What is a Brother?

What is a brother?

Funny question right?

Do brothers have to play together? Or talk?

Or spend time together?

Do they have to do those things?

For the first three years of Sawyer’s life, he followed his older brother around. First by crawling. Then walking. Finally running.

See, Cooper never stopped moving. Not ever. Sawyer thought it was a game.

Cooper would run from room to room, tearing apart beds, putting garbage cans and shampoo bottles in the bathtub, emptying bookshelves and so on. From room to room he’d go.

A tiny blonde haired, hazel eyed tornado. With a shadow.

See, Sawyer thought they were playing. He thought they were having fun together.

Only, they weren’t. Not really. Only one was playing. Only one was taking turns. And mimicking. And acknowledging the other one.

For years I raised two entirely different children. Both boys. Both blonde. Two years apart. Nothing alike.

I had a foot in two different worlds. One as typical as can be. The other, a bit upside down and inside out. I’d do everything in my power to get them to overlap. To walk the line of both.

Before I knew this secret world, I assumed all brothers played trucks and rode bikes together. I assumed they teased and tickled and rode the bus together. I assumed they teamed up against their parents. And rode the rides together at carnivals.

I didn’t know that some brothers could live in the same house and be invisible to each other.

My number one hope and dream and prayer at night is for my boys to develop a relationship.

I want them to love each other. To care for each other.

I want Cooper to learn to say his brother’s name and smile when he enters the room. I want Sawyer to see how funny his brother is. And precious.

For the last two days they have been wrestling. For hours. A first. Ages 8 and 6.

Cooper has been laughing. Loudly. Red cheeks from running and rolling. Sawyer has been saying, ‘MOM! He won’t leave me alone!’

And the baby, well, he’s fascinated by it. Following them from room to room. Laughing. Watching.

He seems to know exactly what a brother is.

A Cooper. And a Sawyer. He knows no different.

One talks. One doesn’t.

One loves trains and being home. The other loves hockey and being gone.

And they both seem to love wrestling.

My house was so loud tonight. So many laughs. I ‘scolded’ them through smiling lips a dozen times. ‘Settle down boys,’ I said. First time I’ve ever said that.

One thing this journey has taught me is to have patience. To try and relax. And enjoy the view.

A house full of boys.

All brothers.

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Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook, subscribe for exclusive videos, and subscribe to our newsletter.