auntie.

Growing up in a family as close as mine was probably the most wonderful thing and the single greatest influence in my life.  Having aunts and uncles around, growing up with my cousins like they were my own sisters, I remember wanting nothing more than to be just like my aunts.  They were so cool.  The coolest.

I want nothing less for my children.  I’m not worried about them loving my sisters.  That’s a given.  Can you imagine?  Imagine being a little girl getting to hang around someone as glamorous as Tante Caroline?  Or as fun and active as Auntie Hannah?  Play dress up, bake cookies, go to the movies, have dance parties… They’re gonna love it.  Even if I have boys they’ll love it.

And Lukas loves babies too.  So that’s nice.

But right now I’m particularly taken with Keith’s niece.  She’s a sweet little lady.  2.5 years old.  She’s in that stage where she repeats everything you say.  "Beautiful bird!"  "Uncle Keith!"  "I made a stinkeroo!"  You can get her to say pretty much anything.  It’s so funny.  We had a dance party in the kitchen at the cottage and the little lady, being half black, is already a better dancer than I am.  She can hardly run without falling on her face, but that chick’s got rhythm.

Anyway, I just thought of her and how her gramma keeps trying to get her to say Auntie Kaitlin and I felt all warm and tingly.  Had to write.

God I love life today.