The longest and closest a baby has ever been to me was when my mom gave birth to my little brother. I was basically a babysitter for my mom and this was because everyone else had a job, and I was the only one who still was a student. So whenever I was back from school, my mom would hand him over to me so that she could have some rest or do whatever it was she had to do before it was time to feed him again.
So the bond between I and my little bro grew stronger than others because aside from my mom, I spent the most time with him. And that was why I wasn't surprised that when he eventually decided to take his first steps as a baby, he had picked me to be the guy he falls on when his legs fail him.
I still remember that night like it was yesterday. We all gathered at mom's shop like we usually do every night, after the days work. My mom was attending to her customers while my dad sat in her shop. I and my older siblings on the other hand were playing with my little brother who has now passed the stage of crawling and could now actually stand on his own for some few seconds.
I remember standing right in front of him, a little distance between us as I made some stupid baby noises that made him giggle. Then I stretched out my hands to lift him up but just before my hands could get to him, little man walked. He had taken about two, three steps towards my direction before falling into my hands, still giggling.
I remember how shocked and excitedly I felt at the same time, so I had immediately called the attention of my parents to what had just happened, and my mom asked me to make him do it again, so I did. I helped him get on his feet and then took a little distance from him. I made some stupid baby noises again (and probably some incantations too) and the little man giggled and performed his miracle, again.
Both my dad, mom and everyone around were excited. So my siblings decided to try and make him walk too and that was when they realized that in other for this miracle to keep on happening, they needed the chosen one, me.
When my brothers got in front of him, little man was unimpressed and had refused to move a muscle. "Where were they when he was crying and I was busy calming him down or trying to shove some pap into his mouth or the other days when mummy had gone to the market, so I had to change his diapers myself because he had made a mess".
So little man said no, he wanted his big bro who took care of him.
When the other siblings realized that their incantations wasn't working, they gave up and asked me to go continue with the miracle while they watch because we all couldn't get enough of seeing little man walk. That night is definitely among the best memories I've had with my little brother, and it's one I won't be forgetting any time soon.
