Wendy Beth

I am the second youngest of ten cousins on my mom's side. When we were growing up they all seemed so much older than me because well, they were. Some of my cousins were in college when I was still in grade school (similar to how my oldest brother left for college when I was only ten.) Though in actuality I never caught up to them in age difference (obviously,) eventually the playing field became level and things like age and numbers hardly seemed to matter.

My cousins live all over the country in places as far as Albuquerque and as "near" as Pittsburgh and Virginia. We generally assemble for weddings and funerals, though in the last five years the weddings have fortunately far outnumbered the latter. Through these black dress events some of us cousins have realized that while sure, when they were studying Anthropological remains I was learning fractions, as adults we have far more in common than anyone would think. Through these events I have fostered one of the most important relationships in my life. Through open bars and round table "cynics only" discussions I have formed a bond with one of my cousins that feels more like a sisterly bond, than a cousin who I hardly see. I grew up in a house with all boys. Subsequently I also grew up a spoiled daddy's girl, but I never had the bond that sisters often share...until now. She and I volley e-mails back and forth as if we both don't have other pressing matters like A JOB to attend to, almost as if we are on the phone rather than tangled in cyberspace. She is one of my biggest supporters, my biggest cheerleader and my complete confidant.

Last night her brother's wife gave birth to a healthy baby girl! Most of our day yesterday was spent wondering and waiting for any news to come from Texas, where her brother lives. Before I went to bed I had still not heard anything, and I continuously got more and more worried. I tossed and turned in my sweltering apartment wondering if she had been born yet, if she was healthy, if my cousin's wife was okay. This morning I woke up (first at 3:30 am) and then again at 7:10 to my BlackBerry® alerting me of the good news. I felt such a wave of relief wash over me. It was then that I realized if I'm this excited about a second cousin, I honestly can't imagine the excitement I'll feel when my own niece is born. I'm not much on babies or babies that grow up to be brats, or strollers, minivans, bottles and binkies. I'm nervous and unprepared and feel like I'm going to be a terrible aunt. However, I also feel incredibly joyous and fortunate to be able to experience the world of first-time aunt hood with my favorite cousin, friend and "sister" by my side. Per usual.