my momma told me there'll be days like this ...

so now there are five little kids that are lucky enough to have b and i spoil them rotten in an attempt to secure permanent status as best auntie and uncle ever. (we're well on our way, don't you worry.) i don't think it had actually hit me that we were about to have another little person before whom i could barely remember before last week. in my defense, b's sister has been pregnant a lot in the past few years. but when she called me thursday, while driving HERSELF to the hospital, bitching (at 3pm) about how she didn't know who was going to make her in-laws dinner, it was all pretty damn real. she wasn't sure if it was labor, but it sounded to me (remember, experienced auntie here) as though her water had broken. she almost went home, but they had the good sense at the hospital to check her first. which is good, since she was 4cm dilated.

7 hours later, #5 made her entrance.

what did i do, you might ask, as i waited for the newest family member to arrive? why, i went to a nice new spa on k street and got myself and mani and pedi, that's what i did. and let me tell you why. i've had five of these days so far, days where a huge personality was entering the world. days where i knew i'd remember where i was, what i was doing, when this human who i'd come to love and worry about every day came into being. the excitement hasn't changed between #1 and #5... but there was something about this one that felt a little different. i couldn't help think that the next time the family's excitedly calling back and forth about a new grandchild,* the next time a new, huge personality before whom i'll barely be able to remember makes an entrance - it probably won't be because of b's sister. this is their last (though those are famous last words) and it probably won't be my brother preparing the cut the umbilical cord. it will probably be someone else. someone else who decided to get a mani and pedi rather than think about that.

*this is not imminent, let me be clear.