Becoming an Aunt

I'm still in a little bit of shock. My little sister had her little boy!! He's over a week old now but I still can't quite believe he's here!

See, I'm the big sister. I have had that role/title since I was 19 months old. And I have lived what that role means. I've been the first to do the "firsts": steps, walking/talking, learn to read and write, go to school, graduate, college, move out, and yes, have a baby. I've been the one to show my two little sisters the ropes. I was there giving them their bottles when they were born and brought home from the hospital. I've shown them how to do a lot of things. I was a "little mommy" from the day my sister came home. And a little over a week ago my sister became the person someone will rely on; she became someone's mommy.

Way back in October, my little sister threw us all for a curve. She told us she was going to have a baby. We've waded through the holidays and showers and all 41 (yes 41!) weeks. He took his good sweet time getting here. Then, on a Wednesday afternoon I got a text that she was being admitted to be induced. Now I was induced with my first. It was planned. I was totally fine and cool with it. I'd actually been trying to figure out a way to get my sister's docs to induce her right at 40 weeks if he wasn't here--to no avail. Anyways. The text came and suddenly I realized what everyone else must have felt almost 3 years ago.

She was going to a hospital over an hour away so I had to make a decision. Do I take my almost-3-year-old and wait it out at the hospital? Or do I stay home and wait until the next morning and head that way? Or do I wait for a call she was pushing? Or do I wait for the text that the little guy was here? If I didn't have my daughter I would have gladly made that drive multiple times. But considering my girl is only "not even 3," I wasn't sure the hospital would even let her see her aunt and new cousin. So if they don't let her and I take her, we'd be sitting there for hours taking turns watching her. I'd force a lot of people to split their time between the newest member and her. And that wouldn't be fair to my sister or nephew. So I texted my sister to see what she needed. We agreed to wait at home until the "pushing" or "delivered" texts came in.

I think this will be one of the few times in my life I can appreciate how my fiance felt as I delivered our daughter. I never really thought how others would feel about me giving birth. I was cool with it. I really wasn't that scared and the pain was expected so I wasn't going to let myself get worked up over it. But knowing that someone you love so so much will be going through that. Someone you have given blood, sweat, and tears over and there's not a damn thing you can do. Sit there and twiddle your thumbs. That's about it....

The next day the much awaited text came. I drove 90 minutes to get to the hospital. Hurry up and wait never made so much sense!! 4 hours we waited. Do you know how hard it is to keep a toddler entertained for FOUR HOURS?!?! In a waiting room? I mean -- Come On!! There's only so much pizza and donuts even a toddler can eat, only so much chocolate milk she can drink. We were all a little frazzled by the time we were allowed to see the new guy.

Did you know a kid can be totally stoked about being a big sister and totally ambivalent about being a big cousin? Yeah. My kid was just like "Well, that's cool. But he can just stay over there." Haha Not much has changed in the last week in that department either. Goofy kid!

I must say. I didn't think I could be so proud of someone when I had absolutely nothing to do with their accomplishment. Eh. Probably a side effect of being a big sister.