rejoice, a child is going to be born

My dear dear sister KATIE is going to bear a MAN-child in december!
I went to her ultra-sound and I saw him. I was one of the first to see this tiny person. He has working fingers and toes. A beating heart that looks like a fluttering bird. His skull makes him resemble Jack-skeleton. What will he look like? Will he love soccer and skiing, be obsessed with the king-cobra at the zoo, and be ecstatic to go camping--like me? Brown eyes or blue? Will he look anything at all like anyone? His sisters don't even appear to be sisters, really. I don't know what to expect, but I do know he'll be the first boy with three savvy, bomb-shell older sisters. If he is anything like them, my heart might bust from too much love.

*****

For the record, ultra-sound experiences are waaaay better than live-birth experiences. The third baby my sister had was a 'gril' (as her 4-year-old-sister would say). Her gorgeous name is Eden Violet (I wish my name were half-as-exotic). Katie and I decided it would be a wonderful and bonding experience for me to attend her birth. I had high expectations, anticipations of angels and fire and melting heart-strings. Things didn't go quite so well. I arrived at the hospital at 1 am after driving home from California all night. I was totally exhausted in every way. Katie was sick and labor didn't really get going until 5 am. As soon as things got goin, I went up by her shoulders to watch. The Doctor had to "brake" the water (a better term would be "explode" the water) and as soon as the smell hit, I was done for. I stumbled my way under Katie's legs and the doctor's arms to the back of the room where some chairs promised relief. The nurse caught me as I passed out. Then threw up. Then passed out. Then threw up. I came around when Eden was pink and scrubbed and staring....and beautiful. Once she was out and free of gore, my heart-strings did melt, again and again. She was so new, so tender, so un-touched. A perfect being. That is how mr. boy will be too. But I think this time I'll wait in the hall.

******
"Eden, you're going to have a brother!"
Eden: "It's a BOY???!!!!!"

When Eden saw him on the screen, she said "Ooooh, a baby! He cryeen."
"Why, Eden?"
"He want hees mommy"