2003-06-17 - 8:25 p.m.

Surprise! I'm an uncle

At ten to six this morning, BigSis called. TwinSis' water had broken. NumberOneNephew decided to come into the world about four and a half weeks early. They were already at the hospital. Since there wasn't anything I could do then, and because I wouldn't dream of letting my scene partner down, I went to class for the morning.

Not exactly easy to concentrate on class when your sister is in labor, but that's the thing about acting. When you're really doing it, you can't actually think about anything else.

Anyway, I got up to the hospital at about 2:00. Mom flew back from her business trip in Chicago. Dad is rafting and is unreachable.

TwinSis got through the whole delivery without using any drugs. She's without a doubt the strongest, most determined person I know. At 3:23, I became an uncle. Six pounds, six ounces. Which is pretty damn big for a preemie (and coincidentally the exact weight that TwinSis weighed when she was born).

Unfortunately, because he's premature, NumberOneNephew is not getting as much oxygen as he should. He's going to have to stay in the nursery for a while. Maybe as long as four weeks.

This fact really upset TwinSis and TallBroInLaw, understandably. It bummed me out pretty seriously for a while, too.

But I have no doubt he'll be okay.

And, I'm an uncle.

Before they put him in the nursery, I got to hold him.

I said to him "You and me are going to be pals, okay?"

He drooled and said something close to "ech".

I'm taking that as a Yes.