Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

By this time tomorrow, I should have a nephew. Dad called me this morning to let me know my brother had called to say his wife had gone into labor. The contractions had started at about 4:30 in the morning and were still several minutes apart. They were still at home as of about 9 a.m. but were planning on heading to the birthing center soon.

I don't know how much longer she had to go before entering serious labor, but hopefully all will go well.

Over the last nine months, I've had a lot of time to wonder what my new nephew will look like. I've been picturing him with light hair and light eyes — blue, possibly green — looking a lot like my brother when he was a baby. Of course, this is also genetically what is most likely, given his parents. We'll have to see what happens.

When my brother was born, I was only 2, so I don't remember much about that. But I was 7 when my sister was born, and I do have some memories of the birth. We were eating at dinner when Mom suddenly stood up and went to the bathroom, announcing to us all that her water had broken.

Dad called some friends to come watch me and my brother, while he took Mom to the hospital. Those family friends would later become my sister's godparents.

We waited anxiously for news. When the call finally came, I was ecstatic to learn I had a new sister. My brother, who had been hoping for a brother, was also happy.

I remember the next day, visiting them in the hospital. We saw my sister first in the nursery, through the glass. She was so small and pink. Then we visited Mom. I was surprised that her belly was still there. I guess I thought she'd immediately go back to looking the way she did before she got pregnant. But she assured me there was no baby there any more and let me push on her belly, just to be sure.

When they brought my sister home, I begged to hold her. Since I was only 7, Mom made sure I always sat down when I held her and always had adult supervision. There are numerous pictures of me with my sister in my lap, her red-faced and screaming because evidently, I wasn't very good at it.

The other day I saw a commercial starring a cheerful, chubby-cheeked baby who looked just like my brother did when he was a baby. I took that as a happy omen.

I just wished my brother and his wife lived closer so I could visit sooner. But if worse comes to worse, I'll see them at my sister's wedding this summer. Until then, I'll have to settle for phone calls, photos and my imagination.

Copyright 2005 by Alyce Wilson

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