My brother called tonight to say that his wife of 6 weeks is pregnant.

actually, i first got a call from my sister who said, "did our brother call you?" the answer was no - not as far as i knew. It was 8:30 p.m., and Thing Two and I had just gotten home from Softball practice, where I was miserable, and she was on Cloud 9. It was cold out. She didn't notice, b/c she was running around and sporting iwth her friends. I did notice, b/c I was sitting on the ground reading a law review article on the 11th Amendment. Yee ha. I decided it was too fucking cold, and too fucking miserable to be trudging home at 8:30 at night, and that I was willing, for the rest of the softball season, to pay for a zipcar in order to be a part of a carpool. i had my computer, and my fed courts book, and my corporations book, and my bike. and my dirty, stinky gym clothes. at 8:30. In the cold. Walking many many blocks (potentially miles), and it sucked. Yes, I am still PROUD to be a non-car owner. I am also PLEASED to be a part of a car-share program, and I think that Weds. evenings are my new opportunity to enjoy the benefits of that program. grrr. argh.

no. the point. forgot for a moment.

so, sis called and asked if i heard from Mr. Obnoxious. I mean, my brother (seriously, if he one day finds out about this blog, which is highly doubtful, since he's not the computer sort, I will need to go back and edit this blog in such horrid ways). Somehow, when she asked me that, my mind jumped to the concept of money. NOthing specific, just .... money. did he get some? did someone die, and leave him money? did he somehow earn extra money? did he win the lottery? b/c the only thing i could picture my brother seeing as good news was some sort of money. i then thought, "oh, what if something's wrong with mom or dad?" but i realized that sis wasn't really in a "something's wrong with mom/dad" kind of mood.

Me: What?
Sis: [sister-in-law ... need to think of a name!] is pregnant.
Me:
Me:
Me:
Me: Oh.
Sis: Yeah.
Me: Is she due on my birthday? [b/c someone from another blog i read is pregnant .... "pg" in the world of internet pregnant people ... and her baby is due on my birthday]
Sis: No, late december. The 27th or something.
Me: Oh.

What I can't help but to think is .... ewww!! that means a Capricorn!! Ex/Schlurg is a Capricorn, and he's pooey!!! In ways that are typical of capricorns! they are bad evil unfeeling and ruthless people.

so I then got off the phone with sis, b/c i was tired and grouchy from just having walked home in very cold weather and it was 8:30, and I'd been gone from the house for 13 hours. Sis is cool, though, so she just hung up - no hard feelings.

then i checked voice mail, and sure enough, a message from another kid on the softball team asking if we wanted a ride, concluding the call with, "but I guess I called too late, you guys already left!" and then a message from my brother saying, "hey."

I hung up the phone. I held it in my lap. I said to my children and my love and my living room: "You are kidding me!! that is wonderful!! I'm so happy for you!!!"

and then i called my brother back.

Odd thing, though. Once i spoke to him and ______ (this is not a creative block, a blank line may very well be the best name for her), I wasn't really faking. I started to really be kind of happy that a baby was coming. I started to wish I was a wee closer, so I could smell the baby smell on the little girly-q's head (I think they're gonna have a girl ... perhaps b/c as far as I'm concerned, girls are the only worth while flavor) a bit more often than once every 3 months or so.

6 months of marriage, though. Even Ex/Schlurg and I were married longer than that when Thing One started to bake. by 6 months. yet, we were also a LOT younger. _____ is 30. Brother is .... god, i never know how old he is. 27? 26? Ex/Schlurg and I were 22 and 24.

Brother and _____ own a home. They both have JOBS (not enrollment in a law school or Ph.D. program!!). I wonder if _____ will keep working? I don't think my brother can support the mortgage, etc., on his income alone. He's apprenticing with my father for a trade. A lucrative one, but an apprentice .... or perhaps not even a full-blown apprentice yet. I don't think he's making much $$$.

I asked if my mother punctured his eardrums with her excitement over a new grandchild to [hijack] celebrate. he said that perhaps she was out of shrieks by the time this 4th grandchild was announced, b/c not really. I was surprised. I said that they were going to have to beat her off with a stick once the baby was born - since they live around the corner from her. he said he's hoping that any such magnetism, too, has worn off with the last 3 grandchildren.

But she's never lived in the same state as her grandchildren (other than when my Things and I lived in her HOUSE for 8 months while Ex/Schlurg lived in London). I told my brother he may do well to install an electric fence around his property. Or else my mother will be there every day. But as Beloved said - she'll still be sending daily emails with the latest AOL link for baby and parenting news. Regardless of any fortress they may build to try and secure some privacy and autonomy.

I feel like I know of many pregnancies lately. This is by far the one that is closest to me (what can be closer than a sibling?). Fortunately, no baby-envy heart strings are being pulled - only the "I wish I could see the little baby more often than I can while living 2.5 hours away" feeling. That's the most extreme. And the "oh, I remember those days." As in ... the past.

Amen.

posted by Zuska @ 11:34 PM

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