Confessions of an Aunt-to-Be

I’m getting antsy. I admit it.

I’m ready to be an aunt. I would imagine I’m not as antsy as my sister-in-law since she’s dealing with the joys  that come along with being 34+ weeks pregnant, but antsy nonetheless.

It’s funny because you would think I’d be used to it by now with countless friends having babies this past year (Yes, I really have lost count there have been so many). I’ve nervously waited for status updates on Facebook and sent pleading messages to new dads to post even just one photo of the newest member of the family and eagerly gone and met newborn after newborn in the past year. But the home stretch of the third trimester hasn’t seemed SO long for those friends.

Perhaps it’s that there’s something about the Aunt title that is just too cool. And now that the baby showers are done I don’t have anything else to plan in the meantime.

One thing I know is that as the baby’s Aunt I have a license to spoil – though I’m clear that what goes around comes around so there won’t be any drum set birthday presents or massive quantities of sugar when I’m babysitting. And as my mother-in-law said at a shower last weekend, the fact that we don’t know this baby’s gender has been helpful for our credit card bills as we’ve been resisting buying things so far.

But once that baby is here all bets are off. I’m a little ashamed to admit that those cheesy little onesies that say “my aunt rocks” even have me tempted. That said, no shopping spree can compare to the smells and feeling of holding a newborn and that’s what I’m really psyched about. Being fourth in line in priority of who gets dibs for that baby-holding time is a pretty cool place to be too. (I grudgingly agree Grandma and Grandpa and my husband outrank me but if you’re not one of those three or the new parents you’ll have to pry him or her away.) I’ve even called babysitting duties for the parents-to-be’s wedding anniversary in June.

But alas we still have several weeks or so to go in the waning days of waiting to meet my niece or nephew. In the meantime, anyone want to share tips for a soon-to-be Aunt? Any things that drove you crazy as a new Mom or that were particularly helpful? After all, I want to stay in their good graces so I can claim plenty of baby-holding time.

Jennifer Erickson is a Sr. Public Relations Specialist and if you need her in April after work hours she’ll likely be holding the baby or out shopping.