“He says things like, ‘You’re a part of me, and I’ll never let anything horrible happen to you,'” revealed the mother.
Sometimes, the desire for a younger sibling can strongly influence parents’ decisions. But what happens if having another child isn’t possible?
Mikey Marotta already knows what gift he’d ask for if Santa were to inquire. It’s not a video game console, phone, or toy car. According to his parents, Mikey would most likely wish for a baby brother.
The arrival of a sibling is thrilling news for any child. While some kids might feel jealous of the attention, most embrace the responsibility of being an older sibling wholeheartedly.
Mikey was so excited to become a big brother that he planned in advance what they would dress up as for Halloween. Whenever he received something new or an extra of something, he would set it aside and “save” it for his brother.
He even jokingly told his mother that eating buffalo wings was the reason for his ginger hair. He also hoped that his brother would share the same hair color as him this time.
However, conceiving wasn’t straightforward. Jessica and Michael Marotta went to great lengths to fulfill Mikey’s dreams. Their efforts were complicated by fertility issues, with the hardest moment being Jessica’s miscarriage in 2007.
When they realized their attempts might not succeed, they had a heart-to-heart talk with Mikey. During this conversation, they explained that it’s okay for families to have only one child.
“When Mikey asked when he would get his baby brother, we told him that he might not get one because some families only have one child, and that’s okay,” Jessica told TODAY. “He would cry and say, ‘It’s okay if I don’t get a human sibling; I have Dillinger,’ our dog.”
But everything changed in the summer of 2017. Jessica discovered she was pregnant again, though Mikey was even more excited than she and Michael.
“Mikey teared up and was so happy,” Jessica recalled. But the family faced more challenges ahead.
The baby was diagnosed with intrauterine growth restriction, necessitating a C-section. Mikey spent his days in the NICU.
It was there that they emphasized the importance of skin-to-skin contact. Jessica had held Mikey against her skin when he was younger, so she understood how powerful this connection could be. When Mikey was finally allowed to hold his brother, he was overwhelmed with emotion.
Gently cradling Jake, Mikey knew he had the ability to be a big brother, and he was eager to show that side of himself.
Since then, their bond has only grown stronger. Jessica shared that whenever Jake hears Mikey’s voice, he turns his head in Mikey’s direction and looks for him. Mikey was also the first person Jake ever smiled at.
And Mikey isn’t shy about expressing how much Jake, the best gift he could ever receive, means to him.
“He tells me things like, ‘You are a part of me, and I will never let anything bad happen to you,'” Jessica explained. Mikey even keeps a picture of Jake in his wallet.