My sister Judi

I was 7 and a half years old when (hey - didn't we all make sure our audience knew each of those extra months...we were in surh a hurry to "grow up" - little did we know) - Where was I, oh yes...when my kid sister Judy burst into life. I can't think of a better expression for her entry into the world.  She was the happiest baby I had ever seen in all my 7 and a half years, despite my vast experience in this regard.  She would cry occasionally of course, when she wanted a new diaper or to be fed. At first my mom wouldn't let any of us touch her (me, my older brother Rich or my younger bro Tommy - who was four going on 21). My dad would hold her on occasion but he never was the cuddly type, so that let me the chance every now and then to sneak up and hold her myself, or change that dreaded, scumbly diaper she sometimes inscrutably wanted to be rid of.

One day mom who had surrepticiously been watching my every move, decided she could trust me to do the job right...I even disposed of  the diaper into the laundry basket the way she wanted. Hey - no one had those discardable jobs in those days and besides we couldn't have afforded such a luxury. Poor Judy just had to trust that we wouldn't encumber her with something less than snowy white and soft as silk.  Before I knew it, I was bathing her. Can you imagine ME, Roberto Reado, "adult" enough to do two such tasks without  fear of retribution from my parents?? Rich, who was very grown up at 10, wouldn't have deigned to stoop to such a low task in life. Tommy - well, Tommy wanted to help in the worst way, but at four he was still mostly fingers and thumbs in such delicate and important tasks.

By the time Judy was two, I had her working for me!  I pretened I was falling off the couch and hollered for her to "save me."  Sure 'nuf, she came hauling into the living room from whereever she was and pushed me back onto the couch.  She always sighed "whew" and went on her way. I musta got away with my trickery for a month or so (hey, she was only two!) when one day she came in, grabbed me by my shirt, and pulled me offa that couch, dumping me unceremoniously on my butt. Well, I never! When I looked up my mom, Rich, and Tommy were all laughing so hard I couldn't help joining the fun - Judy was very proud of herself. She never "saved me" again.