The Rule of 16's

It was a good thing that my mom had her sister visiting when I was born. Apparently I was a very difficult, colicky baby, and having my 16 year old aunt there really helped my mom. I'm talking about Amazing Aunt Risky there, in a country (Sweden for you new folks, and thanks for following!) where she didn't speak the language. What she could do was give me her patented knuckle treatment – no, she didn't harm me, I sucked on her knuckles since my mother was determined to stick to a “once every four hours” feeding schedule. It seems I cried the last two hours. Fast forward.

That colicky, cranky, screaming baby is now sixteen. Amazing Aunt Risky's first child, GorgeousGirl is born. I get to watch her, soothe her, hold her, tickle her arm and spoil her every Friday until we moved to Colorado. Fast forward.

I lost touch with GG since moving to CO when I was 18 and she 2, but then when SHE'S 16 (beginning to catch on to the title here?) my son, The Transporter, is born. She flies out for his baby dedication with our mutual grandma Vivian. We've hardly seen each other in the past 14 years, but we hit it off immediately (again) and she bonds, holds, cuddles with and soothes the newborn little Transporter. Do you see where this is going? You might recall that The Transporter is 16...

GG just had her first child, an ADORABLE baby boy just his week. 

                     Proud Papa, the Marine

GG, of course looking Gorgeous, with 3 day old "Froggy"

The rule of 16 continues to apply. Let me sum up:

** Aunt Risky was 16 when her niece (as in me) was born.

** I was 16 when her daughter (GG) was born.

** GG was 16 when my son was born.

** My son IS sixteen and GG's son was just born.

The Transporter, holding a baby for the very first time!

Take that all you math doubters!

Is The Transporter going to have to wait until he's 32 to have a child? Time will tell.

~Tina

Showered with Love

Yesterday I had the privilege of co-hosting GorgeousGirl's baby shower. For those of you not wanting to head up to the tab to translate all the nicknames: she's my cousin who moved to CO and lived with us for a while before she married The Marine. Their little one is due at the end of August. The party was a huge success.

(The Marine and his sister)

(One of my co-hostesses and her mother-in-law)

Swissie, The Master of Cakes, made this adorable one. Where she gets the patience, I don't know.

On the menu we had rolled up stuffed puff pastry in the shape of snails, baby weiners (puppy dog tails) and frogs in all sizes (gummy style). The guest of honor made this gorgeous bowl of jello with floating edibles, but you know me and my jello phobias, so I did not have any. Of course, for the health conscious Mama to be, we had loads of fruits and veggies.

We drank wine out of baby bottles.

(My niece was NOT drinking wine...)

We decorated onesies with puffy paint.

We tried to guess what was in the baby food jars.

The Engineer's favorite game (not that he attended the event, mind you, even though it was a co-ed shower) was the poopy diaper game. You might have heard of this one. Take a diaper and put a candy bar in it. Melt in microwave. It looks remarkably like real poo. Next, guess which candy the baby ate. Much hilarity ensued as one was allowed to taste if one dared...And some did! First prize was a bottle of wine, and not these little ones that my Swissie and I made as favors. That's great motivation...

Aunt Risky gave this gift. The Marine rides motorcycles, and GG skies. He's going to be one well out-fitted dude!

This quilt was made by GG's grandma, started over 60 years ago, and finally finished last year, on GG's due date. Think “the baby maker” from The Proposal – I think this will be a lucky quilt :-)  

It's fun making people smile, and making memories, and being part of family traditions.  I'm glad I could be a part of this one.

Ever played the poo game?  If you're a parent, what was your favorite shower gift?  Would you sip wine from a baby bottle? 

P.S And for those of you wondering, NO! I didn't have to go to the ER for a fourth Saturday in a row.  Phew.  Thanks to all my friends and relatives for staying out of trouble...

~Tina