Auntie Lea

I'm in love and his name is Max!

I really was not prepared for how much I would immediately love him.  Parenthood is like that.  They hand you the baby after child birth and immediately you are overwhelmed with love and the desire to protect and nurture.  This was really similar for me.

When I figured out I was going to be in Chicago I immediately calculated how old he would be on my visit.  I think four months is my favorite baby age.  He was smiley and interacted with me and let me love up his perfect toes and fingers.  He is really beautiful with his huge eyes and beautiful smile.  He smells wonderful and his skin is soft and smooth.

I grew up with lots of aunts, uncles and cousins.  My parents both came from large families where nearly everyone got married and had more than one kid.  My children have a very different experience of family.  And I have been niece-less and nephew-less.  Until Max.

I think this is like grandparenthood a bit.  I get to love him up and think of him and buy him things and send him mail and I don't have to pay for him or change him or take care of him when he is screaming.  This works out well for me.  I am older and my kids will be adults soon, so it's not as if I am a mother-figure to him.  So that also lets me be the slightly crazy, eccentric aunt.  I'm aiming for an Auntie Mame persona.

Aw, Max.  I love you, man.