It's Younger Nephew's 30th (!!) birthday this week -- but it was he & his wife who gave dh & I the best present, when we all got together to celebrate at BIL & SIL's house yesterday. :)
Yes!! A new great-nephew or great-niece is scheduled to make his/her debut in late February 2023. Finally, something to look forward to in February (which has always been my least-favourite month)! The rest of the immediate family (both his & her sides) has known for several weeks now and were sworn to secrecy. (None of the men in dh's family can keep secrets to save their lives...!) Younger Nephew remarked to us that his brother gave him the biggest hug he's ever given him in their lives when they told him the news (awww...). :) I don't know when they plan to go fully public, but I imagine they'll have to soon... she is starting to show. (I certainly won't be posting anything on my social media about it until at least then, and then only if/when they say it's okay.)
Hence, the couple's extreme caution re: covid, and the requests for us all to test before each recent get-together. The pregnancy also comes after two years of infertility testing and treatments (they didn't mention specifics, and I was not going to ask). Needless to say, they did not want to do anything that might jeopardize such a hard-won pregnancy (not to mention all that money down the drain...!).
This side of the family -- dominated by boys (on both our/BIL's & SIL's sides) -- is hoping for a girl, while Younger Nephew's wife's side -- dominated by girls -- is hoping for a boy. I guess there's a 50-50 chance that one side will get their wish, lol -- although, of course, the only thing everyone really wants is a safe and healthy outcome.
Needless to say, given our own fraught reproductive history, dh & I will be the most nervous ones of all. On the one hand, the young couple's fertility issues hit just a little too close to home for our comfort. :( On the other hand, I'm relieved that this pregnancy won't be happening in lockstep with the timeframes of my own 1998 pregnancy (which was the case with Older Nephew's wife's pregnancy with Little Great-Nephew in 2019), and that makes me feel a little bit better about it.
There were a few remarks yesterday that had me grinding my teeth and trying not to roll my eyes (the usual cliched stuff that grandparents and parents tell parents-to-be). I found myself wistfully biting my tongue and holding back from sharing on topics such as where I shopped for maternity clothes and how I told my boss at work about my own now-long-ago pregnancy.
But overall, it was a very happy day all round. :)
You can find more of this week's #MicroblogMondays posts here.
I'm so pleased for them. You'd mentioned they'd had a long time of difficulty trying to get pregnant before, so the news is extra happy, even if I know you and DH won't be entirely relaxed until the baby arrives safely. Sending love and hugs to the silently worried aunt and uncle. Your silence (and biting of tongues) is so filled with love for them. I see it, even if they are all a bit oblivious.
ReplyDeleteYay, that's exciting! I'm sorry you had to hold your tongue. I didn't think about how you have another loss -- you had experiences that are common, but sharing when the outcome was loss might be seen as "inappropriate." Gave me some food for thought and a desire to give you a giant hug.
ReplyDeleteGlad it was a happy day and good news for Younger Nephew and his wife and the family!
Congratulations! That is huge, happy news.
ReplyDeleteWonderful news! I hope you get even more chance to spoil the new baby as you have LGN!
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