It's Official!

I'm an aunt!!  :-D  

Well, I should rephrase that.  I'm a biological* aunt!  If you ask some of my friends, I'm already an aunt to my friend T's son and daughter (and another soon-to-be son) as well as M's pugs (yes, they count).  Though not blood-related, they are still family to me, and I wouldn't want to discount them by saying this is my first chance at aunthood.  

Anywhoozles, my nephew was just born today and I can't wait to meet him!  I decided at 17 that I didn't really want kids of my own (and 10 years later, I still don't), but I have ALWAYS wanted nieces and nephews.  (I may not want kids of my own, but other people's kids are just fine.  I can spoil them, play with them, cuddle them... And when they fuss or cry, it's back to Mama they go!  It's a good system if you ask me.)

It dawned on me at some point in my childhood (maybe around 6 or 7) that I was never going to have nieces and nephews on my side of the family.  I'm an only child!  OH NO!!  

My mom pointed out to me that maybe the person I marry would have siblings, and then I could have nieces and nephews.  While true, I countered with, "But what if I marry another only child!?"  Mom didn't really have the heart to tell me that then I was shit out of luck, but she told me not to worry about it for now and somehow that was enough.  

Sure enough, I married someone with two brothers!  Double the chances of aunthood!!  And now, here I am, 20 years after my little freak-out, about to meet my very first nephew.  I am SO excited!!  I only hope I can be as good of an aunt as my aunts were/are to me.  And I hope I can put up with as much as they did...  (There was a period of time where whenever my Aunt C came to babysit me, I'd vom.  Every freakin' time.  I can't believe she still wanted to claim relation to me after all that puke!)

I want to spend time with my nephew.  I want him to grow up and know that he can come here if he needs anything: a break, advice, whatever.  I want him to think his aunt and uncle are pretty cool (for adults, anyway) and I want him to look back later in life and remember having fun with us.  I want to be there for him (and his future siblings and/or cousins).  

So, my dear nephew, welcome to the world.  There are a TON of people here who love you and can't wait to get to know you!  I can only imagine the wonderful things life has in store for you!

Love, 

Aunt Riki  

*Edit: Yes, I know I'm technically not a biological aunt, since it's through marriage, but this is the closest I'm going to get.