Welcome to the world, Baby Sofia! (now with pics!!!)

Dear newest member of my heart,

There are many things I could tell you about the world you've been born into. It's kind of a mess right now, but that's pretty much always been the case. The world I was born into in 1969 was also a mess. The world your maternal grandmother was born into in 1946? Also a mess. But you'll be okay in this messy, chaotic, precarious world because you were born into a family that refuses to give into this mess and never has.

I don't need to tell you about how much love you're going to experience. You'll see that for yourself, for there will never be a time in your life, whether you are hours or decades old, when you will not be loved, hugged, cheered over, or coddled. Enjoy it. It is a strange experience to go out into the world one day and see other families aren't like yours. You were loved before you were even named. You will be loved until you die. And that love will be fully passionate, unconditional, a little suffocating, and more beautiful than anything you will ever encounter. I'm not here to tell you about the love.

Here's what I can tell you:

You have the coolest fucking aunt on the planet. I know this because I've known her for her entire life. She is my cousin, sister, and goddaughter. She is so full of awesome, it vibrates out of her into those around her so they feel a little more awesome while in her presence. I have experienced this first-hand, so I know of which I speak.

You also have the most amazingly fantastic grandmother ever. She was my coolest fucking aunt, so I'm a little territorial, but I'm willing to share. You will grow hearing her laugh and it will be the most beautiful sound you know. Hopefully her irreverent sense of humor won't embarrass you too much, for it is a priceless, bawdy, sharp-witted thing you should treasure.

You have cousins. You won't understand that at first. You may think (as your aunt did of me) that they are your friends, there solely to play with you. Enjoy that. It will make you feel as precious as you are.

Your grandmother of awesome and your (not friends) cousins of fabulosity.

If you manage to inherit your father's good nature and your mother's drive and hard-headedness, you will most likely end up running the world. Either way, you will certainly have a charming-killer smile, a load of sweetness, intelligence, and an almost genetically imprinted understanding of the value of family.

Speaking of families: yours is huge. As in epic huge. It is multi-generational, multi-cultural, multi-continental. And no matter how crazy we may drive each other, we also never let petty problems shut us down or tear us apart. We also laugh. A lot. I am looking forward to hearing yours.

Yesterday, while I sat 500 miles away from your mother, I was called by no fewer than 5 members of your family with updates as to your arrival (1 cm, 3 cm, 6 now! she's at 10! she's at 10!). To say I wish I could have been there is a vast understatement. In all honesty, after the fifth (but not final) phone call telling me of your curly black hair, I burst into self-pitying tears because I couldn't see you right away. You are the first baby born into this family I haven't been present for in 10 years. Hopefully one day, should you decide to have one of your own, I will be able to make it up to you by waiting with you.

Welcome to the family, Sofia. I am your second cousin, though in Greek tradition that would make me your aunt. For the record, I have no set name or title. Your cousin Nicky calls me Diana; your cousin Alex calls me (insisted upon, actually) Aunt Diana; your cousin (by marriage) Emma calls me Aunt D; your by-proxy cousins Ben and Jack call me D.

You may call me whatever you want.

Rest now. We'll meet soon.