Family - Blog 7: My Youngest Brother

I remember the day he was born. It was December 1 - his actual due date. I think he is the only one of us who was actually born 'on time.' I think that speaks volumes to his personality :) He's never enjoyed being late to anything.

Keanu was the cutest little baby. He was totally and perfectly bald. He had a wrinkly face like an old man, and long (but small) little fingers. When he finally did start growing hair, it came out white....and stayed that way for, well....forever. I think he's just now starting to get some pigment in his hair...and he's turning 14 this year.

Time. Flies.

Having a baby brother has been one of the highlights of my life. I didn't even care that I had to help change his little diapers. He has brought light and laughter and joy and all things that are good into my world. And it started at a young age. For a few years, he was my very own little shadow. He even let me paint his toe nails a few times. Even his first full sentence was just for me: "Nikki, you look pretty."

Of course, all little boys grow up to be big boys and he decided hanging out with Kameron would be way more fun. I always had some secret jealousy about that...but I knew it was necessary for him to grow up and be a proper boy ;) Little brothers naturally want to hang out with big brothers...and not big sisters.

Nevertheless, little Keanu definitely played a protective role over me...despite our 10 year age difference. When I had my first "boyfriend" in the 8th grade...Keanu would never leave us in a room alone together...even though Keanu was only about 3 at the time. He would sit between my little boyfriend and I and monitor all conversation.

The best part was...no one ever asked him to do that. He just did it.

Now this little baby brother of mine is a teenage boy. With that comes other fun things: camping, fishing, board games and silly jokes. But in my mind...he is still too young for things of the world: I want him to believe in Santa. I want him to be able to see magic in the world everywhere he goes. I want him to remain ignorant to all that is bad in the world, and live in all that is warm and good - just like him.

I love my stinkin' little brother. And his braces, too.

Family - Blog 5: My Younger Brother

When I was growing up, my parents always used to tell us that "your siblings should be your best friends because at the end of the day, when you've grown up and you've moved away, you're still going to have each other. All those other people are (for the most part) just transients in your life."

While I have certainly endured my fair share of transients, my younger brother - Kameron - has always been around. In fact, he has been around so long that I can hardly remember my life before he existed.

My father was a military man, and so we moved around a lot. With moving came this 6 month period of having no friends. My older brother kind of made his own way in the world, but Kam and I stuck together like glue. We were each others best friends. We spent countless hours building card houses, playing gameboy side by side, drawing ant houses, watching Darkwing Duck and The Wild Thornberries, riding our scooters or roller blading, playing beanie babies (and even barbies). We got the flu at the same time. We went for walks, went to arcades together, went to see bands together, went to movies together...We went to the same schools, drove the same car and even had apartments that were right next door to one another (well, mine was above his). We even worked out together.

Not too much has changed :) when we are both home, we like to do everything together. We have our own way of communicating (almost like twin talk) and we like to keep in constant contact. We like to play card games and board games...or even just make up games (only now we have other siblings who get to be involved in the festivities).

We are each other's biggest fans, and we can never stay mad at each other long (as in longer than 5 minutes). We can ask each other for help and know that we can tell one another anything without being judged.

I have always loved spending time with Kameron - and the fact that he's been gone on a religious mission for two years has absolutely killed me every day (but only because I miss talking to him every day and seeing him at family events). I am so excited for all the great experiences he has had on his mission, but I can't wait for him to come home!

I love my little brother!