I am an Aunt!

My brand new little nephew Andrew entered the world last night, weighing in at 7 lbs 2 oz. It was 11:00 when I got the call so I may be fuzzy on some of the details. Hubby would not allow me to get out of bed and drive (2 hours) to the hospital to see him, but I was sorely tempted!

Its a strange thing - this getting older stuff. One minute you are this desperate high schooler who just wants to find a good boyfriend. The next you are married with a little one of your own on the way. And the next you become an Aunt! Aunts are people who are 20+ years older than me. At least that is the way my brain always processed that term. Now, 26 year old me has just become an Aunt. This got me thinking - am I really qualified for this role? Let's be honest, it isn't one to take lightly.

There are the obvious qualifications - like the simple fact that you can't really avoid it. Its one of those titles that just gets handed to you one day - ready or not. But being a GOOD Aunt is worth consideration before one rushes into the role.

Now here's the funny thing about me. Pregnant tho I may be, I do not have a lot of "baby experience". For one reason or another, I wasn't around many babies as I grew up. Now that my friends are having babies, I certainly have gotten some more experience. But I am NOTHING with a baby compared to my incredible hubby. He was 17 or so when his little brother was born. The man knows babies. He loves babies. Babies love him. Yes, this bodes well for me. But it also makes me jealous. Babies inevitably cry when I hold them. Eventually I give hubby a bewildered look, he smiles, takes the baby and it immediately stops crying. He already has the good uncle role covered.

But I suppose being a good Aunt has nothing to do with quieting the crying infant nephew. The more I think about it the more I realize the really good Aunts in my life were awesome not because they held me when I was tiny and couldn't remember them. They were good because they made me happy. Some bought me gifts. Some would say simple things to me that would make me smile. Some would come and stay with us and we would go shopping and do all sorts of fun things. Some would tell funny stories. Everything I know about being a good Aunt I have learned from my Aunts.

So this is my plan. I am going to be the coolest Aunt EVER! I AM in a band afterall. I am going to buy this little guy nifty stuff - like drum sets and tiny guitars. I am going to play all kinds of board games with him. I am going to let him have the extra cookie. Granted, all those things are a ways down the road. I realize this. So for now, my plan is just to give him as much love as I possibly can. To hold him close and let him know he is safe. To let him know that not only is he loved by family and friends, he also has a Savior that loved him enough to die for him.

And maybe if I do that, I will join the ranks of good Aunts despite my inability to quiet crying infants. Afterall, that's why God gave me the hubby he did!!

Welcome to the world, Andrew. We are all so very glad you are here!