An Afternoon with Eden

This beautiful child is my niece. A big perk in traveling to California and suffering with their ridiculously good weather, is getting to spend some quality time with her. But after yesterday, her parents may think long and hard before letting their daughter be alone with me.

You see it started innocently enough. We were hanging out at Paseo, enjoying the seasonably awesome weather when Eden leans over and picks something up. I know this because I'm watching her closely through my new camera lens.

She carries what I assume is a stick or flower or leaf or some other harmless thing towards me. I watch her transfer said object from one hand to another (again through the camera).


She approaches a boy and kindly offers the object to him. With the innocent trust of a child he reaches out his hand to take it.


At this point the boy's father jumps up, yells "No, no!" and swats the object to the ground. Eden is shocked and I am shocked and (finally) pull the camera away from my face. That is when I realize that Eden had picked up a bee (a BEE!) and had carried it, switched hands holding it, and then given it to another child.

I couldn't believe it! I was relieved that there was an adult around to intervene in the situation. Until I remembered, that I am an adult and at the time was The Adult in charge of Eden. Oy!


But we went on to enjoy a lovely day. Complete with bubbles. The End.

P.S. Please think twice before leaving your child in my care.
P.P.S. I'm usually a very responsible grown-up and parent and aunt.
P.P.P.S. Baby Sister, if you're reading this, why don't you call me anymore? Wait, I mean please don't worry about leaving your sweet newborn baby girl, Miss Riley June in my care.

The Hardest Thing About Parenting...

The title to this post needs to be prefaced with an enormous "SO FAR" because what I'm going to talk about has been the hardest thing about having a child (TO ME) thus far. Bear in mind that he is only 2.

A few weeks ago, Cedric's teacher pulled me aside to let me know that "it was time." I wasn't ready. I'm referring to potty training. After the first four hours and several "misses" I was ready to put him back in diapers, which he could wear until he went to college. His faculty advisor would have to deal with it. I really believed it was too much to be born.

You're probably thinking that I'm the kind of person who is given to dramatic theatrics. I'm not. I'm very button down and prude-ish. I'm getting a PhD remember? I'm a stuffy old nerd. But here is something that I have learned about myself in my short 30(!) years. If it comes out of your body (and its not verbal), I pretty much think its disgusting. Its been tough to have a positive attitude and be encouraging when it comes to my son's defecation.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel. He is doing really well and I can see that he is close to having this thing completely figured out and under control. Being out of diapers makes him seem so grown up. He's really not a baby or even a toddler any more. He is a Boy. Thank goodness he is so full of laughter and delight. It makes up for finding you know what on the floor.

Eight Years Ago Today...

I arrived very dramatically in an old Ford,

much to the relief of my groom,

and while my support team was exhausted and dehydrated from the heat,

it remains one of the most magical and romantic days of my entire life.