Becoming an aunt for the first time
“Marisa’s having a baby,” the second those words left my mother’s mouth I immediately began a lifelong journey that has been hands down the most fulfilling part of my life so far. I couldn’t contain my excitement. I immediately texted everyone in my contact list to let them know I was about to become an aunt. The countdown was on.
I was at Keys Bar & Grille for my roommates 21st birthday dressed like a tacky tourist when I got the call at 10:43 p.m. that my sister-in-law, Marisa, was pregnant. Considering Marisa was only 22 years old and my brother, Bryan, was 23 this news came as a shock to the whole family.
I wanted to be involved in this pregnancy any way I could. Every weekend I made the one hour and 45-minute drive home to Weston from Fort Myers just to be able to watch the progression of Marisa’s belly. I attended almost every doctor’s appointment and made those late night Taco Bell runs for Marisa whenever she was craving a crunchwrap supreme.
Before I knew it nine months flew by and it was the night before the scheduled C-section. I could hardly sleep. I felt the anticipation a child feels the night before Christmas. A million questions popped into my head, what will he look like? Will he be healthy? Will he like me?
By 7:30 a.m. it was time for Marisa and Bryan to head to the hospital. I gave her belly one last hug and whispered, “see you soon little dude.”
I remember waiting in the hall of Memorial Hospital West, pacing back and forth waiting for Bryan to give us the ok to come see the baby. After a few hours, the time had finally come to meet the newest member of the family, Jaxon Xavier.
As I stepped into the room my eyes instantly gravitated towards this tiny, perfect, delicate little baby. He was swaddled up in a blue and white blanket that the hospital had provided for him. My brother pulled back the blanket to reveal Jaxon wearing the outfit I bought for him. A black onesie with planets and UFOs all over and a bright green alien cap to match. I’m not an emotional person, but here I was in the middle of the Memorial Hospital West nursey crying enough to flood the entire second floor of the maternity ward. I’m supposed to be the cool aunt yet here I was sobbing uncontrollably, probably embarrassing the kid already.
When I held him in my arms for the very first time I couldn’t help but think how much this baby was going to change my life. From that day forward, I gained the title Tia Laney.
My family always jokes that we have been cursed with bad luck, so it was no surprise that Jaxon was born the day before hurricane Irma hit south Florida. The hospital was going on lockdown and only one guest was allowed to stay, I immediately volunteered myself. For four days and three nights my brother, sister-in-law and I alternated between taking care of the baby. I took the day shift and they took the night shift.
From the safety of our hospital suite you would never know that there was a hurricane shredding through town. You couldn’t even hear the harsh rain and large gusts of wind slamming against the impact-resistant windows. The only sign that there was a storm outside was the view we had from our window of the palm trees thrashing from side to side.
The halls of the hospital were filled with families on blow up mattresses lined up against the wall. Sand bags and towels were by the doors and windows to stop the water from seeping through. There was only one functioning elevator on the entire second floor. Even the food from the cafeteria was being given out for free.
In all honestly I didn’t have time to think about what was going on outside. I was dealing with my own storm in room 2424. I quickly learned that babies are weird. All they do is scream, cry and sleep all day long. Getting a good night’s rest isn’t even an option anymore. I would look at him in amazement and think, how could someone so tiny have the lung capacity to produce a scream that could be heard through a hurricane?
Despite being spit up on, drooled on, crapped on and peed on, which is never a fun experience, I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. I’d go through it time and time again simply because it means I get to spend time with my nephew.
As an aunt, I can love him like a parent and still treat him like a friend. My nephew showed me what it was like to experience the purest form of unconditional love. It wasn’t the boy that would tell me I’m pretty and whisper sweet nothings in my ear when I was 20, it was a newborn baby that I barely even knew.
I believe this world is a better place because he’s in it. I can’t wait to watch him grow and see all the amazing things he does with his life. Although I have to admit, I’m already dreading the day he becomes a preteen and doesn’t want to be seen with me or even worse won’t let me smother him in kisses.
