Nine Pounds, Six Ounces, Too Many Miles

I have a brand new nephew! Yes, that's right. Sister N welcomed her third child and first son Friday night and we couldn't be more thrilled. Her little dude made his debut two days after his due date and weighed in at a solid nine pounds, six ounces. My superstar sister survived it all and she and her family are settling in at home as a family of five.

As I mentioned in a recent post, Sister N and her family live in Chicago and the distance has been difficult, particularly during her pregnancy. And now. Her boy is here. And all I want to do is give her a hug. And see her new addition. Alas, there are many miles separating us. In an ideal world, I would waste zero time hopping on a plane. When she went into labor with her first daughter a little over four years ago, I did just that. I heard that she was headed for the hospital and I booked a flight. I remember waiting at my gate when her husband texted to announce that it was a girl. I arrived in her hospital room mere hours after she became a mom.

But things are different now. I have two little girls of my own and a sea of obligations. As much as I would like to, I cannot just go.

So, tethered to the intricacies of my good life, I must wait a bit. Until I can sneak away and celebrate with my sister. Soon. I hope so at least.

The picture above? No, it's not Chickie. (No, that's not his name, but what they called him in utero.) I wish I could share a photo with you and tell you his name because he is a cute little (okay, not-so-little) guy and his name is nothing short of amazing. These are not my details to pass along, so I won't. But I will tell you one thing I'm thankful for in the wonderful wake of my sister's welcoming new life: Technology.

Technology?

Yes, technology. If he were around, Dad, a lovable Luddite, would not be proud. He would prefer that I wax poetic about Daddy Darwin and the majesty of evolution and genetic mystery. And I will do that another day. But today, I am thankful for technology.

Because of technology - cell phones, email, texting and Facebook in particular - I felt like I was part of Chickie's arrival. On Friday night, Husband, the girls, and I met Mom, Sister I and her fam for an early dinner at our favorite neighborhood haunt. It was there that I got the call from Sister N. They were headed to the hospital. Her contractions were strong. Just a few hours later, I got a text that I had a new nephew. Thanks to various Facebook updates in the middle of the night, I knew that Chickie was a big guy. I was able to see his little face, clear as day on the tiny screen of my phone. This kid is only a few days old and I have already seen ten videos of him. Crying. Yawning. Displaying squishy cheeks. Being a superhero. Meeting his sisters. His grandmother. The list goes on.

So, yes. Times have changed. Technology is affecting the way we experience life and the world.

But today I am so thankful for that. I am thankful for the ability to feel a little bit closer when in reality I am so far away. I am thankful that until I am able to hop that plane, I will have my sweet little Chickie fixes.

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Please join me in congratulating Sister N and her family on the arrival of her baby boy. How do you feel about the ever-expanding role of technology in our world? Are you able to see the positive side of the ubiquity of technology like I am?