Sometimes all the attention in our house is centered around Colby’s next hospital trip, doctor appointment or dose of medication. (See previous blog post for Colby’s Story : https://ambermastphotography.com/2014/01/14/my-superman/) It isn’t fair to the other kids but it is our reality. Sometimes my heart aches when I sit back and I think about Austin (our oldest) and how fast he has had to grow up. It is hard to believe that a 7 year old could be my rock, but he often times he is. I rely on him for more than I probably should and sometimes he seems so mature that I forget that he is only 7, just a baby.
In October of 2006, we welcomed a 6 pound, 15 ounce baby boy into our little world. Talk about an emotional mess, all I could do was sob and say, “That’s my baby…that’s myyyyyy baby.” The nurses kept telling me how beautiful he was and I could have thanked them. I should have thanked them but instead I just kept saying, “I know. I know.” It was love at first site that night and in room 187, in a little county hospital, my life forever changed.
A couple days later we got to bundle up our little bundle of joy and head for home as a family of 3. Most of the time it was just Austin and I at home while Steve worked and I had nothing better to do but just sit and hold him all day. So that is what I did. I only wish he could remember those moments like I do. I wish that now as a big, 7 year old, when he thinks I am the meanest mom in the world, that he could remember how he used to lay on my chest for hours and we would sleep and snuggle the day away. And how much fun we had while I gave him a bath in the kitchen sink and how I could get him to eat pretty much anything with the proper airplane spoon. Sigh…they grow up sooo fast…way too fast.
My chubby, little sink bather has became quite the little man. He has his moments like any other growing boy but he has a good heart, with good intentions. He has been through a lot over the years too. As traumatic as it his for us as parents to see Colby go through everything he does, we would be fools not see that it affects Austin too. He worries about his little brother, he gets scared and he breaks down like the rest of us. I am sure at times he gets jealous of the attention that Colby gets but he seems to understand and he has became an amazing big brother.
Austin is also a great student. He reads above his grade level and has a love for learning that I pray never goes away. He has became quite the little ball player too. He loved t ball and football this past year. And the boy is funny. Sometimes too funny. The ornery kind of funny. The I-know-I-should-be-mad-at-you-but-I-am-laughing-too-hard, kind of funny. Let’s see, there was the time he peed in my shampoo bottle and I didn’t find out until after I washed my hair. And then the time he and Colby caught a bird and turned it loose in our house. That was the same week I found huge soggy worms in the washer and toads in the shower. He also “accidentally” forgot to put the lid back on the aquarium that had 5 baby snakes in it. We found 3 of them the next morning, scattered around the kitchen. One of them turned up a year later in the backyard and the 5th one is probably anaconda sized and living in my basement. (Are you getting a feel for what I deal with on a daily basis while ‘trying’ to raise 3 little farm boys?)
Austin is all boy! That is for sure! And he is a headache and a half most days but I can’t imagine my life without him and his crazy shenanigans. He is doing a fantastic job at showing his 2 little brothers how to drive mom crazy but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to seeing what they come up with next. Aside from the silly stuff, I am super proud to be his momma. He is a big help with his little brothers and really looks after Colby at school and at home. He reminds Colby when he is starting to play too rough that he needs to settle down to keep him safe. And Colby really looks up to Austin. He follows Austin around everywhere and tries to do everything that Austin does…both the good…and the not so good! (See above paragraph:) )
I know that if the day comes when Colby gets teased at school because his eyes sometimes turn out…Austin will be there. I know that if Colby gets pushed around at recess or on the bus…Austin will be there. When the next episode of crazy is knocking on our doorstep and the whole house gets flipped upside down…Austin will be there and somehow helping us all hold it together. That is just what big brothers do…
Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero. – Marc Brown
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