they grow up so fast

**this post is just an "ode" to my brother. Me rambling. Just to let you know...

So when I was born, my mom's mom was holding me in a little carseat thing when I first met Joey. He supposedly said, "She's pwetty gwanny. Bye bye!" And from what I hear, he hasn't liked me all that much since she didn't take me home with her and he got a new baby sister. As the stories go, Joey had been weened off the bottle, but the second I started using one, he had to have one, too. He also used to hit me a lot. Like a normal older brother, I guess. One day (when I could walk), he was sitting, watching TV, and I came past him and just thwacked him on the head. BAM. I'm sure I've told this story, before though, but this is one of the few stories I have of me and Joey when I got my revenge. But I loved my brother.

A few years later, when he had friends and I had...well, just Kirstie, I guess... I would (and sometimes Kirstie would, too) sit outside his room for hours hoping that he would play a game with me. Him and his friends. They would throw stuff at me, and I'd laugh it off, and I still wanted to play with him more than anything. I was (and still am, I suppose) a fat kid, so they thought it was funny. I didn't (and still don't, usually) look at myself as a fat kid, so I didn't get what they were laughing at. But those days that he did deign to play with me, I was so happy. I loved my brother.


When Chance was born, I had someone new to play with. I bugged the baby and my parents more and Joey less. Joey played with Chris, mostly, and sometimes they'd let me wrestle with them in the playroom. I loved my brother.

As the years have gone on, Joey and I have less and less in common. Sure, we have the same sense of humor. And over the summers, we all play video games and cook for eachother (well...I cook for everybody and they tell me I suck at cooking, but they still eat it anyway). We have a good time. I love my brother.

This year, since he's been driving me to school, I feel like I'm getting to spend more time with Joey. I understand his crappy music taste better. I know inside jokes. Which is why everytime something comes for him from colleges begging him to go I get so sad. He got a catalogue from NYU today. I have a feeling that he's not going to stay in this house much longer, especially since he turns 18 come Christmas. God, I'll miss my brother. I love my brother.