A baby niece!

Hello,

Not strictly adoption news but it led to me and L having a long discussion about things so I thought I would share some of it!

We were both seriously excited by the arrival of my brother's baby girl this week. I am thrilled to be an Auntie and looking forward to lots of spoiling her and cuddles. Our friends are also expecting (twins no less) and I'm organising the baby shower. It got us thinking about society's reaction to a new born, and how it differs from adoption. I guess people are well trained in how to react to a new birth: buy a babygro and some flowers, take hundreds of photographs and coo lots at the cute little sleeping wee person. More than that it comes automatically: I couldn't stop staring at my little tiny niece and wanted to cuddle her all day! And I imagine that people don't quite know what to do when you adopt. I mean if we adopt a three year old with it's own personality and ideas, it would be rather scary to be passed round the room and photographed, and quite schocking to recieve huge amounts of new stuff. It's all about the slowly, slowly, softly, softly and I wonder how I will respond to that when the time comes. But that's me...I do like to worry about the unknown. Must purchase a self-help book and become more centred!

To be honest I expect our friends and family will be quite awesome...excitedly murmuring away n the background but trying not to be too overbearing. I just wonder if we will miss all the fuss, all the welcoming and all the celebration. Who knows? There are many many more things to wonder about at this stage and many more important things to worry about. But I do know that being an Auntie is going to be really fun!