The Caboose

I am the caboose. Let me rewind and tell you what that means the Bronson family. I have two older sisters, they are a bit older than me, actually Operah or Dr. Phil or one of them once said if there are at least five years between the youngest and the closest sibling that sibling is called "an almost only child". I don't really remember a lot about when my big sisters lived at home but I remember how excited I would get when they would come visit. When I was an annoying high schooler and people would ask if I had  siblings I would tell them I had  "I did they were just really old" (in their 20's).  I had my first nephew when I was in Jr High School (my sister, Alicia, likes to correct me and say she had my first nephew when I was in Jr. High). 

My big sisters are good to me, too good to me. When Boston's "dad" refused to pay for anything when I was eight months pregnant and I thought Boston was going to have to sleep in a box my sister, Emily, bought her a crib, bassinet, and changing table, while Alicia bought the carseat, made a blanket and purchased outfits. 

I don't know about your family but in ours it's like this... No matter if we are all adults, if we all have kids, if we all pay bills... They are my big sisters and I am the baby of the family. When we have family pot-lucks they bring the mashed potatoes or main entree, I usually bring a cheese platter or chips. My parents and I randomly got to talking about what would happen if they died and who would take care of the arrangements. I told them that Alicia and Emily would plan it and I would probably do what they  assigned me. If we go on family vacations they will probably get the bigger bed/rooms.

That's how the roles go, sometimes you never outgrow them. If I am sick or sad my big sisters baby me. If you asked them they would tell you I was spoiled (if you ask me I would tell you they are right.... Kidding...) if you ask me they got to try things I didn't and I sometimes wished I had a sibling close to my age. 

Sometimes I am jealous of them because they have memories of our dad who died, Michael, whom I don't even really remember. Sometimes I wonder if they are jealous that I had so many great memories with our stepdad, Kevin, that they didn't have. As expected I have a different relationship with Kevin than they do. He raised me and he is the dad I know, they were both moved out of the house when he joined the family.

When my mom introduces us or talks about us she had always said, "This is Alicia, the oldest, then Emily and Ashlynn is my caboose." Till the time I entered high school I had no idea that a caboose was the last cart on a train then I finally understood it. I like being the caboose in our family, and I like that no matter what, no matter my age, I will always have two big sisters to take care of me.

XO:

Ashlynn&Boston BRONSON

Be nice to your siblings;

They are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.