I Would Have Never Imagined

Sheila Melara
English 1A
September 9, 2012


I Would have Never Imagined
    "You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them" (Desmond Tutu). This quote is very truthful for me because from the day that God gave me someone I could protect and care for, I have realized how two people can go from being strangers to friends even though they are both very different.
    As a child, I was never still. I always had the urge to be moving around no matter where I was. My mother had a very hard time with teaching me basic childrens' rules; whether it was how to pick up after my toys, eat still, use the potty trainer, etc. Over time, my parents realized maybe I needed someone to play with. I remember my mother asking me if I wanted a baby sister. At the time, as I was used to being an only child and with the fact that I wasn't forced to share my toys with anyone else, I of course had no desire for a baby sister. Although my parents focused on me 99 percent of the time, they felt the need to conceive another child and they kept telling me: "Very soon you will have someone to take care of, babygirl". The only thoughts rushing through my head everytime they said that, were sharing my toys with someone else. Not a chance. I could see how their smiles were unquestionable and their eyes spoke happiness all over. But as a child, I could only think of myself and I was almost scared with the fact that I would soon be living with someone like me. When my mother's little bump turned to a huge one, I liked to think that she ate a gigantic watermelon which was stuck in her belly and everytime it moved, it would problably fade as fast as when a balloon is popped. By the time she was 7 months, her belly was so big that she couldn't walk or play with me like she used to. I was a little eager for her belly to disappear and desperate for my sister to come out. Throughout those several months I eventually changed my negative thoughts and with my parents telling me how fun it was going to be, I was a bit convinced that it would be something new and good. Once we started decorating the baby's room, my parents chose to paint it with blue and yellow. They weren't sure of the baby's gender therefore all they bought had some neutral colors. I remember buying the first teddy bear(which we still have). I couldn't decide whether to buy a pink one or a blue. Since I wanted a baby sister I did not want to buy the blue, and I made a little scene in the shop. This, I am not proud of because it is mentioned till this day! I ended up buying the pink because I was sure that it would be a girl. I was four years old when the big day came. All I could recall from that day was my mother's fearful scream. I had never seen her in such situation and after seeing her endless cascade tears, I immediately hated whatever it was that was making my mother cringe in such way. I was left with my aunt and her two big eyed children who all they did was to crash yellow titanic wheel trucks against the wall and when they grew tired they played outside on their brown wet field just to get dirty. (I considered them dangerous). I could never play with them even if they were told to play with me. I was told by my aunt that my mother was in the emergency room, giving brith to my baby brother. "What!", I thought. Right in that moment I wanted to cry. When the word "boys" were mentioned, I immediately thought of them as threatful, hazard strangers from another planet. I became scared knowing I would have a brother just like my cousins who I disliked at the time. I was very glad to come home after a week of torture with my two cousins. My mother, I knew was a strong woman although the night I went to visit her at the hospital with my dad was something I will never forget. Till this day I remember her fragile and colorless face. Her lips cracked in the middle by a long vertical line and below her eyes were light black circles. This was a bit shocking for me because I was used to seeing her with make-up on, her hair slightly combed and to see this type of change in her appearance made me wonder what in the world happened to her. Her watermelon was half way gone, that was releaving for me. But also, I knew that my "little brother" was out from my mother's belly. I was curious to see what he looked like; if he was bigger, stronger than me,  and whether he was scary looking. My dad had to pick me up to see Sergio, in his little glass type of crib. I remember seing my dad's eyes get watery when he saw his little boy. Sergio was red. That was the first thing that stood out to me. "Why is he red"? I asked. "Is he sick, he looks weird momma". I started asking millions of questions that were rushing through my small head and all I got from my parents was that it was normal for him to look like that. I had never seen such thing. It was not until Sergio, my baby brother was brought home that I started to care for him. He looked like a little peanut inside a gigantic white crib, which was the same crib I used until I was two years old. His toes smelled like fresh peaches picked right from a tree. His cry was so loud, I had to cover both my ears with my hands. He sounded like if he was in pain. Right away, I wanted him to talk to me. Impossible. I was a bit disappointed of his size, because compared to how tiny he was, I was a giant.  I was a little jealous of the attention that was given to him but I found myself facinated with this little guy. Over time, I became close to him partly because I was the one that helped my mom with bathing him, feeding him etc. ( At least I'd like to think so). She used to call me her "little assistant". What got me very unpatient was waiting for him to grow because I could not play as much. I always had to be careful, I wanted to run around with him but all he did was sleep.
    Having a baby brother brought many changes to my childhood. I now ask myself how different it would have been without him. Although I could not imagine myself as an only child, I am thankful towards God because he brought blessings to my family and I, and because I know for a fact that I always need his support. We are very close, and even though we are completely different we always find a way to get along. I would have never imagined having a sibbling would make me who I am today.