On March 4th, 2020, my brother, Beckham Makoa Williams was born. This was a life-changing event for me personally. I was only three when my first sister was born and ten when my second sister arrived, so I didn't realize how crazy it is when a new baby arrives. With Beckham, I was able to understand from a totally different point of view because I was much older and understood more.

The day he was born was a very crazy time. I had just gotten back from Oahu. I had gone there because I got an injury from football and had gone to see a specialist. I broke a disc in my back and was told that I had to sit out for the rest of the season. This news was frustrating; I loved playing football! My grandma took me to Oahu because my mom couldn't. She was too close to delivery, and my dad had to stay home to take care of her. When I and my grandma came back the same night, we were surprised by the news that mom was in labor. Within a couple of hours, my brother was born! The sadness and disappointment about my injury faded away with the excitement of becoming a big brother again! It was really a funny coincidence that both emotions were felt so strongly in the space of a single day.

Newborn babies are a lot of work! I know that is pretty obvious, but I never had been old enough to help with the babies when they were that little. What a difference they make! I got to take care of him and hold him a lot while my mom took care of the rest of the family. She was a little grouchier than normal. After all, she wasn’t getting as much sleep because she was the only one that could feed him through the night. The entire family had to make changes to adjust to our new addition, but everyone was in love with him. My mom also couldn't take me to as many places as I wanted to go because of the baby. He wasn't a big fan of the car. I was lucky because my friends were able to help out and get me places during that time.

The more I got to know about him, the easier he became to take care of. He changed from a newborn into a baby with a distinct personality. He is very outgoing and funny. He likes to mess around and play with me. He has a very funny laugh and falls a lot. He also found out he likes to take trips to see our dogs when he is mad. I would usually take him outside when he was mad because there was a lot he had not seen out there. While we were out there, he began to crawl to the dogs and play with them. That's how I found out about his love for dogs. He brought some more craziness into our life but he also gave the family a sense of wholesomeness I felt we were missing. He has made a major impact on me.

The older Beckham gets, the closer we are. I'm so happy my brother was born and can't wait to make more memories with him. He has only been alive for a year but I feel he has changed my life in so many ways. I'm very grateful for him and how funny and cute he is. I think he was the perfect addition to the family.

© Tristan. All rights reserved. If you are interested in quoting this story, contact the national team and we can put you in touch with the author’s teacher.