Who Am I?

Am I an Aunt? A Big Sister once removed? We’re not really sure what I will be to my Little Sister’s newborn son, except interested and involved!  

Tabitha and I were matched in the Big Sister program back when she was 8 years old.  We started with the in-school mentoring program where I went to visit her once a week and we played games in the gym and whatnot. We escalated that to full Big/Little status and did all the theme parks, museums, malls and family visits you can imagine.  We baked cookies, did crafts, watched movies and endured dramas and traumas. Long ago I let her old boyfriend have it in a phone conversation I’ll never forget (don’t mess with my girl!) and she even lived with me for a while in Toronto.  I’ve had the privilege of watching a shy little waif turn into a smart, confident woman who managed her pregnancy as well as any project manager I’ve ever known.

She’s on the cusp of turning 24 this year and now a new Mom. She and her wonderful partner Nick welcomed Ryker Keenan on Monday night.  He’s 7 lbs 6 ounces and healthy despite being a breech baby and coming out in a bit of a panic in the delivery room. I’m actually surprised that he doesn’t weigh about 17 lbs considering the way he filled out Tabby’s tiny size 0 frame. A couple of weeks ago Nick and Tabby did a maternity photo shoot and I can tell you they’re both as gorgeous on the inside as they are on the surface.

I plan to see Ryker for myself later this week. I will blubber, I’m sure.  This is the first photo of him.

I’m so full of love and wonder, my heart might burst.  Congrats Tabby and Nick and thanks for bringing me the closest I’ll get to becoming a Grandma!