be a great aunt

Meet J.T! http://www.firerosephotography.com/niece/

Two weeks ago, went to the pumpkin patch with my sister and niece. My niece and I kept trying to out dance each other to the music pumping out of the ground’s sound system. “Look Auntie, Can you do this?” I think I look liked a complete idiot. Who cares – We had a good time. :)

Today we listened to my eclectic music while I cooked. Found out that she likes Louis Armstrong…actually any big band music, classic rock, reggae and calypso. She didn’t care for Pink Floyd but danced to Enrico Caruso.

to have someone who often squeals “Auntieeee!” at the sight of you , smiles ear to ear and runs up to greet/hug you. She’s taught me to openingly show my joy at having others I love around. It’s her birthday soon. I know that she wouldn’t be like this forever but so for now I’ll enjoy the few moments that we spend.

Whenever she does something that she thinks is cool..like put the right block in the right shape; balance a block, a water bottle upside down and it’s cap on top or sucessfully helped the Little Einsteins’ Red Rocketship on the Disney Channel take off with a few pats, etc – she raises her arms high up in the air and say “YEHH!!!”. Now I find myself being really glad when I do simple things with a “YEHHH!!!”.

Like part of a work project, finding a pair of great jeans, when someone helped me change a tire this weekend, my new ice skates(said “Yehhh!!” when I got back in my car) and a few mins ago made a great tasting green juice with kale,spinach, carrots celery, apple…sometimes I have to force myself to drink it. Right now? It tastes good. So big YEHHHH!!!!

I losted my password to petty so let’s start again.

Last year, As I waited for my first niece/nephew to be born..I wondered what he/she would be like. She came in the package of my niece Xi, who was born premature. I started thinking of all the things I’d teach her – like how to be a strong black woman, wise, graceful(I’m still learning this), how to honorable, good ,kind and generous to herself and others. It’s weird..but more and more it seems as if she was already born with all the qualities that I wanted to teach her. Instead, I find myself learning from her…how to be strongly independent but able to still love in the most easy generous simple way, and how to show people that you need them (I’ve never seen someone so over the top happy to see me.) I hope that she doesn’t lose that quality as she grows up…I’m a better person for it. She’s helping me to be an awesome aunt! :)