Love Letters: From Auntie Momo

Two years ago today….this little Butterball arrived and made me an Aunt. 

When he finally decided to speak – HE named me Auntie Momo……Baby Sister just asked him to say goodnight to MoFabulous and he said Momo. 

I remember the exact phone conversation when Jen called with the news that she was pregnant.  I was sitting in my living room and she asked me if I had any plans for March 9^th the next year.  And I knew.  I literally screamed for 5 minutes straight and jumped around my living room whilst the dog barked like crazy.

Several insane months filled with sonograms, Dr.Apptmts, baby clothes shopping, and showers became our world.  It was such a fun time.

Fast forward to February 23, 2012 Jen was scheduled for a C-section…..because home-skillet was BIG….and my girl Jen was not happy to be on bedrest. 

I arrived at the hospital an hour ahead of the time we all agreed to be there.  Sat in the parking lot by myself wondering what it was going to be like to have an actual baby in the family….much less MY NEPHEW.  Heavy stuff.  Especially when it’s your baby sister having a BABY.

So the time arrived and we all piled into the waiting room while J & J went back to get ready for the C-section.  Nervous is not enough of a word to describe it.  There was much pacing and meaningless chatter and our Grandmother trying to hand out chocolates to everyone because that’s how she deals.  

Then I see Big J (my bro-in-law) pass by the waiting room looking white as a sheet accompanied by a Nurse.  And being the quiet, unassuming, flower I am……I march right outside to find out what is going on.

So……here’s the thing…..Big J is NOT into needles or anything medical…..he’s the kind that if that ever has to happen he has to make sure he is sitting down for fear of passing out.  No Joke.  (Yet he’s all tatted up with sleeves, legs, and all that Jazz…..don’t ask….it’s a quandary and we’re so over trying to figure it out.)  Anyways…..I ask Big J how it’s going and he replies….”GROSS.  How the hell do you think it is?  GROSS.”  I said, So…..do we have a baby yet or what?  NOPE FOLKS.  NO NOTHING.  Homeboy just got freaked out by all the stuff around him I guess.  So we both walk in to the waiting room and he announces he needs sugar.  Stat.  Grandmother smugly tells the crowd….”See??  I knew I brought chocolate for a reason!” 

Now, given that we all know what we know about Big J…..Jen had already prepped me as second string.  If for some reason Big J couldn’t handle it, I was the one chosen to be in the room.  And while that would have been awesome for me, I knew it was not how she or Big J wanted it.  So, I watched him down a bag of chocolates and a Sunkist in about 2.5 seconds…..put his Game Face on….and march right back out to become a Daddy.  Like.A.Champ.

Cut to about 3 hours later (or probably just 15 minutes)……Big J comes down the hallway with a nurse rolling a cart full of a squirmy burrito that looked like a carbon copy of him.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.  I mean…….MAJOR LEAKAGE OF THE EYEBALLS.  I have no kids so this was a very strange moment….here was this red faced, mad as hell baby with a great set of lungs….that was connected to me by blood.  At that very moment I realized my heart would never be the same.

And when I saw Baby Sister hold him for the first time?  Oh My Stars.  She immediately became someone who I knew would show me the way if I’m ever meant to have children.  And that’s a mind freak kind of moment for a big sister. 

That day wasn’t just the day I was made an Aunt.  It was the day we all graduated in life.  Mom, Dad, Papaw, Nana, Mimi, Great-Grandmother.  It was the day Jen and I were immediately pushed to the back burner for this child who we swear can probably walk on water.

This sweet boy has touched me in ways he’ll probably never realize.  He makes me laugh and shows me how to be silly.  He reminds me that sometimes you just need to booty dance to whatever song comes on.  He teaches me that it’s good for the soul to just sit and play a while.  And he absolutely SLAYS me when he needs an extra cuddle from Auntie Momo….because don’t we all just need a good squeeze every now and then?  He makes me want to do everything I can in life to make sure he has the best shot possible.  He gives me a big reason to be healthy because I know he will do great things and I plan on reserving a front row seat to watch it all.

Happy 2^nd Birthday sweet child.

You will always be the
very first boy that stole
Auntie Momo’s heart.