Close Ties

It's a boy's house here in Bradyland. His brother Michael, seven years his senior, has been a constant source of companionship for Brady. Brady watches Michael every time he enters the room and keeps his eye on him when they are together. In the car, suddenly the windows are nothing to be enamored with; he keeps his eyes on Michael whether Michael is talking or not. (the "or not" part is very seldom, I have to say) He will pay strict attention if Michael is yelling or getting yelled at. Clearly, he is the favorite.

Michael is no different. "Tell Brady goodbye" and "Give Brady a hug" are what he says when he leaves for school every morning. He walks in and wants to hug Brady when he comes back in the house. He will sit and play with him and constantly wants to hold him. Over a year now and the newness has not gone away like I sheepishly thought it would.


My kids were "supposed" to be four years apart so when this seven year age difference happened I was concerned there would be no childhood together for these two kids. Will they have the playtime together? Will they share the sibling-hood that I want them to have? When Brady will be Michael's age, Michael will be off working at an afterschool job and running off with his friends.

I am the middle of three kids -an older sister and a younger brother. We are all four years apart. When we were little, we played together. Over my childhood years, it was first my sister and me, then all three of us, then my brother and me. I don't think the "all three of us" lasted that long, because my sister was by then old enough to go off with her friends. We did have some fun, like hang my brother from the laundry chute at my grandmother's house. As soon as she graduated from high school she went to college across the country.

So then it was just my brother and me. We set up Fisher Price peoples, play baby wiffle ball in the backyard (I was Sammy Jo, the amazing pitcher), watch TV after school (1/2 hr of Tom and Jerry, sometimes a full hour of Charlie's Angels). When I got my license I would bring him with me to get movies or to hang out with my friends. He was old enough to hang out with us, but young enough to be the "adorable little brother".

But at the holidays it was just thre three of us. Having moved away from family when we were four, eight and 12, we had come to rely on each other in a special way. Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, when other friends visited extended families, we would be with each other and our parents, playing games, eating, watching TV, relaxing. Christmas Day we would wake up and have all day to open presents and play. We had each other to be with and to goof with. The year we all got radio/tape recorders, (the 8600) we spent the day taping each other and singing into the tiny built-in mic.

That's what I wanted for my children... the camraderie, the closeness, the playfulness. I wanted them to have the memories I have, that special bond. I worried for awhile that I wouldn't have that for Michael with Brady having WS. I am a nut. I know as Brady grows he will be nothing but a constant sources of happiness for Michael. He already is.

Update: Since switching to 1/2 Enfamil, 1/2 Calcilio a month ago, Brady's calcium levels have dropped. He went from a 11.6 to 10.8. Yeah!