teddy

i've always wanted to be an aunt.  even more importantly, i've always wanted my kids to have cousins.  for years i've watched liam and susanna forge amazing relationships with their second-cousins (my cousin's two children) at the beach at our annual family reunion, and have waited patiently for the day to arrive when one of my siblings had a baby of their own.

anyone who knows me knows that patience is not one of my virtues.  so, thankfully on may 25, my dream came true.  theodore grant atkins joined our family, and i can now finally embrace the title of Aunt Sara.

he might be the spitting image of my sister-in-law, but at least the onesie is all me

our aforementioned family reunion is taking place in early august this year, but i just couldn't fathom waiting until then to meet my little nephew, who lives about seven hours away.  and besides, aren't older sisters who've been around the parenting block supposed to pitch in and help in the early weeks?  isn't that part of the job description, as penance of sorts for bossing around and mothering younger siblings throughout their childhood?  if that's indeed the case, i owed my brother big time.

so i drove up to maryland a few weeks ago to love on little teddy.  and i tell you what, i'm grateful that he didn't enter the world before my two, because i learned just how good a baby can be.  i had flashbacks to my colic-ridden daughter who pretty much screamed non-stop for the first twelve weeks of her life, and marveled at how quiet and agreeable and chill my nephew was.  (perhaps if susanna had had some of these traits, we might have had a third.)

newborns sleep.  a lot.  but i still had lots of opportunities to hold him and rock him and feed him and burp him and comfort him and yes, even change a few diapers.  i was honored to be his first-ever babysitter, while my brother and sister-in-law enjoyed a much-deserved night out.  (incidentally, the little booger chose the majority of those five hours as his longest stretch of being awake all week.  i think he just wanted to bond with me.)   i sang him susanna's lullaby, swapping out her name for his; but since i have a history of writing my own lyrics, i figure i should get cracking on writing one for teddy.  it's just what a good aunt does.

i miss him terribly already ... that sweet baby smell and that soft smooth skin and those fluttering eyelids while he sleeps.  i cannot wait for liam and susanna to meet him; i'm sure we'll take pictures of them carefully holding him in their laps on the couch, much like pictures i have of me holding my younger cousins decades ago.  and i'm especially hopeful that by august, he just might give me a knowing smile.  for we've got a special connection.  a nephew-aunt connection.

Aunt Sara.  oh my, do i like the sound of that.

in the interest of full disclosure, my lips are closed to hide my purple-stained teeth.  but i asked teddy if he minded if his babysitter drank a lot little red wine, and he said it wasn't a problem