Soggy Shirts & Sleepy Eyes

“Can I hold him, please, Mom?” Jessie asked, reaching out for her new baby brother.

“Make sure you hold him close, and don’t let his head wobble,” cautioned her mom as she passed baby Mikey into Jessie’s outstretched arms.

Jessie snuggled her little brother close and whispered, “I’ve got you, Mikey.” The baby cooed softly and looked up at her with his big dark eyes. Then he gurgled and SPLAT!

“Aaahhh!” screamed Jessie as Mikey spit up a blob of gunky stuff onto her favorite shirt. Jessie’s scream startled Mikey and made him cry.

Mom hurried over and took the baby. “Uh oh! That’s what happens after he drinks his milk.” Mom wiped Mikey’s mouth with a towel then handed it to Jessie to wipe her shirt.

“Yick!” Jessie wrinkled her nose at the smell of sour milk. “I’m gonna go change my soggy shirt.”

“You might as well put on your pjs. It’s almost time for bed,” said Mom. “I sure hope Mikey sleeps well tonight. I’m exhausted!”

Jessie sighed and headed upstairs to change. It seemed like her parents were always tired ever since Mikey was born. All that baby did was eat, sleep, cry—and spit up! Eew!

After she brushed her teeth, Jessie shouted downstairs, “I’m ready for my bedtime story!”

“Oh, Jessie! Please don’t yell. I had Mikey asleep and you woke him up!” Mom scolded as Mikey began to wail.

“Sorry,” Jessie whispered.

“I’m coming, Pumpkin,” said Dad wearily. He trudged up the stairs and sat next to Jessie on her bed. Jessie handed him a thick chapter book. “Here, Daddy. We’re on chapter 6, and the pirates are about to attack!”

Dad sighed. “Can we read a shorter story tonight? I’m really tired.”

“Okay.” Jessie went to her bookshelf and selected a small book about a lost lamb. “How about this one?”

“Fine,” agreed Dad. After he read to Jessie, he gave her a kiss and turned out the light. Jessie closed her eyes and began thinking about sheep being chased by pirates. She was just drifting off to sleep, when she woke with a start.

Whaaa! Whaaa!

Jessie sat up in bed and rubbed her sleepy eyes. She heard a door open and close and the voice of her mom trying to calm Mikey’s cries. Jessie rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. But the cries grew louder and faster—Wha! Wha! Wha! Wha!

Jessie groaned and pulled her pillow over her head and pressed it against her ears. She could still hear the baby crying. “Justin was right,” she moaned. “Having a baby brother or sister can be hard.”

After a while, Mom got Mikey back to sleep, but he woke everyone up three more times that night.

Jessie was so tired the next morning that she slept later than usual. She splashed cold water on her face to try to wake up then got dressed and headed downstairs. Jessie found her parents sitting on the sofa with baby Mikey in between them.

“Who’s our little man? Who is he? It’s Mikey!” Her dad spoke in a high-pitched voice as he wiggled Mikey’s toes. Mom chuckled as Mikey gurgled and kicked happily at all the attention.

“Good morning,” said Jessie. But her parents didn’t hear her. Jessie frowned and crossed her arms. “Guess I’ll get my own breakfast,” she grumbled.

She was halfway through her bowl of cereal when Justin knocked on the back door.

“Hey, Jessie! You’re eating breakfast kinda late,” he said as he entered the kitchen.

“Yeah, Mikey woke us up a bunch of times in the night with his crying,” she replied glumly.

“I guess that’s what babies do, right?” Justin replied cheerily.

“That—and throw up on your favorite shirt.” Jessie was hoping for a little sympathy, but Justin just laughed and asked, “Where is the little guy now?”

“In the living room,” Jessie answered sharply.

Jessie swirled her spoon in her cereal. “Everyone only cares about Mikey now.”

Justin nodded. “I know how you feel. I remember when I went to my grandparents’ house and it seemed like they only cared about Ellie and all the new words she could say and stuff she could do. No one seemed to have time for me.”

“So, what did you do?”

“My grandma helped me see that everyone still loved me and they treated me the same way when I was that little.”

“Oh.” Jessie thought for a minute. “I guess babies do need lots of help.”

“Jessie, can you come here, please?” called her mom. When the kids came into the living room, Jessie’s mom smiled and handed her a gift bag. “Surprise!”

Jessie opened the bag eagerly and pulled out a pink shirt that said, “Best Big Sister” with a bow on the front. Dad held up Mikey, who was wearing a matching blue shirt that said, “Best Little Brother” with a bow tie at the top.

“He may not be the ‘best’ at sleeping or eating or being quiet yet, but he’s got the best big sister to help him out as he learns and grows,” said Dad with a smile.

Jessie grinned. “Thanks! I suppose I do need more shirts if he’s going to keep spitting up on them.”

Mom gave Jessie a hug. “Go put on your new shirt, and let’s get a picture of you kids together!”

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