Almost 8

Phoenix turns 8 tomorrow. As I lay here, feeling my youngest sigh into sleep tonight, I'm happily remembering P's birth. I'd been working damn hard on it all day, 8 years ago (and still had a long way to go;) And today, exactly 8 years later, I've had the immense privilege of witnessing my amazing sister-in-law work through her first labor a little.

P has been simultaneously beside himself with excitement that he will be 8, excited that he will have another cousin, and dread filled that his new cousin will take too long in coming and share his bday ;). Alicia's bundle still has two hours left to slide in under the wire and she's working on it for sure;)

I'm kinda surprised how very, very, very excited I am to be an Aunt again. But it makes sense. I was a tween when my nieces and nephew were born and I luuuuuuuved becoming an aunt. They lived further away than I would have liked, so I tickled and bounced them up every holiday and visit I could. I was young, had endless energy and was the girl that naturally loved babies, so holding my brothers' sweet babies and chasing their adorable toddlers was the end all be all. Now they are all grown and spread far and wide working on starting their own adult lives, and I miss them. But I'm less fun, playful Aunt and more peer, occasional texter ;). So I'm ready for another round, another awesome set of munchkins to bounce and swing.

But, I guess since my own kids are still so young, I didn't figure on being quite so excited about another baby? So my overwhelming (hopefully not too stalker-ish) excitement about this new niece/nephew kinda tickles me. And the fact that I'll get to live so close this time around is beyond amazing. (I know they'll eventually be lured into another home, but we're hoping that's forever in the future:).

Well, enough blather, I best get some shut eye, as the Little Man promised he was rising early to rattle some packages ;) He is the Most Excited for this birthday that I have ever seen him. He has even given the go-ahead to have the birthday song sung at his party this weekend. He says 8 is the second best age (after 10, which, apparently, denotes "Big Kid"). E has taken a half day vacation, so tomorrow should be fabulous fun. And, with any luck, I'll get to see my new niece/nephew too!!!


Below - Z, obsessed with belly buttons, loves to poke at Aunt Alicia's ;). Today, she had to do it between contractions ;)