My sister Ellie announced her second pregnancy today. I already knew, of course. She had to take breaks from puking so she could discuss the puking. Ellie joins my other pregnant sister Nor in expecting a baby this year.
There's nothing quite like being an auntie, especially if they are your sister's kids. Did you know that siblings share 96 percent of their genetic material? A sister's kid is practically half mine. When my sisters have babies I love them almost as much as my own. I secretly hope Something Will Happen to the sister and the baby will have to come live with me and be mine. The hope goes away when the kid is about 17 months.
There is nothing we like more in my family than tiny babies. Nor once said they were like currency, and she wasn't lying. When someone has a baby, everyone else feels the need to join right in and have their own. Paige's kid Sol and my Henry are about ten months apart. Griffin and Beatrice are 7 months apart. Beatrice and Alice are 18 months apart. Alice and Mimi a mere 3 months. Coincidence? I don't think so.
The desire to match sisters baby for baby is growing old. As in, I'm growing old. Too old to continue the quest and it worries me. What is going to happen when they keep procreating and I can't join in anymore? Can you imagine in ten years when I am 48 and I grasp at reproductive possibility when Camille, who is now 17, has kids? It could get ugly. I'm aging out of the game. Camille, please follow Jamie Lynn's example.
Don't bother asking if this is an announcement. It's not. Anytime I consider the possibility, my memory is refreshed by a bout with the flu or other close inspections of the toilet. There is one sister who hasn't had kids who might consider becoming a surrogate. Val? Are you reading this? Pretty please?
Congratulations Ellie! Only two more weeks kissing the porcelain god!*
*Unless you are like me and puke the entire time. Which you won't be. But just in case you are, you might want to read Paige's drug pushing post.
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30 comments:
Well now, advocating out of wedlock teenage pregnancies? Nice Celia, I am sure your mother will appreciate that.
I had a baby at 38, look how great he turned out to be!
And there's nothing at all wrong with 48.
Jenibelle, I agree there is nothing wrong with 48. All I am saying is that there IS something wrong with reproducing at 48. Time's up.
Camille and I are totally going to have babies at the same time some day. That's cool.
Hooray for lifetime playmates!
I love being an auntie! Everyone on my side is done. Now I wait for grandkids...I hope it will be awhile. Noboby is married yet!
There is nothing as wonderful as a tiny baby! I miss where your sisters are in their lives. It was the best for me! Why do we have to get older?.......So we can get ready to be terrific Grammies!
Of course you will have to wait a long time!
This is so true. Everyone told me I'd be so blown away at the love I'd feel when I had my own child. But I wasn't bc I had felt that way about my sister's kids. Congrats to Ellie and you!
So true about sister kids. I would raise or keep any of my sisters or brothers childrne. Love love love them like my own. congrats for Ellie!!!!
Cute title!
This post made me tear up. Just last night a friend and I were waxing nostalgic for our babies. The old ladies were right, it DOES go fast (but not the puking).
I can relate. My older sister just had her first baby and my little sister hasn't even started yet and we are done. That is super sad to me. Sniff Sniff.
I LOVE having babies. I'll surrogate for you!
Between us, my sister and I had 8 kids in 5 1/2years. We love that the cousins are close in age.
Then she decided to move to Hawaii so we would never see her... :(
I used to have fantasies about you and Paige changing your mind and getting pregnant with me--it would be so fun!
Now I'm actually pregnant and since you guys GET SICKER (?!) than me, I now realize your avoiding of this puking thing might be very very wise.
Oh, NO! You are sick for the whole pregnancy?! That is awful!
This is lovely news for Ellie! I am so happy for your family growing through Nor and Ellie.
I am sure Camille knows you are kidding about her getting knocked up, right?
Right?
Celia, RIGHT?!
Yes, please do not reproduce at age 48. Nobody wants to see that.
I am jealous - I don't have sisters. The best I can do is pretend with my sisters-in-law, but I've never lived in the same city as any when I was preggers.
I should have said you, "were" sick for your entire pregnancy...cause I realize that you weren't making an announcement
My sister's baby is 9 days older than mine and my brothers wives are both expecting babies in the next 2 months. So many cousins, so little time. In truth, I am not a fan of the baby stage, I like it when they start to talk. So, with my next one, I'll have it, send it to you and then collect it at 17 months...deal?
being from boston, i couldn't figure out what "ONT-ique" meant. i'm a little slow... it's ANT-ique since you're from the west coast. got it. now i see the cleverness.
i think i'll do a pregnancy post here soon. just for fun.
Right now all my sisters-in-law are pregnant or have recently had kids, and I'm wishing we could be joining in. After 4 years of trying, my sisters' kids are basically all I've got, so I do feel the same way for them as I will for my own kids.
it's true. I sometimes imagine one of my siblings dying and me getting their kids. I'm so happy for Ellie!!
I am pretty much sick the entire pregnancy. Congrats to Ellie! There is something so incredible about a newborn baby!
Thanks for the post. It ain't even my birthday.
One good think about getting old is the awesome old people cruise we are going to go on when you turn 60. We'll play games and mock people. Fun.
You are 100% spot on! My sister's kids are nearly my own. And I sometimes think about how I will get to keep them when she dies. I'm glad I not the only morbid one! My sister is having a baby in 8 days, yes count them, eight days! And my other sister is having a baby in Oct. Yeah for me!
We just figured out the other day that Erin will be 50 in just 9 short years. It sucks to feel old when you're only 35 - it's really just things coming full circle, when you remember your mom being the same age. I think my mom had Ali when she was 41, but I agree with you 48 is just tempting fate.
I am an absolute new born aholic. I LOVE tiny babies. I just have to enjoy my friends babies now...my time is way up! I also have fun enjoying the teenage nieces & nephews...mostly because their parents don't enjoy them too much at that stage...he..he!
Great, fabulous post. You described it perfectly. I don't feel competitive. I'm over it. I like to hear how much Nori and Jessica barf because it reminds me. No one ever said, "I really want another four year old!"
I don't see anyone fantasizing about me dying so they could parent the twins.
Obviously those last comments were from Paige. On Ellie's computer. In Hawaii. Did I mention I'm in Hawaii?
I think you should have another girl baby and name her Holly.
Janelle & Celia, the three Marin Sisters (Alice, Pam & Rebecca) are the ones that keep me going when I change my upper birthbearing age limit from 40 to beyond! They are my idols because they show it's possible and not weird! Yeah!
Oh, and CONGRATS to Ellie!
Sorry, I can't seem to quit here...Camille will have babies with her cousins which is another awesome thing I think!
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