I have three older brothers. I looked up to them like they were gods and basked in any attention they threw my way. Matilda is lucky to have Parker, and I am so thankful for the bond that they have. There is just something so special about brotherly love.
Having a sibling with medical conditions is hard on the best of children. Parker expresses to us worries that he has about Matilda needing a new liver, needing to go back to the hospital, and him having to leave us again. It pains me to hear this burden that he carries, but I am pleased that he is able to express how he feels and I am happy to give him appropriate tools to deal with them. We answer his questions, remind him that we love him more than the sun shines, and we hug him often.
In return, we have witnessed him telling Matilda not to be afraid. He explains to her what we have told him, he reminds her that she is loved, and he showers her with affection. His brotherly love brings me to tears and warms my heart.
During hospital visits, Parker makes sure that strangers stay at bay, that Matilda is seen in a timely manner, and that she is comforted when she cries. He does not get jealous, he sits quietly, and slips in funny moments at all the right times. Parker is a gem. I hoped for a brother for my girl, what I got was better than I could have imagined.
P.S. The day started with Parker commenting that the rug in my office looks like grass. So we did what anyone else would do. We painted a backdrop on an old piece of cardboard, moved the rug to the sunniest spot in the house, put on our sunnies, and pretended it was spring for real. Because out the window there is still a few feet of snow and ice between us and grass. Ha! Maybe I am finally getting the hang of this stay-at-home mom gig.
