Mama in the City

The first baby I fell in love with was not my own. Instead, it was a sweet smoochy newborn named Sophie who entered the world with bright blue eyes and a smattering of fair hair seven years ago. I cuddled her and loved her and watched her grow. I delighted in all of her firsts and discovered what it meant to really love a child. She's my niece, my older sisters baby, and I've loved her right from the start.

The great thing about having sisters with babies is their children sort of feel like mine. I guess it's only natural this happens, maybe it's the sister connection, but I was still surprised by it at first. Now that my niece is an official 'big girl', we have this cozy relationship together and I get so much out of watching her get older. I love hearing her little voice change and watch her hair get longer. I love it when she asks me to paint her nails and do fun auntie things together.

Perhaps the very best thing is watching her love my son. She is tender and delicate with him and does things to make him happy. Right now she is visiting me for Spring Break and we're having a great time hanging out together. As I write this post, her and Ben and snuggling on the couch watching a 'babyish show' (as per Sophie because it's Curious George) and Ben is so enamoured with her. He is trying to sit on her lap like he does on mine. He thinks that she is such a big girl that she can hold him just like I do. It is so wonderful and cute to watch.



Hold me Soph.