, my dad said it was a good time to change his diaper. Little did he know that we would soon be celebrating his first… number 2. My sister and I ran laps from the bathroom to the changing table helping my dad clean up what seemed to be a never ending mess! I always chuckle thinking back to that day which was filled with emotions and lots of baby talk!

This is a picture from the past!