The younger one

Sister and Brother
My Uncle Charles just turned 55 years old a week ago, his birthday was the same day that my grandma passed away.  He is the youngest of four, my dad's younger brother and the family baby.  He's also the tallest and biggest in the family, towering over his siblings at 6'1, but also the most soft spoken - a gentle giant.  You don't realize that when you're the lastborn, you're the baby of the family forever.  In my family, you will be the most beloved, the most well cared for, the most take care of.  Every trip out this weekend, we have brought something back for him - a shirt, a pair of pants, new shoes, sandwiches, drinks and snacks.

You'll also receive the brunt of all the bossing around (which is no small amount in my family) from the women of the family.  Every one of your movements is scrutinized and critiqued by at least three pairs of eyes.  You better have a thick skin or be hard of hearing.

"Eat this, don't eat that.  Change shirts!  That one is dirty and old and we just bought you five new ones.  Did you take your vitamin supplements?  You have to take two a day.  What are you doing all the way over there?  Come over here and sit with us."

Nevermind that he's 55 years old and has his own children.  Uncle Charles is the family baby for all of us, even the children of his older siblings.  We'll coddle him well into his senior citizen years and  when he's a grandfather, and best of all, he lets us.  Because we all understand, that's our family and that's how we show love.


Comments

  1. Love this, Rooth:) So completely true. We do the same to my youngest sis, esp. the criticism part, although she doesn't take it well.....:D

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  2. Happy birthday to your uncle!
    I can see some resembles of
    my youngest uncle as well :P Xx

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  3. Hmmm, need to think about this. Most of it is alien to me (the youngest of 6). Although, I may actually be the "most beloved" among my nephews and nieces...just without the doting. I need to get that straightened out before I'm elderly--I'm going to need coddling then! :)

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  4. I love the stories about your family! I can picture the gatherings so clearly in my head!

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  5. that's so sweat :)

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  6. I would love to read a book about your family, written by you. You should get on that. :)

    What a wonderful description of your uncle and your family in general. It's not long and yet there's so much we can glimpse here. Just lovely.

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  7. I'm the baby too and I definitely get bossed around! But I get lots of stuff too so I suppose one kind of makes up for the other... but the bossing seems to be more prevalent than the stuff I have to say!

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  8. This is really beautifully written, Rooth, and I agree with Mrs Ricefield. More stories on your family, please.

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  9. That´s sweet! :-)

    http://tinajoathome.com/

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  10. so sweet. this made me miss my extended family so much. they are all in korea, but what you described made me have flash backs of our family gatherings! i also have an uncle who is the baby of the family and it was a very similar situation with him from what i recall from my childhood. i haven't seen them since 1998 (!) but my husband and i are patiently saving up to go to korea next year (crossing our fingers) and can't wait to be reunited with them! :)

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  11. So sweet. I love hearing about other people's family dynamics. There are similar threads everywhere xo

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  12. PS - Almost forgot, belated happy b-day to Uncle Charles! And I agree completely with the folks saying you should write a book.

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  13. that is so cute :) he sounds awesome!

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  14. Aw this is so touching and heartfelt :)

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  15. Such a sweet story, glad to hear something personal and from your life

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  16. What a sweet post. Family dynamics are so interesting and unique. I always feel everyone has a story and I'm so happy to read yours.
    xo,
    nancy

    http://adoretoadorn.blogspot.com

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  17. this is so sweet. i love that even the younger ones still baby the original baby of the family. it's funny how it works that way, there must be secret laws - even though milo is the baby by only 36 minutes, he's totally got the role down ;)

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  18. love this post rooth. and i totally agree. i will forever coddle my youngest brother it can't be helped. :)

    ps. happy belated to your uncle.

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  19. A very happy belated birthday to your uncle! I'm the youngest in my entire family. Your post makes me wonder if this is how they feel about me, haha :)

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  20. That's always the way, isn't it? It must have been a tough birthday for him this year though.

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  21. Sounds like he deserved to be coddled a bit this year. Having your mama die on your birthday can't be easy.

    Loved this post -- and yes, I can't wait 'til your book comes out! :)

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  22. I definitely feel about being the youngest. I wonder if I ever get to 50 years will my siblings treat me like a little one? Haha! Anyway, I'm sorry to hear about your grandma. I hope everything is fine~ :)

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