Position in family

Question: Were you the oldest, youngest or middle child?

I was the youngest child for ten years. There were three of us. Parents should never have just three children. My brother and sister were and always will be best of friends. I am just that other person that had to tag along with them, the one bringing up the rear, the one that Mom and Dad told the others to "keep an eye on."

I used to say a prayer daily that my mom would have another child. I used to pray for a sister, but then I got desperate and would pray just for a sibling. I wanted someone I could be best friends with, that I could hang out with.

Guess what prayers are answered. The year I turned ten my mom had a beautiful baby girl. Her name is Kristina. Wow! Did our world change. I loved her from the get-go. She was my answer to a prayer.

My mom was 36 years old. I don't think she liked having a baby when she was that old. All of a sudden her hair was too grey, she was too old, she didn't want people to think of her as a grandma to this child. Mom started dying her hair an auburn color to look younger. Anne, my oldest sister, seemed embarrased that Mom was pregnant "at her age." I am sure that did not help my mom's outlook. Other changes came that year but not because of the baby coming; they were on their way long before then. More later.

My brother, Bob, and Kristina.

With the birth of Kris, I was then a middle child, with youngest child tendencies. That means, at least to me, I still expected to be treated like the youngest, the cutest, the more darling. Well that was gone because there was this beautiful little baby that took the attention of us all.

She was the greatest, though. She was born with black, black hair. It all fell out and the new hair that replaced it was almost a white blond. She has maintained that blond hair even to this day some fifty years later.

The birth, as stated above, moved me into a middle child position. One of responsibility. One that had to help more around the house. One that got to take care of the baby once she was not so breakable. I grew up some during those early years. I learned what it was like to take care of another life. I was given responsibilities that I had never had before. It set me in good stead with the neighbors when I let them know I could baby sit. They knew I had experience. I started babysitting for others when I was eleven. I loved that as it gave me money for me to spend without asking.

When I was twelve, I started making my own clothes. Simple things at first. By the time I was in high school I made almost all my own clothes made using the money I made baby sitting.

Now the down side for Mom having a baby when her previous baby was 10 was that at 18, I moved away. I moved to California to follow a job that was offered to me. That left this baby that I helped take care of alone, with no siblings at home. She instantly became an oldest child with youngest child upbringing. I think that was hard on her. I have always wished I would have stayed around longer to help her through into her teens at least.

It is was it is.