Friday, July 28, 2006

Current Mp3 song that is playing: Nancy Sinatra "These boots"

Mood: upbeat

Tomorrow my niece turns 16 years old! (insert a big gulp *here*). Holy cow, my how time flies.

When she was born, I was working in the mailroom as a porter. My job was to pick up envelopes from the mayor's office and deliver it to other offices within city hall. It was an easy job. It was the perfect summer job for me.

I was still in my teens, and I was going to be an aunt. I was so excited. I loved all of my aunts dearly, I looked upon them as demi-goddesses, and I was going to enter their form of heaven.

My sister announced her pregnancy to my Mom on Mother's day. The due date for the baby was not until the end of October. I was looking forward to maybe taking some time off of studying around Canadian Thanksgiving and visit my sister, her hubby and the new offspring.

One Monday morning, as I was getting ready to head to City Hall for my summer job, my dad, as he was pouring my morning elixir of coffee, told me the news that my sister gave birth to a little girl the night before.

I gulped down my coffee, smiled, "that is great! I am an AUNT". (finally, I had entered that golden age of being the perfect adult to a child). By the time the coffee had worked its magic on my system, I was on the train, and I realized, "what the f*!, I am an aunt! Whoa, how did my sister give birth to such a pre-mature baby?"

As the train neared my stop, my brain had clicked into the skeptical mode of "did I dream what my Dad said?" It could not be so, I told myself. A child almost 3 months pre-mature is just too young.

But, I had not dreamt the story. A phone call to my dad confirmed the fact that I was the aunt of a very pre-mature baby. I phoned Sean and told him that he was an uncle (even though we weren't married, I knew he was the man for me and as such, he was an uncle). Flabbergasted, I went through the day in a haze. Between wonderment that my sister was now a Mom, to fright and worry about my niece, who, according to my Dad, fit into the palm of the doctor's hand.

Sixteen years later, we are celebrating her birthday. She was amazing as a premature baby. She never had any complications. By the time she was 3 months old, my sister and her man brought her home. I learnt very quickly what corrected age and birth age meant. I learnt as well that premies are usually born without eyelids. That they need special type of blood for transfusions. (which, amazingly enough, Sean has the type of blood (it is missing some sort of antigen) that is used on premies. He gave blood as often as possible - because of the niece - until he couldn't anymore because of his profession as a pilot)

My niece was lucky. She only has asthma, and no other adverse side effects of being born almost three months early. She has a whack of scars on the bottom of her feet (the only place they could get needles into her) and is completely impervious to pain.

Wow, sixteen years ago. The calender months have come and passed. The sun has rose, shone, and slipped away. The ocean has ebbed and attacked the sand. Presidents have been elected. Impeached. Elected. Wars have been fought and won.

And she has grown. From this waif who was small enough to fit into her doctor's palm. From this skinny, alien looking creature posing for her first picture from her incubator, to this beautiful blonde stunning sixteen year old.

Happy birthday, dearest niece.
posted by CanaGal at 20:00
5 Comments:

Bigbro said...
I still remember when she was only 1 year old and you guys were babysitting (sleeping on the couch and I was minding the babies).

Wow, it reminds me that it has been 15 years since I was in Canada... I wish I was MEGA rich and could take the plain like it was a bus and visit you guys every once in a while.

30 July, 2006 04:17
Quodlibet said...
Happy birthday niece! Sweet 16 - enjoy your years!

30 July, 2006 22:33
CoffeeBigPlz said...
http://4999tripsdowntheslide.blogspot.com/

MEGA rich fifteen years ago is like the same as what it takes to just get by today

03 August, 2006 07:43
pingcat said...
Tag! ... you're my third, coffee sayz... (jeez, I hope I am doing this right!)
1. Grab the nearest book. Ok got it.
2. Open the book to page 123. You guys are gonna hate me!
3. Find the fifth sentence. still gonna hate me!
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.
6. Tag five people.

08 August, 2006 00:26
CoffeeBigPlz said...
I thought of you and sarathena

http://www.cafepress.com/buy/stickers/-/pv_design_prod/p_storeid.22967926/pNo_22967926/id_7438209/opt_/pg_/c_/fpt_

08 August, 2006 08:47