The Big Sister

    By Brandon Rodriguez

    The Big Sister cover image

    08 Apr, 2024

    a girl in a dress is running on a playground with other children in the background and a swing set, american scene painting, a storybook illustration, Art Brenner, official art

    Valentina was a beautiful, smart, and loving little girl. She was always cheerful and full of energy. Her life was filled with playtime, learning, and heaps of fun until one day, something changed.

    a woman holding a baby in a living room with teddy bears and a teddy bear on the floor next to a window, american realism, a storybook illustration, Anthony Palumbo, storybook illustration

    Her parents brought home a tiny bundle of joy - a baby boy named Mateo. She was ecstatic, yet a bit confused. She didn't know much about babies, but she knew she had a new role now - being a big sister.

    a woman holding a baby wrapped in a blanket on a bed with a night stand and lamp in the background, photorealism, a storybook illustration, Diego Gisbert Llorens, stanley artgerm lau

    Valentina was curious about her little brother. She would watch him sleep, his tiny chest rising and falling with each breath. She noticed his little fingers curling and uncurling, and it made her smile.

    a painting of a mother and daughter wrapped in a blanket in a living room with a bookcase and window, serial art, a storybook illustration, Artgerm, storybook illustration

    But with Mateo came changes. Her parents seemed busier and their attention was divided. Valentina felt a twinge of jealousy, but she brushed it off, reminding herself that she was the big sister now.

    a woman holding a baby wrapped in a blanket in a bedroom with a teddy bear and a toy pig, classical realism, a storybook illustration, Alejandro Burdisio, ultra realistic illustration

    Valentina started learning more about babies. She learned how to hold Mateo properly, to feed him his bottle, and even change his diapers. It was challenging, but she was determined to be the best big sister.

    a woman holding a child in her arms in a bedroom with a crib and a teddy bear on the wall, lyco art, a storybook illustration, Cyril Rolando, storybook illustration

    One day, Mateo started crying and wouldn't stop. Valentina tried everything she could think of to soothe him. She rocked him, sang to him, but nothing worked. She felt helpless and a bit scared.

    a woman and a child are sitting on a couch in a living room with a teddy bear on the floor, serial art, a storybook illustration, Anne Said, storybook illustration

    Valentina's mom came in, took Mateo in her arms, and calmed him down. She explained that Mateo was just hungry. Valentina felt relieved but also a bit disappointed in herself. She thought she should have known.

    a painting of a woman holding a baby in bed with a teddy bear on the bed and a teddy bear on the wall, photorealism, a storybook illustration, disney, storybook illustration

    However, Valentina didn't let that discourage her. She paid more attention to Mateo's needs, learning to distinguish between his different cries. She was becoming a good big sister, just as she had promised herself.

    a woman holding a baby while sitting on a bed with a child in her lap and smiling at the camera, lyco art, a storybook illustration, Artgerm, ultra realistic illustration

    Valentina started to enjoy her role more. She loved making Mateo laugh with her silly faces and noises. His giggles were the best sound in the world to her. They were bonding, and she was overjoyed.

    a painting of a girl reading a book to a little girl in bed with a teddy bear and a teddy bear lamp, fantasy art, a storybook illustration, Cyril Rolando, storybook illustration

    Every night, Valentina would read to Mateo, even though he didn't understand the words yet. She believed that it was never too early to start loving books. It was their little bedtime ritual.

    a painting of a little girl holding a baby girl in her arms while sitting on a couch in a bedroom, photorealism, a storybook illustration, Brothers Hildebrandt, storybook illustration

    There were still challenges, of course. Sometimes, Mateo would wake up in the middle of the night crying, and Valentina would lose sleep. But she didn't mind, because she loved Mateo.

    a woman in a blue robe holding a little girl in a bed with pillows and a teddy bear on the wall, lyco art, a storybook illustration, Clarice Beckett, storybook illustration

    Valentina was growing up, and so was Mateo. She loved watching him learn new things every day. His first laugh, his first word, his first steps - she was there for all these milestones.

    a woman holding a child wrapped in a blanket in a bedroom with a teddy bear on the bed and a teddy bear on the nightstand, photorealism, a storybook illustration, Artgerm, stanley artgerm lau

    Being a big sister wasn't always easy. There were times when Valentina felt tired, frustrated, or even a bit lonely. But she would always remind herself of the love she felt for Mateo.

    a little girl is sitting at a desk with a book and pencils in front of her and a teddy bear, photorealism, a photorealistic painting, Artgerm, rossdraws global illumination

    Valentina understood that being a big sister meant taking care of Mateo, but also taking care of herself. She continued to pursue her own interests, like drawing and dancing, alongside her duties as a sister.

    a woman holding a baby in a room full of books and toys, while a child sits on a bed, photorealism, a storybook illustration, Artgerm, storybook illustration

    As they both grew older, Valentina became Mateo's best friend and protector. They played together, learned together, and even argued sometimes. But at the end of the day, they loved each other.

    a painting of a girl hugging a little girl on her lap with a teddy bear beside her on a bed, photorealism, a storybook illustration, disney, cgstudio

    Valentina learned that being a big sister wasn't just about taking care of Mateo. It was about being a friend, a guide, and a constant companion. And she was proud to play all these roles.

    a painting of a girl hugging a little girl in bed with a teddy bear in her lap and a teddy bear in her lap, photorealism, a storybook illustration, Caroline Lucy Scott, storybook illustration

    The journey of being a big sister had its ups and downs. But for Valentina, the love and joy outweighed the challenges. She wouldn't trade being Mateo's big sister for anything in the world.

    a painting of two girls hugging each other on a bed with teddy bears in the background and a window, photorealism, a storybook illustration, Brothers Hildebrandt, storybook illustration

    One day, Valentina and Mateo sat in their room, surrounded by toys and books. Valentina looked at Mateo, giggling and playing, and felt a surge of love. She was indeed a proud big sister.

    a woman holding two children while sitting on a bed in a bedroom with a teddy bear and a teddy bear, photorealism, a storybook illustration, Diego Gisbert Llorens, storybook illustration

    Valentina knew that she and Mateo would grow and change. They would have more adventures and face more challenges. But she also knew that their bond as siblings would always remain strong.

    a painting of a man and a girl in bed together, hugging and smiling at the camera, with a night stand in the background, american scene painting, a storybook illustration, disney, storybook illustration

    As she watched Mateo play, Valentina smiled, her heart filled with love and pride. She was excited for the journey ahead, ready to face whatever came their way, hand in hand with her little brother.

    a man and a little girl are wrapped up in a blanket and looking at each other while sitting on a bed, dada, a storybook illustration, Cliff Childs, storybook illustration

    Valentina was not just a big sister. She was a friend, a teacher, a guardian, and most importantly, a companion. As she held Mateo's little hand in hers, she knew she was ready for the journey of a lifetime.

    a woman holding a baby while sitting on a bed with a teddy bear and a teddy bear on the bed, lyco art, a storybook illustration, Artgerm, stanley artgerm lau

    Valentina had discovered the joys and challenges of being an older sister. It was a role she cherished and wouldn't trade for anything. And as she looked at Mateo, she knew they had a lifetime of love and companionship ahead.

    a woman holding a child wrapped in a blanket in a room with a lamp on the wall and a picture of a bear on the wall, lyco art, a storybook illustration, Artgerm, trending on art station

    So, Valentina embraced her role as the big sister with love, patience, and understanding. Because for her, being Mateo's big sister was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

    a painting of a little girl holding a baby in a field of flowers with mountains in the background and clouds in the sky, naive art, a storybook illustration, Brothers Hildebrandt, highly detailed digital painting

    And so, the journey of Valentina and Mateo began, filled with laughter, love, and the warmth of their bond. They were not just siblings; they were best friends, ready to explore life together.

    two little girls in blue robes playing in a field of grass and flowers with a mountain in the background, fantasy art, a storybook illustration, Brothers Hildebrandt, official art

    As Valentina held Mateo's hand, ready to face the world, she whispered to him, "We're a team, Mateo. Always." And with that, they embarked on their journey, hand in hand, heart to heart.