At first I was worried about how they’d get along.
When I gave birth to my first child, my stepsons were just 16 and 12. I admit, I was nervous. In my mind having a child would make us a true family. Finally, my stepsons and I would be blood relatives, related through the child I was about to have.
As the pregnancy progressed, I started to worry.
What if they didn’t automatically love the new baby? What if they felt the baby was competition for their father’s affection? What if they resented it?
What if instead of turning us into the big happy family I dreamed of, it turned into a nightmare?
Soon, I didn’t have time to worry. I had the baby and before I knew it I was at home nursing, prepping bottles, trying to find time to shower and sleep. At the time my oldest stepson was living with us and my younger stepson was with us on weekends. They were a little bewildered by the newborn that had suddenly joined our family. I think all the crying and pooping and wailing took them by surprise. That made two of us.
A couple of months in I was sitting on the lounge holding my little boy who was looking up at me gurgling and grinning and being incredibly cute. My oldest stepson was walking past us. He made a couple of cooing noises at his baby brother and waved and to our surprise, his little hand reached out and grabbed his big brother.
My stepson and I looked at each other and smiled.
Ever since that day my oldest stepson and my oldest child have shared a special bond. I never expected nor have I ever heard of such a close and instant bond between two half-brothers. In fact their bond is so tight that my son doesn't even let me say half-brother. "He's just my brother Mum," he always says.
