Swim so Wild, Swim so Free
Siblings are the first teachers in life lessons. Of sharing. And helping. And compromising. Even if you don’t think GI Joe characters belong in Barbie’s dreamhouse. Sometimes you have to let them in. You have to make room for these other tiny people who share your house and your parents and, if you’re smart, make best friends and allies out of them.
When I was younger, I definitely took the blame for things my brothers did and vice versa. There was a discovered bottle of alcohol (gasp) that wasn’t mine and I fessed up. A broken lamp where the glass shards of my clumsy destruction scraped my brother as he carried out the evidence to bury it in the garbage. I would sing Baby Beluga to my youngest brother night after night to get him to fall asleep in his crib. And even now…my brothers are still the first ones to make fun of me…but also the first ones to be there to help me if I need anything. From a shipment of hard-to-get Lysol spray to shared parking passes to commute to the city to frequent, albeit very short, phone conversations.
These siblings have such a beautiful bond that is already filled with sacrifice and compromise and friendship and a journey that is a bit beyond the ordinary.
Before his first birthday, this little guy was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer that attacks nerve tissue. Before he was even a year old, he had a successful tumor resection surgery, the first of several operations on his tiny body. Chemo that had him hospitalized for months. Ongoing radiation and immunotherapy. Things no child should endure, and no family should endure.
As his parents split their time between siblings, between doctor visits, between hospital stays, between trips to Philly and NY…this very brave big sister also shared and sacrificed so much for her little brother. A sacrifice so much above and beyond letting him share her toys or having to wait for him to finish dinner to get ice cream or singing him a lullaby night after night.
A few weeks ago, this family celebrated two years in remission for this unbelievably brave boy. Throughout their journey, this mama brought everyone so much happiness with her beautiful pictures and posts filled with positivity. Filled with love. Showing the superhuman strength and connection this family has. Simple everyday moments in the chaos. Tiny hands holding a favorite Elmo doll in a hospital bed. A story of heartbreak, strength, and triumph told through mama’s beautiful words and images.
So, on the eve of this big sister’s very big 7th birthday party, we got together to celebrate and capture these two beautiful children in a moment of much-deserved playful happiness. Simple moments not to take for granted. This little boy’s first trip to the beach. His tiny hands grasping sand. Sister happily splashing in waves. Birthday balloons and wishes. And a reminder that sometimes the biggest wishes from the tiniest people mean the most.
How lucky these sibling are to be blessed with a life-long friend to share this journey with and what beautiful milestones to celebrate for both of these superheroes.
