A New Baby

Congratulate us! Purchase baby paraphernalia in pink and blue! Order a cake with a stork on it! Buy a gift card to Babies-R-Us! Listen for the "pitter-patter" of little feet! Yes, we are adding another to the clan! I think this will be grandchild #17 for my Mother. WooHoo, A baby is coming!

No, I'm not going to be a mother again! It is much more exciting than that... I am going to be an "AUNT" again...! But, the anticipation for this niece or nephew has been building for years, so the excitement is almost uncontainable!

My sister is having a baby! Brendia is my baby sister. I am 8 years older, and sometimes that has felt like a lifetime. When I got married she was only 9. My husband to her is like an older brother. He used to read to her when we dated. Charlie & I would be sitting on the couch and she crawl in between us, look up at Charlie with those big blue eyes, and say "Will you please read this to me?" It was always some Dr. Seuss book that she had memorized anyway. She could already read herself. She just wanted his attention.

Brandon & Brendia have been married for 6 years in May. Unlike most children that are the youngest, she is very goal oriented. She had a plan, and for the most part she has adhered to that plan. She knew that she wanted to finish college, have most of her bills paid off, and buy a house before they had children. Well, college is done, she has an associate degree in business management. She owes very little, if nothing, except for their car. Their house is being built and will be done in about 2 months. Now the baby is due on October 23, 2008!

Brandon was called "Cookie" in highschool, so I am officially calling the baby "little cookie" until they decide on a name. We can no longer call the baby I.T. Cookston!

I cannot tell you how I have been planning for this child that is not mine. I cannot wait to buy completely purposeless gifts for him/her! My husband told me this weekend that I'd have to get a second job so I could pay for all the things that I want to buy for the "little cookie". I cannot wait to encourage "little cookie" to do all the things Brandon & Brendia do not want him/her to do! I cannot wait to tell embarrassing stories that begin with the words, "When your mother was a little girl..." I cannot wait to hear the words, "Let's go see Aunt Krista & Uncle Charlie! They let us eat ice cream, stay up past our bed-time, and jump on the bed. Their fun!" Because that is what my kids have always said about Brandon & Brendia.

Only another 28 weeks left! Ugh! I'm telling you, I CANNOT WAIT...