Happy 2nd Birthday, Alexander!

I just got off the phone with Audrey’s middle guy Alexander. I had called to wish him a Happy Birthday, but before I could even get those words out, he had announced, “Janie, it’s my birt-day! I two!”

That little guy never fails at bringing a smile to my face.

Wow, two years. It was two years ago today that I was once again on my way from Rhode Island to New York City to see my sister deliver another bundle of joy. One year and three days after her first precious little guy William was born.

It was another long labor for Audrey, just like it was with William, and once again I sat in the waiting area at Lenox Hill Hospital, along with my Mom and Dad, as other new mothers’ loved ones came and went, the babies’ arrivals they had been waiting for coming before ours.

There was one decidedly “New York City” exchange that I was a part of as I waited that day. A gorgeous woman, probably in her late 30’s, was sitting across from me in the waiting room. She was in the very early stages of labor, so the hospital hadn’t put her in a room yet. Her hair was blown out, her make-up was perfect and she was impeccably dressed, wearing a short black maternity dress – and heels!

I was trying to keep William entertained and quiet, and he was being so good.

“How old is your son?” this woman asked me.

I explained that he was my nephew and that I was watching him while my sister was having her new baby.

She looked shocked. “How old is this one!?” she asked.

“He just turned one three days ago.”

Once again, she looked shocked. She asked me how old my sister was. At that time, Audrey was 27.

“When did she get married?” the woman asked.

I didn’t understand why she was drilling me with questions, but I told her Audrey was 23 when she got married.

“Wow, so young!” she answered. “Are you guys Morman?”

I found it so funny that just because Audrey had gotten married at 23 and was having her second baby at 27, she would assume we were Morman. But I guess it made sense, as many of the women Audrey knew in New York City who were pregnant at the same time as her were in their late 30’s or early 40’s. It’s just a different mentality.

I explained to the woman that Audrey wanted to have a big family, so she just wanted to start at a fairly young age. Our conversation went on for a while longer (she even asked me advice on what she should name her baby – kind of odd), but pretty soon there was a very joyous reason to celebrate…

Alexander had arrived! At 10:14 PM, weighing 7 lbs. 10 oz., to be exact.

Mom, Dad and I were able to bring William into the delivery room right after he was born. I love this look on Williams face:

It’s like he’s saying, “Will someone tell me what in the hell is going on here?”

I have just loved my little “Ally” from the moment he was born:

And now, two years later, he is this funny little man who cracks us up every time he opens his mouth, whether he’s asking to play “Nick June-yas” games on the computer, asking where my dogs “Wy-da” (Ryder) and “Bizzy” (he’s got that one down) and “Seff” (Seth) are, or telling us he wants to go to his favorite restaurant, “Mozza-ga-rellas” – translation, Mozzerella’s.

Ally, thank you for being you, the silly little brother to William and the kind older brother to Benjamin. You are simply a joy to be with. Happy 2nd Birthday! Auntie loves you soooo much!

– Jane

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