Childhood 1:My Sister

My sister taught me a lot growing up. She was my role model. Kristen is her name. She is four years older than me. If you ask her about the day I was born she’ll tell you about waking up and finding our Aunt Lisa on the couch with her pants unbuttoned. My Aunt told her it was more comfortable to sleep that way. My Aunt then took her to the hospital, they didn’t have scrubs small enough for my sister to put on to come and see me, but they did have a small doctors lab coat. I don’t remember her saying anything about me when she remembers that day but I’m pretty sure from that day she knew she would show me something.

Kristen was my teacher growing up. I had an easel chalkboard in the corner of my room when I was little. If it wasn’t nice outside you would find us sitting in my room playing “school.” My sister was always the teacher and I was always the student. By the time I was in kindergarten I could write my name in cursive and print, I could read small books by myself, and I could add and subtract. She was also the one who taught me how to tie my shoes and ride a bike. She was the only one who really knew how to teach me. My parents pretty much just had to potty train, my sister was my tutor after that.

I loved doing things with my sister. In our basement (which was unfinished at the time) we had a big playroom. It was full of Barbies and stuffed animals and the Barbie Jeep, which I only got to play with on occasion. We used to play for hours down there. Before I learned to ride my bike I used to cruise the neighborhood in my red car, those cool little pedal ones, and she would ride her mountain bike. We also had a huge tractor tire in our backyard as a sandbox. We built forts and motes.

We will probably forever laugh about how she called me a queer, and I compared being queer to being like Michael Jackson(and how I confused up Michael Jackson with Michale Jordan a lot). She’ll probably never forget the many times I slept walked into her room. Or when I used to sleep with her and we would put bread and pretzels in water until they got really soggy and then eat them. We were interesting. Paula Abdul was awesome to dance to. Ace of Base was the best to sing too. And a yellow boom box played all of our favorite songs. The time I stepped on her crocheting needle on New Years Eve. When she got her first car. When Scooter pooped in her car. Playing in a refrigerator box at Patsy’s house. Cheerleading camp (neither of us turned out to be cheerleaders).

I have always looked up to my sister. She definitely taught me a lot growing up. I admire her so much. I love her so much, even though I don’t say it nearly enough. She made my childhood wonderful and was the perfect big sister for me.

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