Sizzle, Stevie, and the Stepsister

Riley entered Noah’s world when he was seven and she was five. Imagine being an only child, walking into our household chaos. Poor girl. Sharing attention was new enough, but then came Noah—complete with his soundtrack of noises and quirks.

It took years and many conversations to help her see both his differences and his similarities. Outside influences did not make that any easier. Noah, of course, treated Riley like any younger sister: wearing her clothes, playing with her dolls, and hiding her beloved duckie. Somehow, he just knew she was younger, even though they were the same size.

At first, Riley had no idea what to do with him. Now she is a seasoned pro. You eventually get used to the crazy noises and habits. When once asked to describe Noah in a word or short phrase, Riley replied, “Bipolar: He can be sweet and then he turns around and puts his Sizzle face on like he is going to bite you.” (Sizzle is the nickname for Noah’s figurative angel who encourages bad choices. We often tell him to listen to his Angel Stevie instead, the one who pushes for good decisions.)