I will never forget the first time I met my little brother. He was and still is the cutest baby I’ve ever seen. He has eyes that can pierce your heart, and cheeks that are irresistible to pinch. But the thing I remember the most is his smile. But I didn’t always feel this way about him.

When I found out I had a little brother he was already a couple of months old. For this reason I was not happy to see my new half brother Michael. Besides he cried all the time, and to be frank he stunk. I thought he was just going to be one more problem to add to my list of endless problems. But it was something I could not change; I was stuck with a new baby brother.

A couple of weeks later I was taking a nap and realized I had a baby on me. Michael fell asleep in my arms. He looked so peaceful and sweet, not like the smelly, whinny baby I thought he was. I had nudged him just a little and he woke up with a great big yawn. He sat there with those big blue eyes and smiled at me. That smile melted my heart away. In “Angela’s Ashes” Frank gets kissed by his father. Frank feels as if he’s going to float out of his bed. That is the exact way I felt when Michael smiled at me.

Now me and Michael are like brothers and sisters are supposed to be. We could never be closer. When I think back to the time when I didn’t like Michael, I’m disgusted with myself. The day I forget that smile that melted my heart away is the day I lose my mind. I guess it shows that it takes time to bond or get to know anyone. You just can’t blame others for your own personal reasons.