When I found out I was pregnant, there were a few people I was hesitant to tell. For various, justifiable reasons, I knew some people who not feel only excitement (although, of course, that would be their initial reaction). There was one person in particular whose reaction concerned me. I knew she could feel threatened, feel jealous, or simply be confused. And this person means more to me than anyone except Jesse. This person is my niece, Amira.
The day Amira was born, she taught me a new meaning of love. I literally told Jesse it was incredible how in love I was with someone I didn't really know (and this reaction has me giddy with excitement of how I am going to feel when it is my own baby!). In the past five years, Amira has been the center of my world. And not just mine, but my entire immediate family's. So her reaction was important to me.
I had no idea.
I can say without reservation that Amira is as excited - possibly more - than anyone else about this pregnancy besides me and Jesse. When she sees me, she hugs and kisses my belly. When we sit down to eat, she wants to sit beside me -- no, beside Emerson, as she says it. She will ask me to show her my weekly picture updates so she can know what Emerson looks like now. She felt Emerson kick the other day and her eyes got so big as she grinned from ear to ear. She will doodle "I love Emerson" on scrap paper. It really is unbelievable how positively Amira has responded to my pregnancy. It is one of the most adorable things I have ever seen.
When we were debating middle names for Emerson, I asked Amira's opinion. She said, "I think it should be Love, because everyone loves Emerson." (...as a result of that, we seriously considered that for a middle name! what a sweet story!).
Mik said the other day that Amira is going to be more like a big sister to Emerson than a big cousin, and I think she is right. She already acts towards my "baby bump" the way my big sister has always been with me - protective, excited, and full of love. I just hope she isn't disappointed if Emerson turns out to be a boy (although she has promised me that if it's a boy, she "won't like it, but she'll still love it.") Priceless.
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