Six months ago, I interviewed my granddaughter just before her baby brother was born. Sidra agreed to speak with me once again at a later time to give me an update. We began our chat toward the end of the massage she was giving William.

Here is our conversation:

Zayde (me): What is it like to be a big sister now that you’ve had 6 months experience?

Sidra: Wonderful. I love to see him grow. I want to see him talk and grow up and be a big man. I love looking down and seeing him smile. I’m going to influence him

 

Z: What have you been doing to help Mom and Dad with William?

S: It’s kinda gross, but I change him once in a while. I massage him, play with him and feed him occasionally. I know how to do almost everything. Sometimes he kicks and cries.

 

Z: How have things changed in the past 6 months?

S: I’m proud to see him grow. Sometimes he cries and I’m like, ERRR… but I expected it.

 

Z: Last time we talked about William, you said you wanted a brother or a sister for a companion.  Tell me how this has worked out.

S: Great. I feel wonderful. I can’t wait until he grows up. I love the way he laughs, giggles and smiles.

 

Z: Right now William can’t get around. Tell me how you would handle it if he got into  your stuff.

S: I’d tell him, ‘no’, take it from him and give him some cookies. Cookies always make them forget. They’d be, like, Whaaaa, Whaaaa, and then it’s like, ‘Oh, a cookie’.

 

Z: You said last time that you didn’t want Mom and Dad to expect you to drop everything to help  them. Has this been a problem?

S: Not really. Once in a while Dad will say, ‘Go make Will a_bottle,’ when I don’t want to. But I do it anyway.

 

Z: Is there anything else you want to say?

S: I never worried that my parents would forget me and worry only about the baby. I get lots of recognition from them. They say, “Oh, you’re being so good with the baby.” And sometimes they’ll buy me some ice cream.

 

Z: Thank you Sidra. I love you.

S: I love you too, Zayde.