Dear David,
Saturday night was going to be a big night for your aunt Adina and uncle Chris. We were going to ship Gabriel to his Grandma's for the night, stay up late with our friends and SLEEP IN. For the first time in a year. Imagine the freedom.
Ours would be: "New parents have not yet realized that they are allowed to spend time together without baby".
But the elusive sleep-in was not to be had. And for the best of reasons. You, David Alan Johnson, my new nephew came into this world a month early, and Grandma's B&B was closed for business.
Before your Mom and Dad went to the hospital to have you, they called Rich and Rachel in the middle of the night to come over and babysit Sydney. Grandma hopped on a plane and pushed ahead of everyone so that she could get here in time and see the baby and take care of your big sister.
David! Welcome to the world! You are in good company with seasoned parents and a hilarious and cuddly sister who wants to teach you everything she has figured out in her 3.5 years on this planet.
You are also part of a wave of boys born this year. In fact, twelve hours before you were born, our friend Amy had a boy named Miles. That makes six baby boys in my circle in one year. Out of seven. Maybe all you guys can do something boy-specific together, like form a wildly successful boy band and dig us all out of debt.
You might think you have a bum rap having missed out on being first born, but there are good parts to not being first. Parents are less anxious after they have their first baby, so you don't get that intense focus and fear. They know you won't have permanent psychological scars if you spend a few hours with a babysitter. They know you will still be smart without cue cards.
Take it from me: I was third. By the time I came around, they stuck me in the backseat of the car and drove me around on errands until I was old enough for school.
When the first kid is born, the world seems to stop for the parents and for everyone close to them. Everything is dead serious poopsie magic babybabybabybaby. When you call to congratulate parents on the second, they are filled with joy, but they are also able to add: "Sorry we stole your babysitter."
So maybe the world has not stopped, but you have shown up early and jumped into the fray. And we are so, so glad to have you here. And although it won't be the first time your parents have strapped on a baby bjorn or changed a diaper, we'll still melt at your first smile and we'll be watching you grow just as intently and with just as much love.
By the way, you totally owe me and your uncle one night on the town. We'll discuss this when you're of age.
