Big Brother

Yesterday did not go quite as planned.

We spent three hours in the ER at Egleston Children's Hospital so that we could learn Beckett has a cold. News we've known for over a month now.

I took him to his pediatrician yesterday because he was wheezing. His doctor has always told me that if the child is wheezing or pulling in at the rib cage when he breathes, you should bring him in. So I did. After examining him, the doctor decided to do a breathing treatment. Nothing changed. She told me his lungs sounded terrible and she wanted him to go to the ER for a chest X-ray to rule out pneumonia.

The whole process was actually much smoother than you imagine going to the ER will be. There was one thing that impressed me more than anything else about it all, though, and that was how well both boys did.

During the breathing treatment at the pediatrician's office, Brendan asked me if Beckett was scared and then proceeded to hold his baby brother's hand for at least five out of the ten minutes he had to wear the mask. When I sang a lullaby to comfort Beckett during the treatment, Brendan joined in, making up his own words as he sang along.

Scott met me at the hospital, originally planning to take Brendan home, but he was so well-behaved that the two stayed, adding comic relief to what would otherwise have been a long and boring process.

Brendan did so well and was so patient waiting that the nurses and technicians were jumping over themselves to give him stickers and little gifts. And he was such a sweet big brother that he asked his dad if he could share his stickers with Beckett.

I never knew or imagined that love between siblings was so organic and would come so naturally to a child. But with Brendan it has just blossomed ever so magically. I can only think of one moment of jealousy from him since Beckett was born. Otherwise, he has been sweet and funny and helpful as much as a child his age can be.

I am in awe of their love for one another. We're starting to see how Beckett reacts to his big brother...ocassionally annoyed by having someone touching him and in his face, alternately amused by his brother's antics. In fact, Beckett laughed at his brother, out loud, for the first time on Tuesday night. I didn't get to see it because I was out meeting with a client, but Scott got to see it and told me about it yesterday.

It's all very cool. Being an only child I had no idea how this whole sibling thing works. I've seen too many siblings who don't get along and wondered what the magic secret to loving siblings is. Maybe there isn't one. Maybe it just happens. Maybe, like with any love, it's chemistry. I don't know. But it sure is cool to see it blossom before your very eyes.