Say Uncle

I mentioned before that my brother's wife was expecting and that my girls would have a first cousin soon.  That "soon" was joked about in our family for the past month or so.

Her due date was scheduled for right around Thanksgiving, but everyone in the family was convinced that she would go into labor earlier than that.  We joked that she would be having turkey and stuffing in the maternity ward.  That they would pump the IV with cranberry sauce.

Thanksgiving came and went without a new baby.

Then the following week passed without incident.

Then another.

We were starting to think that maybe this kid just wanted to hang out in the womb until Christmas.  Why not?  Miss a good chunk of cold and flu season.  Be the best gift possible for her parents.  I'm thinking she had a pretty good plan.

The doctor thought otherwise.  He figured it was time to help it along.

So Friday evening after inducing and a day-long labor, my brother and his wife welcomed their 9 lb bundle of joy to the world.

I came down after work to check in on the new family.  My brother was obviously in love.  I could see it all over his face.  He was looking into the nursery like a kid on Christmas morning.  He was excited and happy and proud.  He had the look of a man who had been up for hours but didn't care.  He was obviously exhausted, but that morphed more into happy stupor than anything else.  His wife had the same exhausted glow.  She couldn't help but have a smile on her face.  Even after all that work because the work was definitely worth the end result.

And I can't blame them.  She is an absolutely adorable baby.  It took everything in my power not to pick her up when I was there.  Being sick around a new baby isn't any fun.  I'll make up for it though.

I'm so happy to welcome the newest member to the family.  I'll always be there for my new niece.  My girls are only a year older, but I will always teach them to love and look after their new cousin.  I can't wait for birthdays and holidays spent together.  I love that they'll be so close in age and wish that they are just as close throughout their lives.