the babies

Yesterday I had the treat of spending some time with my niece and nephew. They are precious and hilarious- Katie is 3, Artie is 2. Although, after pushing baby dolls in baby doll strollers for 30 minutes with Artie, my back was aching and I was wondering how mom's do it. Moms are incredible people. 

When Katie joined our baby doll-stroller-pushing game, her 3 year old self added a little panache. Suddenly, we weren't just walking (me bent half over to reach down to the stroller) around the apartment in loops- start at Katie's room, past the couch, circle in the kitchen, back past the couch on the other side, past Katie's room, past the couch... Once Katie joined we stopped in front of the couch because there was a playground there that Artie and I hadn't noticed before. Katie and I took our babies down invisible slides and across invisible monkey bars. Artie laughed, excited over our discovery. Our babies played in an invisible sand box, built a HUGE sand castle, and then Katie (forgetting she was a Mommy and not a Katie in the game) trampled all over that imaginary sand castle. But we didn't mind. Artie just kept laughing.

At our next stop in or stroller-pushing-game, we decided our babies needed some song time. It was so-so-so precious. 

I love being an "Auntie."

maybe i do like kids

For some reason, I always think I don't like kids. Despite the fact that I work with hundreds of them on a near-daily basis, I have an idea in my silly head that I don't like them. They're intimidating- all that potential and energy bundled up so delicately- and they take me out of myself, away from my selfishness. No wonder I have a knee-jerk reaction to the idea of them. But really, I love them. I can't wait to have some of our own. Our own little bundles of potential and energy. That's beside the point.

Last night I watched a friend's 3 year old daughter for a while. We played. Blew bubbles. Made up our own games. One game went as follows:

- Anna and Kim sit on the couch together, with backs against opposite couch arms

- Burry feet under a cushion

- Exclaim "oh no! the couch is eating our feet!"

- Call out for help

- When no-one responds, Anna says "we don't have any friends?"

- Both pretend to start crying. Anna's pouty lip is the best.

- Anna pulls one foot out from the cushion. Kim is SHOCKED.

- Kim pulls and pulls on one leg, and FINALLY is able to free a foot.

- Anna joins the effort and, together, they pull out Kim's second foot.

- Anna exclaims "one more time"

- Repeat.

The best part- I don't think Anna has any idea what "what more time" means. She could say that for hours with no hesitation. We played our feet-eaten-by-couch game for a good 30 minutes, and then played it again before bedtime. 

Bedtime is what truly sold me. Anna is all about the cuddles. We read three Olivia stories, and then sat together in the rocking chair. Anna sang to me. Then I sang to her. "Let's Go Fly a Kite" from Mary Poppins, "Goodnight My Someone" from The Music Man, Amazing Grace. Sweet Anna didn't want the rocking, singing and snuggling to end, but when I finally lay her down to sleep she hardly protested. Precious.