I grew up without a sister.
My sister-in-law, Kim, finds that tragic.
But I’ve never missed having one.
Never ever.
Except the time when I was 3, and my parents brought home a baby brother. Which was the exact opposite of the gender I requested. Because, apparently, my parents can’t follow basic instructions.
So, when I was 3, I missed having a sister.
And the time when I was 13, and my brother was 10, and he and his friends decided to pelt me with baby coconuts (which I swear are harder than rocks — have someone throw one at your head if you’re skeptical). So Justice forced me to push him just a teensy, weensy bit. And he cried like the baby he was, and then he told Mom and Dad that I slammed his head into our concrete porch.
I still think “slam” is a little harsh. And if my brother says anything about bleeding out his ears, you heard it here first that he’s a Liar Liar Pants on Fire.
Which means that when I was 13, I wished for a sister.
And the time when I was 17, and my brother had enough of my pithy, delightful, and helpful comments so he bodily lifted me up and dumped me outside, brushed off his hands and locked the front door.
So when I was 17, outside shivering in the cold, banging on the door and yelling “LET ME IN!,” I kind of wanted a sister.
But the rest of the time, I didn’t miss it. Not a bit.
And, frankly, now that I have a sister-in-law like Kim, who insists I abide by Sister Rules, I have no idea what to do with her.
It’s kind of like growing up in a Brother Ghetto full of sarcasm, gas, and beer (alright – the beer wasn’t while we were growing up – that came a little later), and then being invited to a black tie Sister Soiree with strange, new things like pomp, manners, and forks.
So, every once in a while, Kim takes me in hand for Sister Lessons. It’s usually when she can’t stand my sister ignorance anymore.
Here are some of the things I’ve learned.
…….
On Panties
Old, cotton, holey panties are not OK.
If your sister finds out that, oh, maybe due to a twin pregnancy that expanded both your skin and your panty elastic beyond their ability to stretch…
and if your panty elastic is tired of the abuse and is clearly trying jump to its death…
and if you have no freaking time in the whole entire universe to go panty shopping…
then your sister will go straight to the store to buy you a whole new panty wardrobe.
With bows, and satin, and see-through lace. (Although I admit I’m still a little befuddled on why I want to see through my panties.)
A whole new panty wardrobe!
‘Cause that’s what a sister does.
(If any men are still reading at this point, I apologize. But, if you’ve hung in there this long, then you should know that a whole new panty wardrobe makes a great birthday, Mother’s Day (um, for the mother of your children — not your actual mother — just to be crystal clear on Things Not to Buy Your Mother), or It’s Wednesday present. And, if the significant woman in your life made you read this far against your will, this is why. THIS IS WHY.)
…….
On Fashion Shows
If you make the grave error of shopping for clothes alone, which I now understand is one of the Seven Deadly Sins (replacing Gluttony, ’cause, let’s be honest, those of us in the Western World have been ignoring that one for ages), you are obligated, upon your return, to do a fashion show.
Of everything you bought.
Including skivvies. Although, for the record, I suspect Kim’s taking advantage of my Sister Gullibility on this one.
And, just so you know, a fashion show isn’t a suggestion.
A fashion show is a gun-to-your-head, do-it-or-die activity.
If you don’t do Fashion Show, you might as well spit in your sister’s face. Ka-plooey.
I had no idea.
Until Kim.
And you also have to do the Fashion Show Catwalk if you wear something particularly sassy.
As a matter of fact, here’s an Easter Day picture of my Aden doing the Sassy Walk, forced, of course, by her sister:
If you’re wondering whether I actually let Aden go to church on Easter Sunday wearing her pretty dress with flower socks and bright pink knock-off Crocs… of course I did. Have you met me? I was proud her hair was brushed.
……
On Talonlike Toenails
Your sister is allowed — nay, obligated — to tell you when your toenails are getting long and talonlike.
If you don’t believe her…
If you try to tell her your toenails are perfectly fine, thank you very much…
If you mention, oh-so-casually, that your running shoes fit and you’ve had no trouble at all…
Then she’ll flick them like this to prove she’s right:
I swear it’s true.
Kim’s hand to my foot.
…….
On Photos
Your sister may, every once in a while, want a photo taken with you.
Good sisters ask first and allow time for the application of lip goo.
Brothers just tackle your neck in a headlock and shove a camera in your face. Which is a sister no-no.
…….
On Daughters Who Are Sisters
And even if you have, say, one older daughter who makes friends easily and has lots of companions and is socially appropriate and smells nice…
And one daughter who’s laugh-out-loud funny, but has trouble making friends because she might hit other kids a lot, and she smells like cheesy feet, and she wears pink knock-off crocs to church on Easter Sunday because her Mommy doesn’t to teach her how to dress…
And your girls don’t really hang out together even though you wish they were closer…
Every once in a while, if you’re really lucky, you might find a photo on your camera that you didn’t know they took that will give you a little bit of hope…
That, someday, they too will buy each other panties, and do more fashion shows and generally be there for each other. ‘Cause they’re sisters, and that’s what good sisters do.
…….
So, you see, I don’t miss having a sister. Not one bit.
And if you don’t have a sister, or your daughter doesn’t have a sister, you shouldn’t worry. She won’t miss it, either.
But if you’re really lucky — and you put in your Burping, Farting, Beer-Guzzling Brother Time — then maybe, just maybe, he’ll go and marry you a sister-in-law.
And if your sister-in-law’s baby boy is still stuck in her belly… and he shows absolutely no sign of coming anytime soon even though your sister-in-law feels huge and exhausted and ready for him to come…
Then you might write a blog post on sisters, and how the in-law title fades, and how important she is to you, and how you wish her the best and love her, love her, love her.
And, then, at the very end, you might also squeeze in a tiny little note about how very, super much you love the boy who impregnated her. But you won’t get all gushy and gross about it ’cause he’s your brother. So, instead, you’ll tackle him in a virtual neck-breaking, headlock and yell, “You da man, Jeff. Booyah!”
The End.
24 responses to “Sisters”
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Dead Five Kids Is A Lot Of Kids,
I would like to publicly state my disappointment in your assumption that only women read your blog.
I am a man, and can handle stories about panties. So, please stop apologizing to us for reading your blog and get to the panties! (or any other story that you deem blogable).
On the other hand, I enjoy getting a little extra attention, so never mind, and carry on, soldier!
(while I have your attention, please write more about Greg, because he is absolutely hilarious)
Sincerely,
-Reader that isn’t female
Dear curly,
This is a busy morning for me. I only have 35 minutes to drive away to the one millionth dance competition of the year with my oldest daughter (which I note lest you think *I* would participate in a dance competition), so you see that I don’t have time to respond to you right now.
Unfortunately, you thwarted my grand plan by making me laugh out loud. Bahahahaha!
Please accept my sincere apology for my apologies to my male readers. I’ll do my best to stop. Mostly because, heck, if you’re gonna read, who am I to say you shouldn’t? Read on, reader that isn’t female – read on!
FYI, I read the link to the Oatmeal, and I also laughed at that. Good way to start the morning.
I told Greg you want to hear more about him. He’s shaking in fear. Which is how I like him. So nice work.
Sincerely,
Beth
Ever had that experience where the newspaper reports on something with which you are *really* familiar – like maybe a car accident in your neighborhood? And newspaper got it all *exactly* right? Well – right except for the make and model of the two cars involved. And the direction in which the two cars were traveling. And the name of the street. And the fact that there were *no* passengers in the car at fault. But there *was* an accident and they got the date right? And then you begin to wonder, “If they get something like this – where I know the facts – *this* messed up, what *else* are they getting wrong?
Yeah.
So let’s take a look at “And the time when I was 17, and my brother had enough of my pithy, delightful, and helpful comments so he bodily lifted me up and dumped me outside, brushed off his hands and locked the front door. So when I was 17, outside shivering in the cold, banging on the door and yelling “LET ME IN!,” I kind of wanted a sister.”
Hey – I was there. Yes – there was a dumping incident… a well earned dumping incident I might add. But… She was dumped over a porch rail that was eight feet above the front garden. Into a blooming camellia bush. Total distance dropped – about 28 inches. It was spring (notice the word “blooming”). There was no shivering. And the door wasn’t locked because the Dumper and his Dad, gallant gentlemen that we were (are?) were outside helping extricate the Dumpee (who had been giggling like a loon from the moment she had been seized in the living room) from the bush. No yelling – just prolonged giggling.
“Never let facts stand in the way of a good story.” Mark Twain
At least the part about Kim being fabulous is accurate.
That’s so funny how you remembered it all wrong.
Weird!
hahahaha! 🙂 (somehow I doubt your dad’s memory is failing him, EVER, but of course I’d never say so cause I want to be a good friend…)
ps: oops 😉
How about the time you were 6, and you got spankings (yes, multiple) because “there’s no way your 2-year-old brother could climb to the top of the pantry to steal that raw sugar.”
Or the time you were 9 and you had to suffer the injustice of watching your brat of a sibling escape any and all consequences for completely disrespecting you in your first shot at real responsibility… all on a technicality?
Bet you missed having a sister THEN.
“Booyah” right back at you. You are also the man. The man who owes me beer. =)
OH YEAH!
And those times, too.
And I’m pretty sure I owe you 3 beers. You must be very, very tired with so many kids (’cause 2.9 kids is a LOT of kids) to have forgotten the beer count. Poor Jeffy.
is it too nosy when I ask how come you owe your brother beer? 😉
I promised not to show up at a party that Beth was hosting in exchange for 3 beers (something about “not being socially appropriate” and “always making people feel awkward”…)
=D
Don’t tell her, but I would have done it for 2!
So here’s what I’m wondering: when (yes, I said ‘WHEN’, be ready Oregon, be very ready 😉 ) we visit your beautiful Pacific coast in hopefully a few years time, so you suppose your sister will be asking you to stay away too? Because I’m actually kinda looking forward to meeting the whole family… Maybe I can outbid her, let’s say a whole sixpack if you&your lovely family do show up? Whaddayasay Jeff? 🙂 Wanna see how socially inappropriate us Dutch folk can be? Who knows, maybe we can have a ‘make each other feel awkward contest’, hahaha! 😉
Not sure how I came across your blog – but I am so glad I did. Have been popping in the last week or so… but had to comment today: Loved, loved, loved the fashion show bit… I have one sister (and she’s my only sibling)… exactly two years apart. Even now, whenever we get together and either one of us so much as buys a sweater, we show it off to each other. Mom usually wants in too. 🙂 A favorite thing my sis likes to do is raid my closet. Still. You’d think us both being married grown ups and all, we’d be past the closet raids…. Never! 🙂
Thanks for reading, Cori! And for telling me so. Welcome! I hope to see you here often.
What a special bond sisters have (I have three!) so take it from me, you are lucky to have eachother!!! Who doesn’t love Kim? She’s super fantabulous!
Loved this post. Loved it, loved it, loved it.
The crocs are totally appropriate….This is Oregon, man!!!
You can’t wear Crocs in Oregon? Makes me reconsider wanting to v isit… 😉
We just proved you can – they’re our version of clogs.
Language barrier! We’re the land of crocs and honey. The land of birks and granola. The land of comfy footwear. Oregon is safe for you, Carina. On my honor.
good to know! we’ll fit right in then, we might even bring some wooden ones for you to knock on 😉 (shall we say ‘2014’? or are you guys fully booked for the next 5 years?)
ps: crocs&honey, birks&granola, love it! 🙂
pps: language barrier?
cool! we love clogs, as you’ll understand 😉 Mark has black ones, black knock-off crocs too by the way 🙂 (what color are yours Greg?)
Loved it. I love Kim too. You’re lucky to have her.