School, Work, and Chloe

First off, I got permission from my sister-in-law to relate this anecdote about my niece Chloe. When we went to visit them last week (Adam, Gwen, Xavier and I), we had a great time. It was hot, so we just hung out around the house, chatted, read a book to Chloe, played on Chloe's swingset, rode on Chloe's lawn mower (okay, she lets my brother -- her father -- think it is his), played with the dollhouse with Chloe ... you get the idea. Chloe really loves cousin Gwen, and I think she is fond of Xavier, too, but boys may be drifting over to the "alien species" category at this point in her life.

Anyway, although we don't see as much of my brother and his family as we'd all like, I was a little surprised when, at the end of the visit, Chloe turned to me and asked:

"Do you have any children?"

See? You can have kids and still be the "fun aunt"!


(Ginger, I am sure your sister is a "fun aunt" too :).


Gwen's first day of school was yesterday. She has been totally psyched for this day for weeks now. Yesterday she woke up (before her alarm) and ran downstairs. She ate breakfast, brushed her teeth, dressed herself, grabbed her backpack and put on her name tag, and said, "Daddy, I'm ready to go!"

Adam replied, "Honey, the bus won't even be here for an hour!"


On the work front, I guess my kids resent my long hours. Two days ago, I got home from work, and Xavier said, "Mommy, I made you something! Wait here." He ran into the other room and came back with a scary-looking mask.

"Gee, thanks, Xavier," I said with enthusiasm. "This is really neat!"

"Ask him what it's for," my husband suggested.

Wary now, I said, "What is it for, Xav?"

He looked up at me earnestly. "It's to put on your desk to scare your boss away so he doesn't give you any more work!"

Well, this was pretty funny. I admit, I didn't really intend to bring it to work (if I hung up every piece of art the kids made for my "work", my office walls would be two feet thick), but the next morning (as Gwen was making her Olympic run for the school bus and Adam was trying to get him to settle down so he could nebulize), Xavier was running around the first floor crying, "Mommy! Mommy! Don't forget your mask! Don't forget your mask! You need to scare your boss away!"

What could I do? I brought the mask to work, and it is hanging next to my door. It hasn't scared my boss away yet (although my workload should get lighter soon). Then again, he hasn't asked me about it either, which is probably just as well; jobs are pretty tight in my neck of the woods these days.