Sometimes it’s hard to be the little sister.

I know this firsthand because I am one.

I have an older brother, whom we will call Brent Uncle Zebra Killer, and he reminded me about my birth order status every single day of my childhood. Every single day. Some big brothers are exceptionally pesky in that way. Some learn all they know from their biblical precedent: Cain.

Poor Abel. I can relate to him, too.

No my brother never did kill me — although he has killed a zebra, so I’m sure you can imagine what he did do to me.  If we could rewind back to my childhood at any given daylight moment, you’d probably hear me shrieking, “Leave me alone!” at the top of my lungs and using every ounce of my 65-lb. body to hold my bedroom door shut to keep him out.

Or perhaps you’d hear us arguing about something. We were famous for disagreeing about trivial things, like whether or not popcorn is good to eat. He doesn’t like the stuff, and I ask you, who? Who does not like popcorn? Who?

Looking back, I think all I needed then was some respect, some space, and some alone time. And he just didn’t get it.   

Actually, my brother still does not know when he should leave me alone.

Last night, for instance, he felt the need to call my house at 10 p.m., which would have been fine. If we lived in the same time zone. We do not. I’m a night owl, yes, but I happen to believe that midnight phone calls should be strictly reserved for baby announcements and emergencies. Seriously!

If I hadn’t been so startled and terrified of waking the rest of my family, I probably would have yelled, “Leave me alone!” into the phone.

We also still disagree on trivial things, although we have become much more civilized in that department. For instance, he’s lived in the ever-green state of Washington for the last umpteen years and is missing the myriad of fall colors. With his head high in a cloud of nostalgia, he is trying to convince me that Oklahoma’s fall colors peak in early October. 

Um. No.

Minnesota has splendid fall colors right now. See?

And he’d know this if he ever actually visited me here.

But according to my sources on the ground, Oklahoma still has lots of green leaves and warm days right now. Next week, he’ll have to see it to believe me, and even then if I say “I told you so,” he’ll give me no credit whatsoever.

Oh, siblings. You can’t live with them.

Or can you? I am thankful that “Leave me alone!” shrieks are not heard at my house. Our girls are close buddies. And while they do get on each other’s nerves some days, for the most part, they never yell at each other and are l-e-a-r-n-i-n-g to respect each other’s space and disagree respectfully. Emphasis on the word learning here.

Anyway, rather than hearing “Leave me alone!” shrieks, more I often hear statements like “I need some alone time with Mommy.”

That was Laurel this week. So today, since we are such sweet, considerate little-sister types, we went to the park to play all alone.

Now, please excuse us while we use this blog to throw leaves at my brother.

These are for you, Uncle Zebra Killer.

We’re going to physically throw this colorful leaf assortment at you…

because we’re sweet, considerate, little-sister types, and we want to show how much we care about your fall color nostalgia.

Ha, ha, ha! We won!