Milo the Moose Becomes a Big Brother
By Bill Conley
Moral to the Story:
When a new baby joins the family, it doesn’t mean there’s less love to go
around—it means there’s even more. It’s okay to feel nervous or unsure, but
being a big brother or sister is a very special and important job. With a kind
heart and helping hooves, you can welcome your new sibling with joy. Love grows
when families grow, and there’s always enough for everyone.
In a quiet pine grove just past
Willow Creek, where the birds sang sweet morning songs and butterflies floated
like petals in the breeze, lived a cheerful young moose named Milo.
Milo loved all kinds of
things—puddle jumping, story time, and cozy snuggles with Mom and Dad under the
big oak tree. He was the only little moose in the house, and he liked it that
way.
He had all of Mom and Dad’s
attention.
He got to choose the bedtime story.
He even got the last pancake every Saturday morning.
One sunny afternoon, Mom and Dad
called Milo over for a special talk.
“Milo,” Mom said gently, “we have
something exciting to tell you.”
Milo’s eyes lit up. “Are we going on
an adventure?”
Dad chuckled. “Not quite—but a new
adventure is on its way.”
“You’re going to be a big brother,”
said Mom.
Milo blinked. “A big… brother?”
“There’s a baby growing in Mama’s
tummy,” Dad explained.
“At the end of spring,” said Mom,
“you’ll have a new baby moose in our family.”
Milo sat very still. He didn’t know
what to say.
Big
Feelings
That night, Milo lay in bed, his
mind full of questions.
Would Mom and Dad still have time
for him?
Would he have to share everything?
Would they forget about him when the baby came?
He pulled his blanket up to his chin
and whispered, “I don’t know if I like this idea at all.”
The next day, Milo talked to his
best friend, Ellie the Elk.
“My mom is going to have a baby,”
Milo said. “I think that means everything will change.”
“It will,” said Ellie honestly. “But
not all changes are bad.”
“When my little sister came, I felt
weird at first. But now I help feed her, push her on the swing, and she always
smiles when she sees me.”
“Really?” Milo asked.
“Being a big sibling is important,”
Ellie said. “You get to teach, play, and protect. You’re like their first best
friend.”
Milo thought about that the whole
walk home.
Getting
Ready
As winter melted into spring, Mom’s
belly grew round, and Milo started helping more around the house.
He picked out soft blankets for the
baby.
He painted clouds and stars on the nursery walls.
He even gave the baby his favorite book to keep by their crib.
“You’re already a wonderful big
brother,” Mom said one evening.
Milo blushed. “I’m trying.”
“You don’t have to be perfect,” Dad
added. “Just be yourself—loving, helpful, and kind.”
The
Big Day
Then one morning, just as the birds
began to chirp and the dew glistened on the grass, Mom said, “It’s time.”
Milo stayed with Grandma Goose while
Mom and Dad walked to the birthing meadow where forest babies were born safely
under the care of wise old animals.
That afternoon, Dad returned with a
twinkle in his eye.
“Milo,” he said softly, “come meet
your baby sister.”
Milo’s heart raced. He followed Dad
to the nursery where Mom lay curled in the nest of straw, cradling the tiniest
moose Milo had ever seen.
“She’s so little,” Milo whispered.
Mom smiled. “Her name is Maisie.”
“Hi, Maisie,” Milo said, inching
closer.
“Would you like to hold her?” Dad
asked.
Milo nodded carefully. When they
placed the baby in his arms, she blinked up at him and let out the tiniest
hiccup.
“She’s looking at me,” Milo whispered.
“She knows you already,” said Mom.
“You’re her big brother,” Dad added.
“Her first and forever friend.”
Adjusting
Together
Over the next few weeks, things were
different.
The baby cried sometimes… a lot.
Mom and Dad were tired.
And Milo had to wait his turn more than he used to.
But there were happy things, too.
Like when Maisie wrapped her hoof
around Milo’s finger.
Or when Milo sang a lullaby and she stopped crying.
Or when he made her laugh with a silly face.
One day, as they sat under the old
oak tree, Milo held Maisie in his lap.
“She smells like milk and grass,” he
said.
Dad laughed. “That’s a good baby
moose scent.”
Mom smiled and said, “You’re doing
such a great job, Milo. You make her feel safe.”
“I think I love her,” Milo said.
“You always will,” Dad said. “That’s
what big brothers do.”
Moral to the Story Poem:
A baby brings change, and that’s okay,
Love grows more with each new day.
A big brother’s heart learns something new—
That love doesn’t divide… it multiplies too.