... I am to be the mother of daughters, parent to sisters.
I don't have sisters. Most of my closest girlfriends don't have sisters. I've never been a girly-girl. I don't especially like pink. I'm not big on sibling rivalry. I abhor Barbie.
And while I was never one for dreaming about my future children and planning how many I'd have and what their names would be etc, I always kinda assumed I'd have a son. I really did.
But very possibly I won't, and that's taking some getting my head round. It's not a tragedy by any means, I'm not wailing and gnashing my teeth and taking to my bed with disappointment (although some do I've been told, in fact just yesterday I met a woman whose sister-in-law was about to pop number 6 in her desperate quest to have a daughter - 5 boys and finally she was expecting her girl. Can you imagine that lady's angst, and the extreme likelihood of that long-awaited little girl growing up to be a bull dyke, 'cos why wouldn't the universe work like that?), but I'm taking a while for the news to sink in, I'm reconfiguring my mental picture of our family, I'm pondering raising sisters, girls, women.
And I'm finding there's a lot to be excited about in that. Imagine a girl child who is not Frieda - what a mind bend. Naturally a boy would've been different to her, but another girl, anatomically the same but a whole new personality? That's almost more challenging, and certainly quite exciting.
And while I've not had a sister, I almost did. My Mum lost a girl baby just after she was born, 2 years after me. Had she lived that would definitely have had an impact on the person I've become and I'm now being given the opportunity to experience sisterhood, albeit from a different perspective.
I've spent my life surrounded by incredible women, from my grandmothers, mother and aunts, to my parent's friends, to my own wonderful girl friends, a collection of fine, strong, formidable ladies, and I think I'm excited about spending the rest of my life with two more.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
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6 comments:
Here, here! :) x
When I was pregnant with Little Man I couldn't imagine him being a boy. My family has girls. Now I can't imagine myself having anything else than boys.
I have a big sister and a little broher and we're as similar and different as they come.
Like you said, it's all about rebooting.
I was lucky to be born into a family with five sisters, and I being the youngest. I've always been surrounded by strong, funny, women.
A girl! Fantastic. Does Charl still get the meccano set though?
I couldn't be happier that things are slowing down and I may be able to start blog surfing again. time to catch up.
And, and, and, you have a sister-in-law, and that's working out okay?
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