Good nuncle Bernie

[breakinglight11]

I love how much Bernie loves his new little niece. His brother Joe and sister-in-law Jackie had a baby early this year, a little girl named Shai, and Bernie loved her immediately. He wants to hold her all the time, despite having previously been afraid of how fragile babies are, and has learned to do all the things to take care of her, including feeding and changing. He babysits her on a regular basis and sends me pictures and little videos of her eating and looking with her big eyes and kicking her little feet. We call her "baby fish," an evolution of my habit of giving slightly unflattering animal nicknames out of affection.

I fear I may like children more in a theoretical sense than in a practical one— I love seeing pictures of her and watching Bernie mind her, but feel kind of overwhelmed at the idea of being responsible for a child myself —but I was shocked at how interested I am in how she's doing day to day or what she's up to. I like hearing her gurgling baby sounds and seeing her squashy baby head. And it gives me a lot of joy to see him be so tender with her, loving her so much he's enthusiastic to do everything to take care of her.


Squashy baby head.