The gift of life :)

[talkfreelance]

Well, this morning my cousin and his wife had their first child, a baby boy named William. My family is very small and close, the only people I really see are my cousins (only 2 of them) so it's quite a big thing really.

I can't actually work out what relation the child is to me, I assume second cousin or something....

Anyways thought i'd share the good news with you guys! Hopefully I get to see it this week, it's the first baby in our family since me :)

[deonnanicole]

Congratulations to your cousin and his wife, and your whole family. I am very close to my family too, and I know how special it is when there's a new baby born into the family. :) I have a cousin who is expecting her second child in December, so we're all looking forward to having a new baby in our family too. :)

[MartyMcFly]

I'm pretty sure you would be Uncle / Nephew, because your not the same generation to be cousins. All the same, grats to you guys :D

New kids are great in the family, especially when you only get the good stuff of enjoying them in the day, yet not kept awake by them at night :)

All the best Deonnanicole too.

[Justin01]

Congrats on the baby. Wouldn't your cousins child be considered your second cousin? Or maybe your cousin once removed? I've been trying to figure out something similar and havn't come up with anything.

[jwenting]

yup, that's the term I think. In Dutch there's a special word for it, but I don't think there is in English.

[Catweazle]

This geneaology article should help explain the generally accepted relationship titles:

http://www.genealogy.com/16_cousn.html

Meanings vary for different cultures though. In Indigenous Australian society for example, which my own family adheres to, only the terms 'cousin' and 'close cousin' are basically used. 'Cousin' means same generation relatives other than siblings, and 'close cousin' means basically the same as 'first cousin'. Where traditional society still prevails 'close cousin' can have even further restriction with, for example, mother's brother's children being included but mother's sister's children not included. The relationships vary from place to place, but where traditional society has suffered extensive breakdown the term is basically used for first cousins.

Under the system the adults involved - parents, aunts and uncles of 'close cousins' - all have responsibility for the children and children are equally answerable to all of them. There would be no thought, for example, of children reacting to an uncle or aunt with a "You're not my Dad/Mum!" because that level of disrespect would not be tolerated. The notion is quite a lot better than the notions adopted in Western Society, whre families are pressured to become nuclear, children are considered to be private properties, and we often see such horrid scenarios as grandparents having to apply to family law courts to get access to their grandchildren!

You're correct. New 'life' is a precious and wondrous thing! Children are the most important 'thing' we're ever confronted with :D

[talkfreelance]

Thanks all, yes i'm it's second cousin or once removed. :)