August, 1996

Diary Entry 78,

I finally got Dave to say 'Bro' as my name after weeks of him calling me Mom. I had to rethink the cartoons I let him watch, ones that only show a mom and a dad but the world isn't actually like that. But that makes me wonder if everyone else is just like that, what if Dave gets made fun of in school because he only has a brother? No, kids aren't that mean, right?

Maybe it was just me and my experience with parents. I don't want to become a superior to him, I want to be just his Bro, you know? Parents are so hard to talk to, but a bro is like, whatever. We will share secrets and punch each other in the arm playfully. You don't punch parents in the arm, last time I tried that well, I was sent to a new home.

Dave also took his first few steps today. It was when we were just chilling on the couch watching cartoons. He was standing up around the edges when he let go and tottered towards my leg, until he fell over but I caught him with my ankle thankfully, he can be such a cry baby sometimes.

John and Dave seem to really like each other. It makes me and Jane proud as parents when we can show off baby pictures of their cute little faces together. I really wish Jake and Roxy lived closer so our kiddos will grow up to be best friends like us, but then again, we all met online. That could happen to them too. The four of us could set it up like they think they just met each other.

Bro Strider