on august 22, my nephew was born.  i am officially an aunty!  and officially under the spell of this little one.  the call came at 11pm california time.  "hi, she’s in labor."  she’s in labor?!?  i jumped out of bed excited and for a split second was disappointed.  i was supposed to be there.  i bought a ticket to be there 10 days before his due date.  he decided to come 3 weeks early.  bummer. 

by the time i got on a plane, my nephew was a full 36 hours old.  i hopped on tuesday night’s redeye to cleveland.  my brother and mom picked me up in his suv with the infant seat turned backwards in the back.  in an instant, life had changed. 

i came to my brother and gave him a big hug and said, "hi dad!"  he smiled, hugged me back and put my suitcases in the car.  when we got to the hospital, baby sheik was in him mom’s arms and i went to greet them both.  i had never carried a child two days old.  it’s an incredible feeling.  exhilirated to meet him, scared he might slip through my hands, in peace that such a gift has blessed our family.  we must have done something right in a past life to deserve him.

i am here in my brother and sister-in-law’s home.  it’s suburbia and i am helping them get accustomed to their new life as parents.  today i thought…with me helping, it’s like the blind leading the blind.  i don’t know the first thing about taking care of babies.  but i tell you something, you sure do learn fast! 

in the beginning, there’s a simplicity to life.  basic survival needs.  food, water, comfort, love.  these are things i can lend a hand to.  i helped bathe him tonight.  i can change him, feed him, dress him.  but most of all, i know how to kiss him 100 times.  i hope he can feel all that love. 

priorities have been changing for me these past months since artwallah’s completed.  i have felt myself centering more on family and friends.  as hard as i can work, i’ve made a conscious decision to take time out of my days to return home.  quiet dinners, long conversations, singing softly to my nephew in his ear.  i was in heaven. 

music has a new meaning in my life.  there is a sweetness to it once again, an innocence.  it is so easy to get caught up in the business and to lose sight of the reason we love music in the beginning.  it brings us joy.  i saw that in him tonight. 

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