Proud Aunt...the Biggest Understatement in the Whole Wide World.

 During the last 6 years of my life I've been privileged to be able to experience aunthood. And I never want to go back. Thankfully, that's just impossible. 

My brother Buck is 11 years older than me. My sister Phebe is 9 years older than me. So, yes, I suppose you could say I'm the baby. And spoiled? Nah. Okay fine, I got sugar cereal and Buck and Phebe didn't:) There's still some tension. So anyway, I just love them. And the older I get, the more I appreciate them. Here's P, B, and J a year and a half ago (I think).

So Buck married a great gal, April, and soon after they had their first. A ROCKIN' little girl named Phebe. Unfortunately, she lives in North Carolina, and is soon to live in Los Angeles. Boo. But she is such a quality gal and I'm so proud of her for being that great gal. I'd put money down in saying that my brother and sister-in-law are some of the BEST parents I've ever watched. Following-through-with-what-was-asked-or-told should probably be both of their middle names. You will NOT hear them ask or tell their children a direction without seeing them follow through with whatever was asked or told. They are great:) Well, anyway, here's Phebe. She's 6 (GASP!) years old...

About 3 years later my nephew, Buckley was born. Before I go on, yes, Phebe and Buckley are their names. Sound familiar? Why yes, I DO have a sister and brother named Phebe and Buckley AND a niece and nephew named Phebe and Buckley. We're big family name fans here. It goes without saying, if they don't name their 3rd child Jaquelin, and I don't care if it's a boy or a girl, I won't talk to them for 20 minutes. But I haven't heard any news of another, so they get out of that one. Alright so Buckley is 2.5 years old. And I didn't think Phebe's awesomeness could be beat. I just didn't. Phebe just rocks too much. But somehow, Buckley was able to meet my VERY high expectations (that were made, thanks to Lil' Pheebs). Phebe and Buckley are hands down the greatest Phebe Joy and Buckley Fischer I've ever met. No one can even compete. Phebe is a goof like her parents and aunts, and Buckley is so cute and so expressive and is no doubt a goof as well. I'm proud to have goofs for a niece and nephew:) So here's Buckley...

And e-gad, then Ruby was eventually born on July 14th...while I was speeding up I-89 trying to get to the delivery room in time. I just missed her debut into the world but was able to hold her for the next several hours and stare at her. I can't even begin to describe how obsessed I am with this child. I think it helps that she lives 3 hours away, rather than 15 hours away. It is so hard to keep up with Phebe and Buckley with the distance between us so we are fortunate to be able to see each other twice a year when that happens. I think of them often and am so proud of them. It's nice, though, to have Rubes right down the road. Well, not really, but relative to NC, it's much closer. Ruby is the best little clump of human there ever was. That's what it seems like. She's just so small and clumpy. And just so very very very cute. I can't wait to get to know her. Here she is...

So....with all this said, what am I going to be like when I eventually have my own kids? Oh goodness gracious those kids will be SMOTHERED by me. Absolutely. Positively. Smothered. But in the meantime, I'll be busy obsessing (in a healthy way, of course....) over my nieces and nephew:)

Default...

I am lovingly entitling this "default" because I think all bloggers can fall back on this blog when they don't know what to write about. It's the ol' random things/observations/incidences/news blog. So without further uh-doo (yes I know there's a correct spelling for this but,,,,):

*This weekend is the second marathon of my life. People ask me if I'm nervous. I respond by saying I'm nervous because I'm not nervous. True story.

*Phebe and Rubix Cube are coming to support. I don't know what I'm more excited for, them or running 26.2. There in lies the problem. I can't just put the running to the side. 

*I will officially be taking my temporary curtain rod decorations down and giving them over to Ruby. I bought Ruby 4 things: 2 shirts and 2 pants, and I loved them so much and it made me think of her so I hung them up in my room. "Sickly obsessed," I've been called. I'll take it.

*I've been growing out my fingernails. I have a love-hate relationship with long nails. Well, FINGER nails to be specific. Long toenails are grosser than gross. So anyway, I hate them because I just don't cut the "girly" part enough, and crap gets in them, and I feel them against things. It's hard work. But then, like yesterday, I do something like point to a word while a cherub is reading and say to myself, "I am so girly and cool what with my long nails." So...anyway, I'm probably cutting them before the big race. They're too much.

*I'm planning a secret "mental health day" on Monday. HEY, I need my rest. I feel like it's a huge secret though; I made sure my sub plans were in, I'm making sure Tuesday is all set, and I'm still going to tutor in the afternoon, so I'm bringing everything I need for that with me Friday afternoon. I'm so stealth. 

*My roommate (not Abby, my literal, live-in-the-same-room roommate) told me yesterday that she is running the Boston marathon with a charity. And I'm so excited for her and she's REALLY excited. So excited that, upon getting back from my run yesterday, she followed me into the bathroom while I took a shower to talk to me about it and when I got out, she was sitting there on the toilet (lid down of course) studying her training program. I told her I was going to get changed and 10 seconds later she came into my room and asked me if I was ready yet to look at her schedule. I felt like she was a child at 5 years old, wanting to play a game with a parent without letting the parent settle down at home. Does that make sense? Well anyway, I felt quite claustrophobic. 

*My 8th grade tutee is running for student council president this year and is giving her speech today. I'm sorry, I mean she's rapping her speech today. I had nothing to do with it. But she made up her whole speech into a rap and I feel like a proud mom. I secretly wish I could beat-box behind her and wear cool sunglasses and a backwards hat but I guess that wouldn't go over well. Dangit. Well anyway, she rocks.

*Yesterday one of my tutees was absent and right after that period is my lunch period. You know what I did? I rocked out 14 math reports. And earlier that day, during gym, the gym teacher let me do my gym reports while he supervised the class. Well, anyway, it was a great day. Thank you, William, for being sick, and Bill, for supervising. Reports. Are. Done. Well...until January, that is....

*It's 6am now, when my alarm was originally set for so....I have to go. But I'm starting to see a pattern with my blogging, which I'm not sure Abby is a fan of because, well, it's always in the middle of the night or early in the morning, when I have nothing to do but am awake, when I feel the optimal blogging time is. The keyboard is loud. Sorry Abby.