The Best Kind of News

It's raining right now and I'm sitting at the computer with my morning cup of tea. There are so many things to talk about, most of them sad and scary. I don't really want to talk about that though because I think we could all do with some positivity. Two months ago I was laying in bed with the flu. I wasn't in a good mood because I had missed my internship the day before I knew I was going to have to make up the hours. Brady facetimed me around eight at night. I knew that something was going on because him, Kaelii, mom and dad were all sitting on the couch, looking at me. 

"We have something to show you," mom says. 

In the split second I thought, a baby. 

Brady held up a picture of what looked like a little peanut.

I immediately started crying, tears of joy. Once I started crying Brady started crying and Colt started going crazy because he could hear my voice and everyone was laughing. They told me that the baby would be born after I got home so I would be able to see them. Originally I was planning to do voluntary service at a social justice agency in Georgia. That's not happening anymore. I didn't even finish the application. With everything going on in the world it probably wouldn't have happened anyway. 

"They're thinking of naming the baby Ella," mom says.

Ella was supposed to be my name before my parents changed their minds last minute. I went from Ella to Allyson (Ally). My grandfather (my mom's dad) was raised by his parents but also spent a lot of time with his aunts. There was an Aunt Ella and an Aunt Allyson. (I assume it was spelled the same way). Aunt Ella was single and a librarian for her whole life. Bookshelves lined the walls on her house. She was introverted and quiet, like me. Looking back it would have made more sense to name me Ella since I'm very similar to her. I never got to meet her but I have a feeling we would have gotten along very well. If I was born around the time she was I would have loved to be a librarian or a bookseller. Unfortunately now librarians have more to do with technology rather than books. For the longest time I thought I was going to name my daughter Ella and pray that she would have some of Aunt Ella's personality. That's changed over the years. As of now I've hooked onto the name Atticus, after Atticus Finch. I would most likely call her "Attie" and then give her my middle name, Elizabeth, Atticus Elizabeth. Not a lot of people like it but I love southern "boy" names for girls. Frankly, I would be thrilled if my niece was named Ella. I just want the name to be passed on in the family.

The little peanut has grown bigger to the point where they look like a baby. We'll most likely find out the gender of the baby soon. The gender of the baby doesn't really matter and I don't imagine Brady and Kaelii will have a 'gender reveal' party. Still, its become a game in our family. I've never guessed the gender of a baby wrong (in our family). I guessed the genders of my younger cousins and my cousin's kids. I think this baby is a girl and everyone else thinks it's a boy. I could have been thrown off by the name but hopefully not. Regardless, we're all thrilled that there is another baby coming into the family. I'm already buying baby clothes and books. I've been buying children's books for my kids for years. I imagine some of those books will go to this baby. Some time ago I was in Target and I saw this shirt.

Brady and I loved the Incredibles growing up, specifically the baby Jack Jack. We thought he was hilarious. Unfortunately the baby can't be named Jack if they are a boy because we already have a baby Jack. It's okay though because now we call the baby, "the little Incredible". 

It's hard not to get nostalgic when you know a baby is coming. I've been thinking of all the things I'll be doing with them. I can't wait to read Harry Potter to them and sorting them into their house. I can't wait to watch all the best Disney movies and one day going to Disney World and getting to see it through a child's eyes. I can't wait to listen to Queen with them and teach them how to make the perfect cup of tea. Honestly, I can't wait to hold them and love on them. 

The world is crazy and there is a lot of pain and uncertainty. Right now we're dealing with the Coronavirus and it's hard. Kaelii is in quarantine and keeping the baby safe. Even though it's hard and we don't know how long this will last there are little beautiful moments to be noticed and future memories to be made. I can see this baby and little Atticus playing together one day at the farm house I'm sure my brother will one day buy. While there is a lot of pain in the world I also have a picture of my little niece's or nephew's hands and that is the most important thing in the world right now, at least to me.

DFTBA

-AB