On Aunty-ing

It's been a whirlwind of a four weeks. Whirlwinds are a good thing in my book, fyi. Because they include visitors and visiting. We had our share of both this last little bit.
Chelsi and her sweet Baby Miles came and stayed for a week. Something about Chelsi showing up just feels like home.

And something about her showing up with a baby of her own made it extra special.

It was a physical reminder that time is passing and we are growing and changing and evolving. She gave me the best gift that week. I felt like an aunt again.
I remember the first time I became an aunt. Cali would come home with her kids and you better believe I would steal those little things the second they walked in the door. I would sleep with them and take them to the park and show them off to all my friends and just eat them up.
I also remember Yosh and I stealing Baby Ava. Yoshi would wrap her up like a little burrito in our comforter and she would belly laugh like only little Ava Marie could. She would refuse to sit down when she had poops. She would yell, "Mark, set, GO." If no one would responded, she would start all over, "Mark, set, GO....GO. I said GO." Inevitably, Yosh would get to running!
Truth be told, it's been a long time since I've had those auntie moments. I've usually had a baby in my arms, or at least nipping at my ankles, and simultaneously been making sandwiches and wiping bums.  Even if my hands were free, my mind and energy just wasn't in it.
This visit was different.  It was a subtle reminder that my kids are growing up and becoming more independant- the fact that I had free hands to hold Baby Miles whenever I wanted, that my kids' "needs" were no longer immediate and

could always wait and that he could be priority #1. I got to babysit instead of having my kids babysat. I got to be an aunt again and it was amazing. And even mores that I was being an aunt to the baby whose mama has been the best aunt for the past 8 1/2 years.

It was a great visit and a week wasn't nearly long enough.