Sharing a Birthday

Forty-ahem years ago this picture was taken. It's one of the few birthdays I ever had in which my brother either wasn't present or wishing me a happy birthday over the phone. As far as I can tell, I was quite happy to celebrate that year with my single gargantuan candle and my pink blow-up giraffe (it was pink, wasn't it?).Eight days after that first birthday picture was taken, my little brother arrived. Being eight days apart in a month that already contained the festivities of Christmas, my parents (read: "my mom") soon decided that there would be one birthday party to celebrate both of us.
So on one year we both blew out the candles on my birthday, and on the next year we blew out the candles on my brother's birthday. As you can see from the pictures, I was the pushy brat who was concerned about the cake and noodling my way closest to it when the time came to blow out the candles. I don't know how my brother was able to stand me.

Well, sometimes he wasn't.These last three pictures were taken on my last birthday in Thailand, the year I turned five. We moved to Malaysia about 7 months later. It looks to me like my brother managed to nudge his way in closer to the cake by then (although I seem to have grabbed the chair perch). Good for him. It was about time. Isn't he cute, peering out from beside my knees? He probably got closer to the cake this time because I was too busy being all puffed up about my pretty new bride doll. Seems to me my doll was more interesting than the wood train. The problem was, as I recall, that I carelessly left it behind on an airplane on our world travels.

By the way, check out the fact that on this year, my mom apparently made TWO cakes! Wow. The sandwiches and banana Jell-o look pretty good.
Bro, I wish you were here to share a cake today. If you were, I'd let you blow out the candles. I'd make you sandwiches and banana Jell-O if you wanted. I miss you a lot today. Happy Birthday early.