1942 was a milestone in Lytia's life. Her mother and daddy told her she was going to have a little brother. Her cousin had a little brother so she was use to the conversation.
"Lytia, Duck had a little brother. Do you want one?" her mother asked.
"just tell Hattie to send me Duck's baby, and I will buy him another one," was her reply.
"But maybe Duck likes his little brother and wants to keep him." Lytia thought for a minute then said, looking very wise, " We will hurry and he won't miss him."
To Lytia, nine months was a long time and from time to time, she ask if it was time yet; because, she had been told "It isn't time for him to come yet."
Lytia's mother and father owne a grocery store, and she told everybody who came in the door, the news.
"I'm going to have a little brother after while." Some people commented and others didn't quite know what to say.
One night in November, Lytia went to bed as usual and when she woke up the next morning, her mother wasn't in the house.
"Where is Mother?"
"She ran away. " her dad said
"Where did she go?
"She just left."
"Why didn't she take me?"
"You were so bad, she just went away."
Lytia thought about that for a minute then replied.
"No she didn't. She wouldn't leave me."
"She went to get your little brother."
"Oh. When can I see him?"
"Soon, Baby, soon."
After a bath, where she was scrubbed clean, it was time to get the hair combed. Lytia had long, thick hair and her dad turned it all loose at one time. The battle was on. Lydia was tender headed. He was overwhelmed to say the least. He finally conquered the wayward locks and tied the ribbons like he tied his shoes. After working with tiny buttons, long sashes and long stockings, she was finally dressed to her dad's satisfaction, and they left for the grocery store.
The plan was for her to spend the day and night with Aunt Emma, her grandmother's sister, but Lytia had other plans. Her mother was out of sight and she wasn't letting her dad out of her sight too.
That evening Lytia and her dad went to the hospital to visit her mother and new baby brother. When they entered the room she was peeping through the rails at the foot of the bed.
"That's him," she said pointing her little finger. "That's him. She made her way around the bed to get a better look.
"Can I hold him?" she asked.
"He is too little: you may drop him."
"No I won't; I'm a big girl. I'll hold him tight." Soon it was time to go home.
"Come Lytia, it is time to go." She started to cry.
"I want to stay."
"Where will you sleep, asked her mother.
Pointing a tiny finger to a spot behind her mother she replied.
"Right there."
"But you haven't had your dinner. Aren't you hungry?" A Father's diplomacy wasn't working.
Lytia looked at the nurse who was watching with amusement.
"But I can eat right there," pointing to a small white desk across the room. With tears glistening in her eyes, she turned to the nurse, "Bring me a plate when you bring one for Mother, please."
They all broke up laughing. Lytia didn't see anything funny. She ate noodles for the first time in her life.
She finally had her own little brother, and she didn't have to have Duck's.
Your story reminded me of the time my dad had to groom my hair and help me get dressed when my mother went to the hospital to birth my sister. Needless to say, my first grade teacher commented that she could tell my mother wasn't home.
A typical children's story from a child' s point of view.
I don' t recall having any such thinking when my sister was born when I was 5. I seem to remember that my brother and I were allowed, as children, to go to that hospital. But I do recall riding with my grandmother to go see my cousin when he was born also when I was 5. We were about halfway there on the state highway in the wintertime, when my grandmother lost control of her Buick on a patch of ice, and we slid into the ditch and rolled over. My twin brother cut his chin, but my grandmother and I were okay. So I didn't get to see my cousin just after he was born in the hospital.
Momma’s Bootcamp is a heartwarming adventure wrapped in rhymes and wonder. With each turn of the page, young readers are transported to a magical island surrounded by a sparkling stream—where fun, friendship, and a little bit of old-fashioned hard wo
Pengey Penguin takes us on a memorable journey where an unlikely character, twists of fate, and minor miracles help him and his rag-tag Army of little fury animals save Christmas.325 page read to me 4-8 - 9 up reads very quickly.
