Thievery

Those of you who know me know of my unmotherly aversion to babies.  For those of you who don’t know me, here’s a slight explanation.  Babies are tiny, precious, untainted souls.  I’m giant, clumsy, and as far from perfect as legally acceptable.  My fear is really more of myself that I might in some way harm this perfect creature, therefore, I avoid babies as often as possible.  So as luck would have it, my “baby” sister invited me to be a part of her and her husband’s special day as they welcomed their baby girl into the world.   Don’t get me wrong, I was thrilled she asked me to join them as blood and guts fascinate me!  It was the thought of how I was going to break it to her that I was scared to hold the baby that made me sick to my stomach.  Regardless, this day was not about me so I went and witnessed the most magical moment I have and will ever experience in my life.  That moment is something I can’t share with the world, as it is too incredibly personal to me and something that I feel I could never fully convey through text.  But my closest girlfriends better be prepared to watch me bawl as I retell this event to them!

So fast-forwarding on, my sister and her husband welcomed their baby into the world on their 3rd wedding anniversary.  It was wonderful!  We laughed, we cried, some of us expelled gas beyond our wildest dreams (my lips are sealed as to whom that culprit was).  Then my brother-in-law placed that little angel in my arms.  I clenched my butt cheeks as tight as humanly possible, took a deep breath, and remained absolutely still.  This little miracle didn’t wince as I began to breath out, she didn’t attempt to jump out of my arms as I feared, and she didn’t spit on me.  She laid there in my arms, with all of her perfect, miniature pieces and slept like a baby.  And that’s when it happened, the thievery I never expected.  She absolutely, positively, unexplainably stole my heart.

Now the worst part about this whole event is the fact that my husband and I picked up and moved ourselves halfway across the country just nine days prior to my sweet niece’s birth.  Without revealing more of my past, I’ll just say that this move is something my husband and I desperately needed.  As conflicted as I have felt in the days since I’ve returned back to South Portland, I know that we’re doing what’s best for our “swamp.”  I’ve already warned my sister that I expect at least one picture a day and Skype time once a week.  We won’t always be this far apart, but sometimes distance really does make the heart grow fonder.  Love you ALL, sweet Putnam Family!

My sweet niece rockin’ a fauxhawk like a champ