PenPenWrites

Our friends the Ds are having a baby. Let me rephrase that: Their daughter is having a baby. Her second. Their fifth. Their daughter’s husband called at midnight with the good news: healthy 8-lb boy. By 12:02, Mrs. D was at her computer sending out an email announcement to family and friends.So far, so good–except that her daughter hadn’t called her brother. It was late, the brother had three small children under five years of age and sleep is a precious commodity. The call could wait till morning. The sister-in-law, however, was up at 6, logged onto her computer and got the news by email from her mother.-in-law. Her nose was quite out of joint. She and her husband wanted the joy of the personal announcement from the daughter and brother-in-law. They  were quite resentful about the email.

I think about that now because we are having a baby. That is, uber son  and his wife are having their third. She is almost a week late and we are in daily communication about when an inducement might take place. Soon, if that baby doesn’t make it’s way into the world by week’s end. So I bring up the question about who will tell uber-son’s sister. Does he mind if we do?
He is dumbfounded by the question. "We’re a close family," he says. "Who cares who calls first?"

Presumably, it’s the mass email that’s less than a charm. A call is still personal. Email’s OK for friends and far-flung family but not for the nuclear ties that bind. At least this is the note I’ve made to myself.

We’ve had our baby.  Uber son and my wondrous daughter-in-law have had their third. Our fourth. She’s a beauty, of course. Paterfamilias and I were on the phone to alpha daughter right away–with uber’s permission and with his thanks. He wanted to pick up his children and bring them to see their new sister–he didn’t want to be making phone calls no matter how close the connection. Alpha daughter was thrilled to know about her new, healthy niece. Joy unconfined. A new baby and everyone happy to hear about it. We are using email to notify far-flung friends and attaching a photo of the newest grand just to warm it up. Oh the wonders of the Internet age–so long as we set limits on it.