SLEEPOVER!

My niece is a spitfire. She is cute and funny and sweet, and most of all that child is smart. Any child who stays up late reading books (at four years old) is my kind of kid. I think she talked the entire time she was with us. In the car, making food, watching a movie, eating dinner, driving out to ice cream, and even after bedtime there was a darling flow of narration coming from her little self. Her voice has got to be one of my favorite things in the world. 

A highlight was definitely the morning, when she walked into our bedroom and quietly said "Auntie, I think the sky is getting blue. Its time to get up now." The sky was not yet blue at 5:45am, but it was perfect cuddle time. I pulled her in next to me and she played on my cellphone (giggling wildly every time she slung an angry bird in the wrong direction), narrating all the time. Snuggled between my niece, my husband, and my dog- what a life.

My niece's FIRST EVER SLEEPOVER was a success. I actually missed her the next day. Driving in my car sans carseat was so quiet, and we didn't have any obvious excuse to go out for ice cream. Needless to say, I've been looking up baby name meanings like an idiot, despite knowing that adding CHILDREN to the agenda is not happening any time in the next year or two. For now, we'll savor sleepover time.