Monday, March 19, 2012

Baby Waiting

My sister is having a baby. I should be eating, and then sleeping, but I am not. I am writing, I am smoking, I am sipping a glass of wine (to sleep, perchance to dream), I am waiting for this baby to come. It is better than Christmas.
And isn't that what Christmas is all about? A celebration of a child being born? I am not Christian and so it is completely right that my sister's baby's upcoming birth would be better than Christmas. Besides, we are all children of God, and every birth is a miracle birth.
I left her tonight in bed. I had just rubbed her feet (come on, Baby) and kissed her face a million times. Then kissed her belly (come ON, Baby!) a million times, and her husband (whom she caressed as I walked out the door and I heard her say, "You've been a good Daddy today..") was getting tucked up beside her and Owen, oh Owen, our (their) two and a half year old about to snuggle in between....
Lily. Beautiful Lily. You are resplendent. The way you are so calm and cool, the way you take this world, this motherhood and wear it like silk on your skin. You ask for a kiss and the boy comes a runnin'. Who knows what this next child will do?
I joke and I say, "I can't wait to see what this baby will be! A zebra? A dinosaur? A fairy?". It is not so much a joke because as Mama said earlier today we could not have imagined who Owen would be, and I said there's no use imagining. We don't know the sex, but really, who cares about the sex? Who will this person be? I hope our sense of humor is there, I hope for health and beauty and that lovingness we in our family have for each other is there. Those are my hopes.
If she (he) is half as beautiful as Lily we will be blessed. If he (she) is half as smart as Uncle Hank we will be blessed. If she (he) is half as healthy as our Mama we will be blessed. And if he (she) is half as Zen-like as Pop-pop, as half as determined and loving as Aunt Jessie, as half as funny and just a damn good person as is Jason, we will be blessed, we will be blessed, we will be blessed. No matter what, we get a new person to love, to grow a new heart for, to make our great days even greater and deeper and fuller, and we will be blessed.
Oh Baby, I love you. You have a family who will always hold you up and keep you strong. You have a Mama and Daddy who will always be there for you. You have grandparents who will teach you amazing things and love you unconditionally. You have aunts and uncles who will play rumble-tumble with you and spoil you rotten and teach you the dirty words. You have a brother who is the most amazing soul (so deep, so funny, so true, so smart) who will guide you and protect you and know you better than anyone else.
Come ON, Baby, come on. We are waiting for you. We love you.

18 comments:

lulumarie said...

My heart and eyes are overflowing with the astonishing beauty of this message to your precious new niece or nephew.

What a loving, joyful family this baby has chosen. S/he is truly blessed.

Come ON, Baby!

Steph(anie) said...

Amen.

Petit fleur said...

Hey May...

I've missed you. This is a perfect love note to Gibson. (I just found out mere hours ago) I heard it was incredible and everything a family could hope for an more.

Congratulations auntie. I'm sure he will love and adore you as we all do.
xo

Ms. Moon said...

Well. My joy in this day just increased by a thousandfold, reading this. Wasn't it just the best day? Wasn't it?
I love you, girl. I love you.

SJ said...

How many times can I tell you I love you? I do.

liv said...

It's like discovering the earrings that go with the necklace. Where have you been hiding?
Your love letter to this new Moon baby is heartachingly beautiful. And the love of the Moon family that you convey sends warmth to the cold corners of this world. I am so happy that you shared it, you did it so well.

Congratulations little Auntie !

Birdie said...

I love your family. You are so blessed to have one another. And now Gibson can grow up surrounded by more love than he will ever be able to contain. How perfect is your love.

Omgrrrl said...

Being an Aunt is the BEST (as you already know). And you are the best!

You are all BLESSSED.

Ellen said...

May...I thought you had stopped writing and your mama says you wrote a new post! I'm back here reading your post knowing now that Lily holds her baby and that you all are in full of joy at the birth of Gibson....your words of a loving sister run deep...your family hold such a bond with each other...

Elizabeth said...

Congratulations, Aunt May! And if this new little baby boy, has half the transcendence of you and your writing -- well -- you will all be blessed.

I was so happy to read your writing again, just so happy. Thank you for doing so and for sharing it.

Syd said...

Lucky family, lucky baby.

gradydoctor said...

Wow, May. That was so beautiful. Your family radiates joy and beauty. Yes, you all are blessed.

Your mom's blogreaders felt the anticipation of this pregnancy, too, through her lovely writing. Opening that page and seeing that happy, juicy baby at the top and then linking over to this have made my week! The joy is palpable--you are a good, good sister. I have two kids and my sisters are very good to me, to my children, and to my husband. It means so much. Know that it does.

Warmest congratulations to you all. So happy for you.

SittinOnAPorch said...

Oh May, just perfect!

Mel said...

Beautiful words, May. Thanks for sharing them with us, we've missed your voice. Congratulations to all of you on the arrival of a wonderful, beloved child. Your family gives me hope.

37paddington said...

This is the most wonderful welcome letter a baby could ever have. Just a holy, beautiful thing.

Juancho said...

Another lucky kid wins a golden ticket. Congratulations Aunt May.

RiotGrrlCynic said...

What a beautiful love letter. <3

Lois said...

Beautiful words and yes, you and your wonderful family are blessed a thousand times over!