That Irresponsible Uncle

I must apologize to my sister and brother-in-law for a belated congratulations on their new baby. I only hope they can try and understand the transitions and stress I'm going through right now with moving to Kuwait and all. I've been very busy and very stressed.

Friends of my family no doubt already know my sister gave birth to a baby boy last week. Seth Andrew Holler decided to finally make his debut in Kentucky last week on Thursday evening. So I am officially an uncle now. Pretty cute for a newborn if I say so myself.

It was yesterday night that I was with all the new teachers at a swanky Lebanese restaurant for the official Universal American School new teacher welcoming party. We were all stuffing our faces with hummus, olives, and kebabs and making polite small talk. One woman was there with her husband and two young kids. I was having fun teasing their young daughter with stupid human tricks and other silly jokes. While the following seldom occurs when I make attempts at humor, I had their daughter, and most of the rest of the table in stitches. Not long after, the woman remarked, "You know, you're probably one of those crazy uncles who gets to have all kinds of fun corrupting kids but no responsibility for raising them."

I smiled, and said, "yep!" While I don't know if children are in my future or not yet, I at least know I can be that crazy black sheep uncle who shows up at family gatherings and fosters endearment with flatulence, bathroom humor, and wildly inappropriate gifts that kids love and parents dread. The potential damage I can inflict on this innocent young mind will no doubt require years of therapy, letters to Dear Abby, and perhaps even an appearance on Maury Pauvich.

So I say, to my sister and her no doubt sleep deprived grad school husband: Well done! These are pictures of my new nephew. As my dad noted, Jr's not a week old and he's already smirking and copping an attitude!