Uncle for the very first time

The world now contains another Cullinan. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

I got a text from my brother tonight that his wife, Olenka, had delivered their daughter, Sofya Rae Cullinan, at 12:13 PM today in Arizona. Apparently she delivered 45 minutes after the epidural was placed, which is a far cry from the 43 hours of labor, 3 hours of pushing and the help of the vacuum suction that it took to bring Anna Cullinan into this world. I am so happy for them, I can't even properly articulate it. I can't think of two people that will be better parents.

But this marks uncharted territory for me. I have never been an uncle before - not even a pseudo-uncle to a young kid that is the child of a friend like Jeff is "Uncle Jeff" to Anna. I'm not really sure what being an uncle is all about, but I am more than up to the challenge. I guess I can just take lessons from my own brother, who treats Anna like a queen whenever we see him and my soon-to-be brother-in-law Andrew, who dotes on her like she is his own child.

It'll be a few months before we get to meet her - they're coming back to Iowa in December for our sister's wedding - and I can't wait. Anna's waited almost 9 years for a cousin and although she'll never have the "gaggle of cousins" experience that we had growing up, I'm so happy that our family is expanding this year, both by blood and by marriage.

But since we've both had daughters and Heidi & I are done having kids, it falls to him to carry on the family name. But even if it doesn't happen, at least it will live on in gay romances.

Congratulations Ryan & Olenka!