Kelly's SUYL: On Being An Aunt

I've always been the kind of person who likes kids.  I think most are cute, funny, and fun to cuddle.  I love to listen to a little kid giggle over something.  I have not, however, ever really had the urge, at least up to this point, to have one that I am fully responsible for 24/7.  Let's just call it like it is: first, I'm single which puts a little hitch in the plans and second, I'm kind of selfish with my time.  I like sleep.  A lot.  I love quick trips to major cities without having find a babysitter.  I love spending the day watching a movie or reading a book uninterrupted.  Additionally, I am a teacher, so I deal with kids all day long. Junior high school kids. The last thing I want to do when I leave work is to have another kid to deal with.  Well, except for one.

You see, almost 14 months ago, my brother and favorite SIL gave our family its first grandchild, my first niece.  She is the most darling thing in the history of the world.  What?  You don't believe me?  Here's The Divine Miss M last week.

It's hard to tell, but she's wearing my sunglasses on her head.  Needless to say, I'm pretty much hooked on this girl and have been since the moment she was born.  For instance, I made a quick trip into the city (just got back a couple hours ago) and the best part of my trip wasn't the hour I spent in Sephora or lunch at my favorite restaurant.  Nope, it was buying this sweet girl a couple of new outfits.  (And I'm chomping at the bit to give them to her!)  I think she's the funniest, smartest, sweetest little person in the world.  (I'm hopelessly biased, but also right.)  While I still love that I can pass her off to her loving parents when she's feeling a little fussy or has a dirty diaper, she's pretty much it for me.  She's my favorite photography subject and the only little one I will let give me far-too-sloppy kisses!  

I can't even begin to think of all of the adventures we will have as she gets older.  I already have lists of movies I want to watch with her on our future sleepovers, books I want to buy for her to read, places I want us to go together.  You see, my aunties always spoiled me and made me feel so very special, and I will have no less for Miss M.  It actually makes me teary to think about how grateful I am to have her in my life.  I rang in the New Year with her asleep in my arms and it was the best one yet!  

Who knows if I will ever have kids of my own, but being an aunt is one of the best experiences of my life.   

SUYL: Christmas Traditions

Since I don't have a husband or children, my Christmas traditions are still the ones that I have grown up with.    My younger sister, LuLu, is the keeper of all the family traditions.  Since she was born, if we dare to miss a tradition of any sort, we are sure to incur her wrath.  (Which, I suppose, is its own little Christmas tradition.) I actually love that there's someone who makes sure that we do all of the little things, because I would probably be a little lazy about them and let some fall by the wayside.

On Christmas Eve, we go to my mom's side of the family.  This is especially convenient, because it's less than a mile from my parents'.  We eat, mostly appetizer-style foods and desserts, and the little ones (anyone from birth to college) get their presents from the aunts and uncles.  The "little ones" is ever-expanding these days, as I have lots of cousins with kids.  The rest of us trade little things, and we shower lots of love on my grandmother, who is the only living grandparent on that side.  (She's in her eighties and still goes on vacations with her friends from high school.  She's pretty awesome!)

Afterwards, we go back to my parents' and open a couple of presents from them.  One is always pajamas, and the other is something small, maybe a sweater or something.  Then, we watch the local choirs and mock them a little, because we are cynical people with sick senses of humor.  While we are doing that, Santa visits.  That's right.  We are 31, 27, and 22 and Santa still visits.  (As Mom says, "If you don't believe, you don't receive.")  This will be the first Christmas with my niece, The Divine Miss M, so I'm an extra measure of excited!

On Christmas Day, we typically go to Mass (though this year, we will go on Christmas Eve) and then have sweet rolls for breakfast.  My dad's side of the family comes over for late lunch, and we visit and exchange gifts and just hang out and enjoy ourselves.  That side of the family is much smaller, so it's little more relaxed. (This is my parents' cat, Shredder.  He's pretty...evil.)

I can't wait to start some new traditions with my niece.  This year she's still too young to remember, but it won't be long before she will be able to really get into it.  I can't wait to see what everyone else does, too!  Thanks for visiting!

Happy Birthday To Me!

What's better than a little shameless self-promotion?  Today is my birthday.  (Okay, technically I am writing this Sunday night, so it's not my birthday yet, but it will be by the time you read this.)  I've been celebrating all weekend and will actually spend today at work followed by a quiet dinner with the parents.  And that is perfectly fine, wonderful even.  I think 31 is going to be my best year yet, of course, I don't think anyone goes into a new year of their life thinking, "This year is going to really suck."  But I think I should get a point or two for being optimistic.

As for the weekend wrap-up, I took Friday off and spent the day hitting some of my favorite shops with Tara, Amber and Macy Jane.  When we got back, I got changed and met Casey for dinner at my favorite local place and then went out to spend some more time with Tara.  You have to soak up all the time you can get with visiting friends.  Saturday, we hit our favorite winery again, then had chili and all sorts of other goodies at Tara's parents' bonfire.  And Sunday, we had my auntie's 50th birthday party and celebrated my 31st as well.  There was great food and it's always a good time to get together with my extended family.

Here's just a sampling of pictures:

 Macy Jane, whom I can't believe is already this big

 A group shot of the whole gang

 I miss this sweet girl already!

Lulu and Miss M

 My mom and her siblings wrapped up my great-grandma's sweater and old lady shoes for Auntie (She's the baby of the fam, and just 19 years and 11 minutes older than me)

Some people had a little too much party

Is it sad that we are still celebrating birthdays next weekend?  I think I'm stretching 31 out as far as it will go!  No harm in that, I suppose!  

Holes, Trees and Sweetness

I promised a weekend recap, so here we go.  After a long, dry summer, we have been getting so much rain here recently.  We had two days of pretty nasty storms.  This was one of the results.

What is it you ask?  Well, according to my father, it's a ground hornets nest that was washed out by the rain. There were a few hornets lingering around the morning I discovered it, but they have since moved out.  I didn't even know that was a thing, but all I could think about were those horrible tracker jackers from The Hunger Games, which is completely insane because they are imaginary.  But, welcome to my brain.  Oh and speaking of things I didn't know, there was this.

Let me tell you a little story.  On Friday evening, my mom called and said that she and Dad had seen the tree down in my yard, and that Dad would go over and talk to the guy who owned the business next door to get the removal all worked out.  I said something to the effect of, "What are you talking about, Crazy Lady?"  Long story short, apparently Thursday's storm knocked down the tree.  It was dark and raining by the time that I got home from my other job, and I couldn't see it, which makes perfect sense.  However, I went to work and came home from work, IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, on Friday and never noticed it.  Wow, little concerned for my powers of observation.

The rest of the weekend, I spent with this little darling.  We took her around and showed her off to all of the people in town for the festival.  And took in the talent show, which was...well....um....interesting.  And got in a million cuddles and snuggles.  Here she is just hanging around, playing in the floor.  She grabs everything with her hands and toes.  It's so funny!

Speaking of, here's a picture from her six month photo shoot.  They were taken by my friend, David Michael Webb, who is a complete genius when it comes to photography.  He took Matt and Mel's wedding pictures and Miss M's newborn pics.  I'm biased, but I think she's awfully cute!

Cuteness Overload!

I am having a great weekend.  I declared at the beginning that this would be a weekend of doing whatever I wanted, and that has totally been true and included a great deal of sleeping.  The first two weeks of school kicked my butt!

One of the really fun things I did this weekend was go to a special little girl's first birthday and she was the absolute cutest ever!  Don't believe me?

 Seriously?  She's just adorable!  The decorations were so sweet as well.  Everything was done up in a ladybug theme.  The cake alone was a sight to behold!

And if that wasn't enough sweetness, there were these girls!  The Divine Miss M still looks a little scared of the big camera, but that face just kills me!

 I mean, even full of slobbers, she's cute!  Being her auntie is just the best thing in the world!  I can't believe that we are just five short months from her first birthday.  It feels like she's been a part of our lives for just a minute and forever all at the same time!

Hope you all are having a great weekend!  I have BBQ-ing and baby kissing in my immediate future!

The Writing Rambles, But The Kid Is Cute

I thought this summer I would blog more.  That hasn't really happened, and I'm not sure why.  Most of time it's just me here, alone with my own thoughts.  Which the more I think about it, the more that is probably by design.  Don't get me wrong, I'm getting out of the house and around people plenty.  But summer seems to be the only time when I can really focus for very long on much of anything.  Starting next week, that is mostly going to include prepping for the new school year.  (I'm sure I'll get excited eventually...)

There are a couple of things coming this week about which I am getting excited!  On Friday,  I will get to meet my sweet friends' (Michael and Lauren) new baby girl!  There's nothing sweeter than cuddling a new baby (she's almost two weeks old) and visiting with old friends.  And if that wasn't enough fun, on Saturday I will be reunited with my long-lost friend, Amber!  She's been busy with weddings and life in general, which means that it has been almost three weeks since we've been able to get together.  (And if you know much about us, you know that doesn't happen very often!)  That's a pretty good weekend of plans, if you ask me.

One thing that happened last weekend was that the Divine Miss M was baptized.  She was, of course, absolutely darling in both her christening gown and her after-party outfit.   Need proof?

Her face in that last one cracks me up!  She hadn't been awake from her nap very long and she just looks so confused!  And that little pink outfit?  I could just eat her up!!  Which reminds me, I don't think I shared a couple of my favorite shots from Father's Day either.

Trust me, no kitties were harmed in the making of these pictures!  (In fact, he loved it!)  I'm glad we were able to enjoy being outside some then because that won't be happening anytime soon!  It's going to be absolutely sweltering here for the foreseeable future!

Okay, I've resorted to talking about weather!  It's time to go.  I will try again tomorrow with the Hodgepodge!

Tuesdays With Miss M

The last couple Tuesdays, I've gotten the chance to spend the day with The Divine Miss M!   She's getting so big and is finally at the stage where she smiles and laughs and recognizes us!  It's so much fun!  And I look forward to each new stage (Lulu and I are already checking out Barbies and dress-up costumes!) 

You know that if I was there, I was certainly taking pictures of that sweet face, so here are a few of the more recent ones!  Here she is on her mama's first Mother's Day.

 Check out those big blue eyes! 

How could you not love a smile this sweet?

One of my signature accessories are my giant sunglasses.  I have a million pair and the bigger the better (I have a big head and a round face, so it works)!  So you know that Aunt Kate had to make sure that her niece had some rocking sunglasses too!  Here she is giving her best Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada look.

I just love this kid!  I can't wait to spend more time with her this summer! 

D Is For Divine

During last year's A to Z Blog Challenge, I did little introductions of some of my friends who are frequently mentioned on this blog.  It's my habit to talk to you, my people, as though you are a part of my life, even though most of the people in my real life don't read my blog.  (I'm quite serious.  My mom doesn't even read it!)  Well, since most of the introductions of my friends were done last year, that leaves only the newest people in my life to introduce, and today's is simply divine.  Or to put it more precisely, The Divine Miss M!

I've never waited for anyone in my life with as much anticipation as I did the birth of my niece this January.  And like any true diva, she made as grand an entrance as possible.  When she finally arrived just short of midnight on January 22, I knew that I had never seen anyone quite as perfect as she was.  Though I have already written about my own plans for children (or lack there of), it doesn't mean that I don't love babies.  There's nothing as sweet as cuddling a newborn and from the moment I held her in the middle of the night in that hospital room, I was hooked. 

If you know me in real life, or even have been reading very long at all, you know that I am a camera person, and Miss M has become my favorite subject.  I get a little grief over it, for sure.  My grandmother swears that she won't know her Aunt K if I don't have my camera in front of her face, but all I can think about it how amazing it's going to be to document her life.  I want to take all these pictures because one day, she will be big enough to want to see them.  And photographing people I love is kind of my love language.  (Trust me, you should see how many years of pictures I have on my hard drive!)

I'm already planning all the things we will do together.  I have wonderful aunts who spoiled me in a million different ways, and I can't wait for the day when she will be big enough for sleepovers and movie nights.  I've pinned a whole folder full of craft projects and special things we can do together.  I'm already anxious for the day when she's big enough to take to the theater to see her first musical.  We have plans.  Though she's too little for them right now, I have no doubt in a blink of an eye, she'll be big enough for all our adventures.  And I, for one, can't wait!

More Pictures I Haven't Shown You

Consider this the Miss M Edition!  I didn't realize that I had so many goodies to share with you, but here we go.  Here we are when she was less than one day old!

 The Divine Miss M and two of her great aunties.  My sister and I have declared ourselves the Super Aunties, not to be outdone! 

 This was the same night, on her first visit to Nana and Grandpa's. 

 And here she is in her Hello Kitty outfit.  Isn't she too sweet?

 The next four pictures were taken by my friends, David Michael and Lauren Webb.  They are a wonderful team (and are expecting their own little girl later this year)!  I encourage you to go to their website and see more of their work!

And finally, these two that I took recently.  I love the funny face in the first one, but it's the second one that really gets me!  I love that sweet girl to pieces!

Did You Say You Wanted To See Pictures?

She's the face that launched a thousand photographs.  And that's thisclose to not being an exaggeration!  She's the most perfect thing I have ever seen and to have to go to work today and not spend the day snuggling with her is no fun at all!  But here are a few photos to hold us all over!

Here is the Divine Miss M after her first bath (we jokingly referred to it as as the spa), less than an hour old...

 Ready to go meet her mama!

 Rocking her her daddy

 Snuggling up with mama

 Great-grandma, Nana, Daddy and Miss M

 Grandpa, Daddy, and Miss M  (she's already got them wrapped around her finger!)

 How could you not love that face?  (And she's got great hair to boot!  Auntie K is so proud!)