Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The Story of Auntie Tia

Tia and I, being Tia and I
To be quite fair... we should start at the beginning. I'm talking, day one. I actually remember the day my little sister was born. Not the whole day, mind you I was only 2! But never the less, I remember things about that day. I remember my dad throwing my cousin up in the air and begging for my turn. I remember my grandma trying to keep me busy as we waited... and I remember the first moment I met her. Ooohhhh I was so excited to see my baby sister! I loved her so much already!

Halloween 2007
From that day on, she didn't even stand a chance! We were inseparable, but it was perfect. Tia was (and still can be) so painfully shy, whereas I have never met a stranger in my life. I did all of the talking, and Tia did all of the thinking. I would say, we made a pretty great team. Thank God too, because our mom worked a lot when we were little, and we had to take care of each other.

I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that we... shared... EVERYTHING! Sometimes unwillingly, but we did none the less. Up until I was in high school, we even shared a room, and when we got older, even ended up dating some of the same guys. (LOL)

Well we grew up, and despite our disagreements, nothing could touch the bond that we had formed. People tried to get between us, and it would work for maybe a month, but that was about it. I didn't think we could get much closer... and then I had Dominic.

When Dude was born, he looked just like Tia. In fact, when we would go out places, people always told her how cute her little boy was! Unless people knew he was mine, it was an automatic assumption that he was hers! Sometimes I was jealous of her stealing my thunder, but for the most part, I was okay with it.


On our way to the snow
At the beginning, it was me, Tia, and Dude. Tia was only 18 when he was born and she had her fun years ahead of her. She was free to do whatever it was that she wanted, but she chose us. She helped me unlike anything I could ever explain. She was just as much his mom as I was, and actually I used to joke around about how she was the best dad ever! If she knew that I had a long night, she would wake up with him in the morning. At work, when he couldn't go to daycare, she would keep him busy or grab him when I couldn't. She put her "auntie rights" on the back burner and helped me discipline him when he needed it. I'm not sure that she has gotten to spoil him and send him home yet. She would baby-sit anytime I ever needed it whether it be to go have fun, workout, or just take a nap, and not one time have I ever EVER heard her complain about having to watch him for me, or cook him dinner, or anything. I think she just assumed that he was her responsibility just as much as he was mine. There were even times when I would get so upset with him for whatever reason, and I would have to ask him, "Do you want me to go get Auntie?" and he would straighten right up. Those two built a bond that is just as strong as the one that her and I have built. It's just as strong as the bond that Dude and I have built!

Halloween 2009
Two years ago, Auntie met a wonderful guy, and so did I. (I wasn't joking! We do everything together!) They both treat us like princesses. These poor guys didn't realize when they met us, the package they were opening up. Aaron of course knew he was getting the girl and the kid, but he was unaware of the sister. Poor Seth met Tia and didn't realize that he was getting a sister and kid!

our "sister" tatoo's
A year ago, Seth got a job and he moved our Tia two hours away from us. It was one of the hardest transitions Dominic and I have faced. You see, unlike a lot of single moms out there, I always had her. I wasn't ever alone in raising him... she still always had my back. People would try and comfort me in telling me that it was only two hours away, but let me ask you this, have you ever had to drive two hours for dinner every single night? Because that's what we did! After working together all day long, we would cook dinner at each others houses, hang out for hours until bed time. Then we would wake up and do it all over again. We realized just how many friends we didn't hang out with when she left!

In the waiting room, right before surgery. 8/31/2011
Dominic still misses his Auntie. After his Papa, she is his favorite person in the world. He lights up whenever he talks about her, and talking to her on the phone makes his day. He and I are pretty lucky to have her. I thank God every single day for her and everything that she has done for me. (I'm still convinced that we are going to live next door to each other when we're old... or even in the same house, and be the same old crazy girls we were in our early twenties. Sorry Seth and Aaron!)

Hey Tia, if you are reading this... I love you more than anything. Thank you for being more than just a sister to me. You have been my teacher, my shoulder to cry on, my refuge, and most of all you have been the very best friend I could ever ask for. It's hard for me to imagine siblings not having the relationship that we have been so fortunate to have. There is nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for you. I hope you know that!
Oh and Seth, you are such a lucky guy! Thanks for taking care of my little sister. She means the world to me ya know, keep her safe and never let her cry!

xoxo

-whit



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