little bitty girl

It's not what you think, I did not forget my brother's birthday. I simply haven't had a chance to post his birthday greeting. Kelvin is my middle brother and many times I refer to him as my "little" brother (which he doesn't like) or my "little koko" - little big brother(which he dislikes even more). He is only three years older than me so he really was my companion and friend, more than anything when we were growing up.

Kelvin has always been my number one cheerleader. From the time I could do anything, he was always cheering me on. This picture was taken the day that I took my very first steps. I was a late walker and an early talker. (Who would have guessed, huh?) First, I was too fat for my chubby legs to support me and then I got sick, so I refused to try. My mum told me that one day I just got up and started walking. Both Kelvin and Ken were so happy and there are a bunch of pictures of them laughing and clapping. I love those pictures.

Little did they know that by learning to walk, I was also learning to be a constant pest to them. Many of my childhood memories are of trying to keep up with my brothers and their friends. Ken wasn't into that so much because he was the cool elder by six years but every so often, Kelvin let me tag along. Soon, we would get into all sorts of scrapes together. When I was about eight or so, my mum went to visit her family in Canada. "Don't play with the furniture. Do not play near my prized rose bushes! I just cultivated a new strain, "she sternly warned us. "Yes, mum!" we chorused right back.

Ken by then was into his own interests to really have anything to do with our games. Kelvin and I looked at each other and the minute my mum was out of the house, we pulled all the living room furniture and cushions together to make a make shift fort that would stay up for the month my mum was gone. We also used her rose bushes as our soccer goal posts. "Should you be playing with those things,"my bewildered dad would ask. "Yup!" we would chorus back. My dad was none the wiser. The crap we got when my mama came back was totally worth it as I still remember that summer.

Kelvin has the most caring heart. Even when he was a little boy, his capacity to care for others was nothing short of a miracle. I remember once I got into trouble and my mum punished me and took the rest of the kids shopping. I was in my room crying when they came back. Kelvin came in and just sat next to me and put his arm around me. He then said quietly,"Don't cry. I bought you something." He had spent his entire pocket money buying me a new tea set.

As sweet as he is, he can also be a complete dingbat. He totally has the classic, scatterbrained- genius- syndrome. He leaves stuff somewhere and when he can't find it, he accuses people of stealing or misplacing the items. He once went to work wearing one dress shoe and one running shoe. Weird? You betcha. But we still love him anyway.

Happy Belated Birthday!