Aunt Jenny

So this week - May 13, to be precise - I became an aunt for the very first time.  My little brother and his wife - married for almost three years now - welcomed Anya Corinne to the world.  It’s so weird.  I mean, I held my brother when he was a baby, and now there are all these pictures of him holding his baby.  That just doesn’t make any sense.

And while I am excited about the fact that I am now Aunt Jenny (the only aunt until my other brother or her brother gets married), the fact that I just plain don’t get babies has not changed at all.  Everyone leaves all these comments: "She’s beautiful!"  "She has her mom’s face!"  "She has her dad’s eyes!"  I never understand that.  In general, I can’t tell one baby from another.  They all pretty much look like babies to me.  I never see the parental attributes that everyone talks about.  And sure she’s cute - babies are cute.  When’s the last time you saw a baby and recoiled in disgust from that hideous creature?  I don’t think so.

I much prefer kids when they start to be able to interact with you on higher intellectual levels.  I want to have a conversation with someone.  That’s why I don’t generally coo and make baby noises - I tend to provide the baby’s sardonic inner monologue.  I view it as a public service for the baby - and for the world.

Anyway, I’m going out to visit said brand new baby in a couple of weeks.  Let the aunt-ly corruption begin!