According to my mother....

Darby is already gifted.  That's right, my four day old niece is apparently gifted.  But, maybe I should back up first.  My brother, Matthew, and my sister and law, Alison, had a baby on Thursday, September 9, 2010.  Her name is Darby Kay Lynne Wilber and she weighed 6 lbs, 10 ounces, 20 1/4 inches long and has a head full of hair.  Oh, and she's perfect.  I'm not saying that because I'm her aunt, I'm saying it because it's true.  Okay, I might be a little biased, but not much.  I meant to let everyone know the news, but I was able to catch a flight on Friday and I spent the whole weekend at home.  I had a great weekend and was grateful that I was able to catch a flight and that Darby has good timing.

Anyway, so Darby is gifted.  This whole gifted came about on Saturday night.  I was holding Darby against my chest, when she lifted her head slightly and looked around.  I know it sounds like I'm crazy when I say a two day old lifted her head on her own, but I'm not.  There are pictures to prove it.  So, anyway, after Darby did this I looked at my Dad and asked if this is normal.  My mom overheard the conversation and said, "It is if they're gifted."  Mom may think she is gifted because she has lifted her head, I think she is gifted because she has peed or pooped on my brother at least two days straight.  Other than the gifted comment, my parents are over the moon at the birth of their first grandchild.  I'm surprised my mom has been able to limit herself to daily visits.  I expected her to rent out the hospital room next to Alison's so she could have unlimited access.  Darby doesn't stand a chance.

Over the last few months and even this weekend, there's been a lot of "I hope Darby is ______."  We would feel in the blank with drummer (Matthew), clean (Alison), a liberal (me), a reader (Mom), you get the idea.  And even though I have grandiose ideas for her, what I want most for Darby is that she is Darby.  I want Darby to be whoever (whomever?) she wants to be.  I want her to run around in the rain, get dirty, go to the zoo.  I want her to play in mud puddles.  I want her to skin her knee while learning how to ride a bike.  I want her dance and tumble and laugh.  I want her to give her parents a hard time when she is three by repeating everything they say at the worst times.  I want her to realize how lucky and loved she is, but without feeling she will never be good enough for that love.  I want her to have slumber parties, giggle with her girlfriends, and read a book with a flashlight under the covers.  I want her to be a kid.  One that can just be a kid, and doesn't have to grow up before she is supposed to.  I want her to know that there always be a place for her in this world.  I want her to know that my door is always open to her.  I want her to grow up to be whatever she wants to be.  Whether that be a stay at home mom, an astronaut, a nurse, the president of the united states, she has the whole world open to her.  Darby is perfect the way she is and there is nothing wrong with her.  God created her to be her.  And I want nothing more than she be Darby.  She is going to be her own person.  A person that I will always be proud to call my niece.