Baby Steps: Best friends and cousins

Growing up, I was either the oldest or youngest in our family. On my dad's side, I had two cousins who were five and eight years older than me and who lived in California. On my mom's side, I had five cousins who were eight and 10 years younger than me. I didn't realize the friendships that can grow between cousins until I was an adult and saw how my best friend interacts with her family.

J has an amazing relationship with her cousins. They are best friends and tell each other everything. They also fight like siblings, love each other fiercely and are ready to go to battle against anyone who speaks poorly of their family.

After seeing their relationship, I realized what I missed out on, and I longed for the same. My cousins and I like each other, but because of the geographical and age differences, we will never be as close as J and her cousins. Knowing that I can't really have that closeness today, I hope for it for my kids.

I'm not the only one seeing what it's like to have close family your age who can also be your best friends. Six months ago, Cooper asked me why all his friends have best friends (cousins) and he doesn't. In his very serious 4-year-old way, he said it's not fair that he doesn't have anybody but PaPa and Felicity to play with. I explained to him that when his aunts and uncles are ready, hopefully one day he'll get someone else besides his sister and PaPa to play with.

This was not the answer he was hoping for. Being 4, he wanted an immediate fix to his problem of no playmates. He went to school and asked his friends if they would be his cousins. He tried and tried to convince me it was a problem I could fix. Finally, I think he just gave up.

And then, on Father's Day, my brother- and sister-in-law made an announcement. One year and one month after getting married, they were going to grant Cooper's wish and bring him a cousin in January 2016.

I'm still not sure Cooper fully understands what is happening, but his grief at not having a best friend is subsiding. He keeps asking me where the baby is and pointing at Auntie Erin's stomach. He knows that is where his sister came from, but my sister-in-law is very petite and not showing, so Cooper is a bit confused. He also has already decided the baby is a boy and his name is Batman or Robin. And I'm pretty sure he assumes the baby is going to be born at age 4 so he can play superheroes with him or her right away.

Cooper is very excited, and so is the rest of the family! January can't get here fast enough!

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Kristen Pind, a native of small-town Gower, Missouri, came to Southeast Missouri State University with big dreams of being the next Katie Couric or Diane Sawyer. She never thought that in her 20s, she'd be married with two kids and living in Cape Girardeau. Keep up with Kristen's adventures as a young mom who's still trying to figure out how her own life fits together. Turns out, she's living a dream she never knew she had, and loving every minute of it. Kristen invites moms of all types to find her "Baby Steps" page on Facebook.