what's better than being a superhero?

he was the first to know she was a girl

during our ultrasound the tech asked if we wanted to know

yes, but tell the boy first

the tech whispered in his ear 

the answer 

he kept a poker face

'Well?' we prodded.

'Oh no-I'm not giving up this knowledge that easily.'

it didn't take much to get it out of him

but, still for that brief time,

the tech and the boy were the only ones who knew

and forever he will be the first of us to know

and perhaps that is why he is so bonded to his baby sister

and maybe it is why she responds to him with the most ease

and calls him, my Henny

and he corrects me when he thinks I haven't fulfilled her needs thoroughly

and admonishes me for letting her out of my sight

and snatches her up to point out the things she loves

an airplane in the sky

a lawnmower

a robin

and he doesn't think it is a chore to look after her

if he could give up school to be her guardian

he would

because he can count on her to make him smile

and she doesn't even have to try

she is a billion rays of light

and he is her hero