For quite some time, my brother and his wife have been looking to adopt a child. Those of you who have been through the process know how it can be – expensive, draining, a security check that makes working at Hanford a piece of cake, endless frustration, etc.
Well, yesterday my brother got back from a business trip to find his social worker presenting him with a healthy, 7-pound, 5-day old boy!
I’m already practicing “pull my finger.” Woo Hoo!
Congratulations to them and to you!! That must be so exciting, and overwhelming to have it suddenly happen. I have a couple of friends who have adopted, and can understand the joy and the frustration.
You are in the best position. Much of the fun, little responsibility. Enjoy it! And forget the “pull my finger” bit or you’ll be “Funny Uncle manny.” 
Congratulations! That’s wonderful news, and little Staten Island is lucky to have found such a great family!
Whoo! Congratulations, manny! Also congrats to your brother and sister-in-law.
They’re going to name him after me, right? I mean, who wouldn’t?
Hey, cool! It finally went through!
Now, remember. You’re the cool uncle. 
excellent!!! congratulations!
Too cool, Manny. Spoil the kid rotten, will ya?
Hmmm, I think it’ll be awhile before he grows up to be Staten Island. Maybe Roosevelt Island? Or with a bit of class, Governor’s Island.
Just don’t call him Riker’s Island…
'Grats, pal! I’m not sure I meant to do this, but I seem to have offloaded the daily child-rearing to my sibs and now occupy the truly cool position in several young lives of Uncle beatle.
It works, man. He’ll love ya’, and you’ll love him.
We’ve gotta try it out… Unca manny…Ohhh! It works! It works!
::Gives Manny a Cigar::
Congrats Unca Manny. Spoil the beast rotten
How terribly cool! Congratulations to everybody.
“Uncle Manny” - yeah, that works for me. Just try to wait until the kid’s 16 before you get him hooked on cigars, okay?
Can I send you a box of Cubans for you and yours?
Congrats, Uncle Manny! We don’t have a child of our own yet, but our niece is the apple of my wife’s and my eye. She is so spoiled. I know you will have a blast with your new nephew.
Neices and nephews are the greatest. My own son now lives 1500 miles away with his mother and I rarely get to see him but my brother and his wife now live less than a mile away (in Oklahoma, that’s the same thing as living in the same building in Manhattan) with their 2 little girls, which I spoil rotten at every opportunity. Even better, they’re expecting another child in about 7 months.
Congrats, Manny. Next best thing to being called ‘daddy.’
Hell, it’s better. You get to do all the fun stuff…bedtime stories, ball games, burp contests…and when it’s temper-tantrum or diaper-changing time, you can hand him off to Mom without her giving you the Evil Eye.
Great news, pal! Have fun, and congratulations!
Congratulations, manhattan. I second Ike’s motion. I’ve been an uncle for the last seven years, and I love it. I get to be the ‘cool’ grownup: I can play with them, buy them stuff, watch cartoons, and be an all-around buddy, and leave the discipline to my sister. I’m sure she’s counting the days until she can get back at me.
Being an aunt/uncle is cool!
Remember to teach him the “see/sea-food” trick when he gets older. I’m not sure if my sister has forgiven me for that one yet!
Congrats!
Absolutely right; I forgot about that other advantage. You will be LIKED by the kid, especially when he hits adolescence (and in the NY metropolitan area this happens, mentally and emotionally if not physically, around the age of four).
Mom and Dad may be a couple of assholes, but Uncle Manny, he’s the greatest! Wonder if they’re really related?
Some future gift suggestions:
fingerpaints
Play-doh (it’s really tough to get out of carpets)
Slimey toys of any nature. We found one truly wonderful ‘game’ and gave it to SO’s sister’s kids (by the way at that point, my son was too old for retribution - I ain’t no fool) It was called “Gooey Louie” and the object of the game was to pick items out of the slime from this big plastic Louie’s nose. There was a smaller ‘car version’ too.
Glitter. Lots of it. Both in a vial to be dumped on stuff and already glued onto things.
etc.
congrats - bein’ an uncle (or in my case the 'world’s coolest aunt[sup]tm[/sup] ) is terrific!