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Mar. 2nd, 2012 11:13 pmI love my nieces. This is not news to anyone. But even after spending a whole day with Lucy, I LOVE MY NIECES. They're so awesome! Lucy is almost 8, and she is growing up into a delightful young lady. She used to have a major attitude, and I guess she sometimes still does, but she was so sweet all day. And I spoiled the shit out of her. My brother gave me some cash because she needed new clothes, so I just pocketed the money he gave me and put everything on my credit card. I spent more than twice what he gave me...kids are fucking expensive, man. I'm glad I only had her for the day. But it was so fun to shop with her. I helped her coordinate some new outfits and she took my advice and I was just really touched that my opinion mattered to her. She thinks I'm cool! Aww...
When we were leaving their building, a neighbor got on the elevator. She recognized Lucy and asked about the baby, but I'd never met her. She then turned to me and said "I don't know you, but you're OBVIOUSLY related to Lucy." And that just warmed my heart. I love being "aunt." I love being recognized as such. I babysat when I was a teenager, but I've very rarely been in the position of adult of authority. Every other time I've hung out with younger relatives, I've always been one of many adults, and way down the pecking order in most cases. One time last year I was the only one available to pick up my little cousin when he got sick at school, and there was something really amazing about just going to his school and signing him out and holding his hand and making him lunch and getting him medicine. Obviously nothing spectacular in any of those activities, but I just loved flexing my caregiver muscles.
I know this talk makes it sound as if I would adore being a mother, but hooboy goodness no, no not ever, no. I quite enjoy that this is at most a novelty. I love my nieces very much, but no part of me even slightly desires the responsibility of children in my daily life. Lucy was asking me about why I travel so much, and if I would ever take her with me. I think it's awesome that she wants to travel with me, and I really do look forward to taking her somewhere awesome. I think if I'm in a good place financially, I will offer each of the girls a just-the-two-of-us vacation as a graduation gift, to anywhere they want to go. By then, they'll be old enough that we can enjoy traveling together without too much stress. Ten years for Lucy...it seems so far away, but it also seems like not long ago at all that she wasn't even born...
I know I sound like a broken record, but you guys, I love my nieces so fucking much. When parents talk about the love they have for their kids, how they never knew they could love that much...that pretty much describes how I feel about these girls. And I wonder if most parents love their kids as much as I love my nieces. I kind of doubt it.
When we were leaving their building, a neighbor got on the elevator. She recognized Lucy and asked about the baby, but I'd never met her. She then turned to me and said "I don't know you, but you're OBVIOUSLY related to Lucy." And that just warmed my heart. I love being "aunt." I love being recognized as such. I babysat when I was a teenager, but I've very rarely been in the position of adult of authority. Every other time I've hung out with younger relatives, I've always been one of many adults, and way down the pecking order in most cases. One time last year I was the only one available to pick up my little cousin when he got sick at school, and there was something really amazing about just going to his school and signing him out and holding his hand and making him lunch and getting him medicine. Obviously nothing spectacular in any of those activities, but I just loved flexing my caregiver muscles.
I know this talk makes it sound as if I would adore being a mother, but hooboy goodness no, no not ever, no. I quite enjoy that this is at most a novelty. I love my nieces very much, but no part of me even slightly desires the responsibility of children in my daily life. Lucy was asking me about why I travel so much, and if I would ever take her with me. I think it's awesome that she wants to travel with me, and I really do look forward to taking her somewhere awesome. I think if I'm in a good place financially, I will offer each of the girls a just-the-two-of-us vacation as a graduation gift, to anywhere they want to go. By then, they'll be old enough that we can enjoy traveling together without too much stress. Ten years for Lucy...it seems so far away, but it also seems like not long ago at all that she wasn't even born...
I know I sound like a broken record, but you guys, I love my nieces so fucking much. When parents talk about the love they have for their kids, how they never knew they could love that much...that pretty much describes how I feel about these girls. And I wonder if most parents love their kids as much as I love my nieces. I kind of doubt it.
