Kenney put his hand on his mommy's tummy, like he had so many times before. He felt the baby kick right where his hand was. "Mommy, I felt it." He said with glee. When his parents told him that he would be a big brother he didn't know what to think at first. Would Mommy and Daddy forget about him, he knew that babies took a lot of time and attention, if that weren't enough, he found out two days later that Aunt Sandra and Uncle Carl were expecting a baby to. It was all a little too much for him. I hope at least one of them is a boy so I'll have someone to play with, he thought.
A couple of weeks later Uncle Carl called and told Daddy that Aunt Sandra was about to have the baby. Kenny, his Mommy and Daddy got into the car and went to meet his Aunt and Uncle at the hospital. On the way Mommy seemed like she was hurting and told Daddy that it was time. "Time for what Mommy?"
"Time for your brother or sister to be born. "Then she said something to Daddy about water. How does water get broken? Kenny thought.
They got to the hospital and Mommy and Daddy went with one of the nurses. Grandpa was already there and stayed with Kenny.
A couple of weeks passed, everyone was still overwhelmed with the birth of two babies on the same day. Fortunately, Kenny's worries about being forgotten had been proven wrong, but the baby did need a lot of attention. It was always crying. It needed to be changed, or fed or something.
They had named the baby Gwendolyn, or Gwen as they were calling her, and they had named his new cousin Ben. Kenny didn't think the rhyming names were as funny as the grown-ups did. Kenny looked down at the baby. She looked funny, but also interesting. While he was looking at her she reached out and tried to grab his nose. It was kind of funny to feel that little hand touch him.
A few days later the baby was crying again. Mommy picked the baby up and rocked her. In her baby voice she said "You're hungry, aren't you? Yes you are. Mommy will fix that."
Kenny then asked, "Mommy, can I feed the baby?"
Lili was surprised to hear this request from her son. She had to decide if he could do it correctly and without hurting Gwen. She decided that it would be good for Kenny to have a part in caring for her. "Yes dear, let me show you how." She set the baby back down and went to the kitchen with Kenny. She let him watch as she took a bottle out of the refrigerator, put it in a pan of water and put it on the stove. She explained to him how to tell when the formula was warm enough but not too hot. They went back to the other room where she helped Kenny take his sister in his arms, told him how to support her head and then gave him the bottle.
Kenny held the bottle in place for his sister and watched her suck at it. He noticed that she was looking up at him, her bright green eyes fixed on his. He couldn't look away. It was like he felt something latching them together. He spoke to her softly. "Hi little sister, I'm your brother, I'm going to help take care of you."
After that Kenny would frequently ask to feed his sister and he could often be found rocking her, playing with her or talking to her, and he got so excited when she would smile at him. Lili knew that a lifelong bond had formed.