When I was nine years old my mother quit her job at the factory. She was pregnant.  I was very excited for another sibling.  My sister was 4 years older than I and she was way ahead of me in school and ideas.

My brother was born in March of 1945, that made me 10 years older than he.  My dad jumped for joy since he had always wanted a boy.  I was suposed to be that!

My mother had to have a C-section due to her age and my br other's size.  I was not allowed to vist them in the hospital!

The ten days she was there seemed an eternity.  But at last she came home and my mom let me stay home from school to welcome him. Well, he was NOT the Gerber baby I had seen in pictures.  His face was fat and red, his eyes slits and he slept all the time.  However over time he became the darling of the family.  I was the first one he smiled for and of course I got to hold and feed him.

When he was 4 my sister left for college and really never came home again.  So my brother and I had already bonded and over the years we became even closer.

My mother returned to work so I spent considerable time taking care of him. 

As I look back this time was one of tremendous happiness for our entire family.