The excitement.

Captured in a photo; bright, red cheeks so characteristic of her emotions and a comical stance.

It was her response to having her pregnancy confirmed!

Hormones looked good on her and she glowed for nine months. 

Pregnancy was her thing!

 She was so proud. 

 

An achievement over me, she was to be a mom first. 

I couldn’t take this from her.  She owned it. 

She had wanted a child her entire adulthood. 

I was determined to live vicariously through her.

 

It was revealed, she was to have a baby girl. 

A baby girl! 

I was so happy the baby was to be a girl!

A niece for me!

 

Each and every appointment, I was in attendance. 

The geneticist’s, “Go for it”, the neonatal appointments, “The baby has a strong heart beat”,

The ultrasounds...

Our sick sense of humour developed at this time. 

 

We had always teased and joked, but, we began to use a private, somewhat perverse type of comedic relief with everyday life events. 

This twisted humour brought us even closer throughout her pregnancy. 

Ignorantly, I would speak water metaphors to her while she waited with a full bladder for her ultrasounds. 

She would beg me to stop but I never did. 

Crying in pain, she would ask the technician if I could come into the room during the procedure!

Those techs were perplexed by our demeanour which made us laugh even more. 

 

I was thrilled to see her baby develop on the monitor.

I saw her heart beating, her spine, her legs and her hands...everything!

The due date grew closer.    

A C-section was booked due to the positioning of the baby.

 

I was beyond thrilled! 

I wanted the world to know. 

I started with strangers in the elevator, “Hey, I am going to be an Aunt!”

The volunteers at the door, “Hey, I am going to be an Aunt tomorrow.”

The parking garage attendant, “Hey, I am going to be an Aunt.”

The waitress at the restaurant, “Hey, we are having a baby tomorrow!”

 

Imagine the reaction, when the waitress inquired which one of us was pregnant!

I thought I was going to be an Aunt right then!

All day she her face was red with embarrassment as I broadcasted my excitement.

 

I wrote a note to my ‘about to be born niece’ on a napkin in that restaurant.

I told her how excited I was and how much she was going to love me! 

 

It was such a wonderful day, full of excitement and anticipation.

She glowed with love for her child. 

I was smitten with love for them both.