It's a girl!

It's a girl!

Birth is on my mind these days. That's easily explained. First of all my birthday was a few days ago, and I got loads of cards, calls, emails, many more than are warranted on a not very significant birthday number. But I loved the attention and the genuineness of the warm wishes.

The big reward came 19 minutes after my birthday when a new great-niece was born. It's big in our family to be born on a relative’s birthday. I am one of the few who until now, had no family member to (almost) share my birthday. Three hundred and sixty-five possible days and yet many of my extended family members do have a relative birthday partner; and I’m not counting twin nieces who do, as a matter of fact, share a birthday with yet another cousin. Not only does it seem to be fashionable to share a birthday in our extended family, but it is also cool to be born on a holiday or very close. We have claimants for the Fourth of July, Valentines’ Day, Christmas, among others. Rather than feeling superseded by the shared holiday, our family’s birthday celebrants seem to enjoy the holidays’ fanfare, as if it were part of the celebrating of them. Why not!

For this grandmom and great-aunt, nothing is more joyous than the arrival of a completely new and unique person in our midst. So I formally welcome our Ella, all seven pounds nine onces and 21 inches of her. She’s a beauty with rosy cheeks, a sweet cry and a shock of black hair (enough for a pony tail, though it is not likely to last in quantity or that uncharacteristic color for her gene pool). She has a chance for a wonderful life, with loving parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and most of all, two big brothers, who, so far, are in awe of her.

No wonder. Welcoming a new baby is as awesome as it gets for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and, of course, sisters and brothers.

July 13, 2008