Birthday Baby

It's that time again...precisely two years ago at this moment, my niece A was born. It was a cold and wintry day – my IP final that morning had been pushed back to the late afternoon due to the icy conditions, and I didn't discover until I got home that evening that A was on her way.

I went to the birthing center and studied Secured Transactions and pondered the miracle of natural birth. Or rather, became yet more convinced that I will definitely get the good drugs when/if I have kids. As C has hilariously commented regarding the potential effects of said drugs on the baby, I'll just consider it my very first birthday gift to him or her.

Anyway, today A had a great time being treated like a little princess. Which was no different than any other day. Pretty much every day is a great day when you're A.

She was so enamored of one of my parents' presents (a play purse that came filled with highly realistic replicas of the things that fascinate her in grown-up purses, like a cell phone and keys), she wouldn't stop playing with them long enough to move on to her other presents. She also refused to put the items in her purse, insisting on gathering all of the things in her arms, which of course led to her dropping something, which of course led to her wailing in despair, "My keys!" or whatever she had dropped.

This was all very cute, but dudes, I got her a very awesome like-real baby doll that I was just dying for her to open. She was having none of it. I finally asked her if I could open her presents, and she said, "Ooookay," but when she saw me actually go over and start to touch one of HER PRESENTS, she broke land-speed records racing over to pull it out of my hands. That awful aunt. Can't trust her with anything. She loved the doll but found the responsibility of feeding the baby her bottle and carrying her around a bit much, so she decided the baby was "so sleepy" and needed a nap. A had calls to make, after all.

I asked if I could use some of her powder and make some calls, and she let me a bit, but then she became suspicious (since, as discussed previously, I was not to be trusted). She finally handed all of her gear to my dad and very clearly instructed him not to let me have any of it. She doesn't have the words for it yet, but there was no doubt what she meant. She handed him the items, turned and pointed at me and then her toys, and then said to my dad, "No Aunt ____!" She didn't walk off until he assured her I wouldn't be allowed to play with her toys.

Sooo not fair.