Yesterday April 4th was a very big day in the Chughtai household.  It was the day that our little man turned 18 years old. EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD. I just do not understand how this could have happened.

You see my little brother Robby and I are 14 years apart. I was a teen when he was born and trust me when I say that my sister and I pretty much raised the little tyke. Mom got very lucky because we did everything for that kid. As we got older and he got older it was Hana and I who participated in PTA, classroom events, field trips and the like. Robby has essentially grown up with four parents his entire life. Not so easy for a kid who is the center of our world but he has been nothing but amazing. I remember clearly taking him to his first day of Kindergarten. I have a clear picture in my mind of him in his little gray uniform, clutching his lunchbox, all of us nervous to send him off. Would they take care of him? Would he be ok? Would he make friends? All the worrying and obsessing and he shone right through it. And yes I am a little biased.

When I say that the family is obsessed with Robby I really am not kidding. As soon as he does something (gets a great grade on a test, gets another college acceptance letter) a mass text goes out to the entire family. We discuss it, we mull over it, we all get a little misty eyed with pride–yes he is our world to say the least.

And then..just like that he turned 18. I never really understood what parents meant when they said that it just “goes so fast” but yesterday it hit me like a ton of bricks. My baby is all grown up. He no longer needs us for all the little things we could provide. Sure he will always need his big sisters but in a different way now. In a grown up way.

As I was feeling heavy hearted over this fact yesterday my phone went off signaling that I had a new email.  It was from Robby. He had sent it to all of us–all four of his parents. It was a spreadsheet of all his college choices. He had ranked them in price, ranking and pros and cons. He wanted our opinion. I had to smile. We now play different roles but he still needs his big sister after all.

Hana, Robby and Natasha

Posted under March 2012