What I learned when I became an aunt
Sitting on the couch watching TV on a rainy day, he turns to me thoughtfully and sighs, “Lulu, I love you.” These are the spontaneous words I have been waiting for over the last three years of our relationship. This proclamation of love is the sweetest, most genuine outburst. This, of course, is the story of the first time my three year old nephew Blair, who is one half of an very blond twin set, first said he loved me. Being an Auntie is awesome, and you will always remember your first “I love you.”
You get to introduce this crazy and wonderful world to tiny humans
You have access to these wonderful tiny humans who represent innocence and authenticity in their purest forms. They mean what they say and say what they mean. Teaching them different emotions and words is such an experience. Fewer things have moved me more than hearing their definition of em-fa-fee (empathy) which is described by Blair as “tr-tr-trying to fink of how somebody else is feeling…” I mean, doesn’t your heart just MELT?
Seeing your sister play Mom is hilarious and wonderful
My sister is my best friend and we’ve had our fair share of shenanigans growing up. One day, the boyzos were playing and Leah asked them to move it to the living room. Per usual, Blair listened and took his trucks into the play area, while Becks donned his signature mischievous smirk and continued to pour milk out on the floor. Leah warned she would count to three or else he would get a time-out, and when she demanded he go sit down, he turned and courageously retorted, “No, Mama, YOU sit down!” I don’t think I’ve ever had to hold in a laugh with more dire consequences. Not wanting to show Becks that we couldn’t even take ourselves seriously, I had to excuse myself into the other room to belt out my laughter.
They give perspective on what really matters
They teach me to enjoy the little things in life. It’s a very powerful and strange thing to see bits of your loved ones all mushed together in a tiny human. They are also a perfect example of maintaining relationships; those who spend time with them weekly are greeted with automatic big hugs as soon as they walk through the door. They came into our world at a time that the it seemed to be crumbling and were born in the thrall of my parents’ rough divorce. Their hospital room served as Switzerland for our family drama.
Witnessing their personalities shape is a dream
Even though Becks is a baseball, construction site enthusiast and Blair dressed as Liza Minelli for Halloween (cannot make this s*it up), I know they will always be there for each other no matter what. If one is having a meltdown, the other will walk up behind and hug him until the tantrum subsides. While my sister is dreading having two gross, smelly teenage boys in her house (though she’ll love them still), I can’t wait to help grow them into the true gentlemen that they are destined to be.
[Image via Warner Brothers]
