My Kin Ship

This is my family, many moons ago. I think I was about 11 (which would make my parents 47 here, don't they look SO MUCH YOUNGER??? We all suffer from delayed development). My Mum’s hairstyle is significantly different today and we are all grateful for it, her especially. I still have to scan my favourite picture of her. My little cousins are all grown up, gorgeous and big. Can’t believe they were this small ever! The baby, A., is *shudder* married already and V., the older one, is built like an ox, he's massive in every direction, all muscles. When he hugs me he can lift me right off the floor without even thinking about it. He could probably lift off the floor itself without thinking about it. It is particularly lovely to look at him today because about a year before this pic was taken he was in hospital with ostiomyelitis. He was very, very ill and everyone was worried sick because there was a chance he might lose his leg if they couldn't get the infection under control. He was there for ever, and I clearly remember those days, A. had just been born and my cousin, their mother, would drop him off at our house before going to the hospital. So it was the housekeeper and I babysitting. My adoration for very small babies comes from those times, I clearly remember how wonderful he smelled, how he suckled in his sleep, how he would open and close his tiny, tiny fists. I could sit and watch him for hours. My cousin V. was eventually discharged and A. no longer spent the afternoons with us. I missed him loads. V. was a very brave kid really and I still can't believe it at times, when I look at him, that we were all this lucky and this great oak of a man was given a second chance to grow right into the sky.