be the best Aunt ever

Just sent my niece some clothes I crocheted for her Barbies. We also talked a lot this week about how to make a dollhouse for her Barbie from items she has around the house. We had fun planning all that out. My sister later told me that she has already asked her to save some boxes and both of them are going to work on this project…I so wish I could be there right now! I miss her so much!
My nephew (3 y/o) didn’t feel like talking on the phone but overheard our conversation about the dollhouse and went and got a book they have about building dollhouses. He’s so adorable.
I wish I could live close to them. I wish I didn’t have student loans to repay and work and more school to attend so that I could just take off for a few years and live again in my country, close to my family.

About a week ago when I called my niece (they live in Argentina)she told me she loves school; she specially enjoys(wow!) dictations and likes to practice cursive writing. Anwyay, she reminded me so much of myself and I told her that when I was 6 or 7 my grandpa used to dictate weird words to me and I loved it. So, she put the phone down and got her writing utensils and we started a dictation of silly words, names of diseases, things that were around my apartment. We had fun, it was silly.
I have to think of more ways of meaningful interaction with her on the phone. More than just talking, so I tell her stories, o she tells me stories and we play games…
My nephew is 3 now, he just gets on the phone and tells me “i love you tia”...or my favorite so far: “I can poo in the toilet”
Can’t wait to see them. We’ll visit them sometime in July.

i just sent a couple of tiny gifts for my niece and nephew: a little outfit and shoes for K’s Barbie and Mickey Mouse stickers for M. I miss them so much!!

The date is set for Feb. 22nd (C-section) and they want me to be there at the hospital when my nephew is born! Yes, it’s a boy!

I just came in from raking leaves in our backyard, and jumping through them with my niece. It is so much fun to have children in the house!

I love being an Aunty.

We found a really good dog trainer, and one of the tips she has given us is that my niece should be the only one in the house to give my dog treats. (Under close supervision, of course, and my niece should be quite still when she offers cookies to the dog.) Then our dog will come to associate my niece with positive experiences. She offered us other training guidelines too, and we will be training with her for several weeks.

I really hope that this works; I don’t want to have to find my dog a new home (although if I have to, for my nieces’ safety, I will).

I am blessed to live with extended family, and that includes my two nieces. Lately, I have been dealing with a heartbreaking problem: my dog is being very aggressive to my four-year-old niece. She is a fairly big dog, and has been threatening to bite her! Now I am having to keep them separated all of the time, which isn’t an easy task due to the open layout of our house. It basically means that my dog is being locked up in my room for a fair amount of time each day, and I stay in there with her so she won’t get lonely. I can only keep this up for so long… it is exhausting, and it is scary to think that my dog could bite my niece! As much as I love my dog, the nieces come first. I am seriously considering surrendering my dog to the local humane society, or somehow finding a new home for her. Any advice or comments?

My niece’s bday was this last Saturday. Last time I sent something overseas it never got there. But I tried again with just a letter with lots of stickers for her and she got it! I usually send gifts with friends who go to Argentina, otherwise things get “lost in the mail” etc. She was so happy with the stickers! Now that I know she can get mail at the school where my sister works I will send snail mail more often…just for her. She’s starting to read more now so she was very excited to get her own letters to read.

I’m going to be an aunt again! My sister is pregnant! She is due in late February/early March! I’m so thrilled!!!!! She and I are both hoping it’s a boy. Her being preggers means my fiance and I will have to alter our wedding plans (location, possibly the date, etc..) No big deal, it’s totally worth it! Plus, my niece is my flower girl. ^_

This weekend we went to my in-laws to celebrate my BIL’s bday. My husband’s niece…MY niece now! taught me how to play Cadoo and we played for a long time. I had a great time with her!