I've had some fantastic aunt moments this summer so I wanted to jot them down so I remember them in the future.
1. I picked up my niece, 6, and nephew, 4, to go to the movies earlier this summer where we discovered the awesome combination of Shipley's donuts and movie theater popcorn. We had the theater to ourselves which became an adventure. They ran up to the top of the theater and down to the screen. They peered into the film room in fascination. (Is it still a film room? I guess now it is the projector room.) They put all the arms of the chairs up on one entire row. I was happy they were having fun. I ended up with popcorn all over my car but I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
2. They just chatter away when they are in the car together. My mother hadn't witnessed this and asked my nephew what he said (thinking he was talking to her) and he informed her he was talking to his sister, not my mother. Haha! It is fascinating to hear what they talk about and the questions my nephew asks my niece. She's been getting him pumped up about going to Kindergarten and riding the bus with her next year. We've also managed to continue our tradition of trying out new carwashes!
3. They request music in the car. They each have their own playlists so I usually just toss them my phone and let them pick. Their tastes are varied. Blippi, Alice Cooper, The Beatles, The Ramones, Alicia Keys, The Beach Boys, etc. The song of the summer is this song they affectionately call "the booty song". While listening to it on repeat in the car we even came up with dance moves.
4. It is funny how you try to share all the fun things from your childhood with them and still miss something so basic. Crafting has been something we've done a bit of as the weather has been unbearably hot. We've colored pictures of Teslas and we've painted pottery. They most recently discovered paint with water books this summer and that is all the rage when they come to visit me now.
5. First I sucked them into my love of rocketry and space by teaching them about Starship and watching crashes and launches. That was a huge success. But this summer I sucked them into watching the live brown bear cam to see the bears eat salmon in preparation for winter. They were waaay more interested than I expected them to be, which was fun!
6. I made the error of watching movies with my niece one night and picking Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory followed by The Wizard of Oz. That started a discussion on why it isn't ok to call people of short stature Munchkins or Oompa-Loompas. That was NOT the theme I'd intended on the movies sharing, but it did open up some room for interesting discussions.
7. My nephew has all the huge emotions at age 4 and it is endearing. Everything is either the worst tragedy he's ever known or his biggest triumph. While this may lead to tears at times, it also leads to lots of hugs. He is a great hugger, just like my brother.
8. After dropping my brother and his bride off at the airport this week I had the kiddos for a few hours before dropping them off for a sleepover with their grandparents. At one point my niece ended up curled up in my bed (with my 10 pillows surrounding her), watching YouTube on my phone. Before it was time to leave I crawled into bed with her for a few moments. We watched a few videos and she learned about Olympic diving and the High Jump. We sat up as I told her it was time to get her shoes on. In the absolute most genuine moment she leaned over, threw her arms around me, hugged me tight, and said, "I REALLY like you." My eyes welled with happy tears as I told her I really liked her too. I told her I loved her and as she was jumping off my bed she turned to me and said, "You're my best friend!" If that isn't a motivation to be a constant good example for her, I don't know what is. She soaks up everything like a sponge right now.
No matter how many times my niece steals the filet mignon off my hibachi plate, or my nephew leaves my phone inexplicably sticky, I enjoy every bit of it. Pretty soon these moments will be just a memory and I'll be texting them to say hello since they are busy with their friends. I was talking to my sister-in-law about what a weird feeling it is to simultaneously want them to never grow up and be adults already. I just want to live every moment from here until then and not forget a single one!
Only two weeks until school starts. Next on the summer agenda? Setting up the new pool and new slip 'n' slide I got them!
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