I wish I could play those roles more often, especially the aunt role so that my sister with the two babies can get a break and because my older nieces teach me so much and manage to keep me 'cool'. For example, at Thanksgiving, my 13 year-old niece and mother convinced me to buy a pair of Dereon jean. Now, before you go, 'why did you need to be convinced?' , let me explain. We were at Marshall's and I bought the jeans into the dressing room for my 13 year-old niece from the JUNIORS section. When she tried them on, they were too big. All of a sudden my mother said, "Jen, they may fit you. Try them on." I did and well, the rest is history. Last night, I went to church and brought in the New Year in pants I never would have bought myself, looking like the missing Kardashian sister because I partnered them with black, tall boots because in the words of my sister, I have hips for days! I looked awesome if I do say so myself. Thanks for the great advice.
At Christmas, I got to relive my childhood in more than one way. My sister and brother-in-law had an extra ticket for Disney on Ice. I had never been to one before. When first approached about going, I laughed and that it would lame. Oh, did I eat my words! That was the best experience of my life! OMG! It was so fun and excited. Disney left no stone unturned when it came to Disney characters. Everyone was there! My nieces enjoyed it, especially the 10-month old. She danced throughout most of it and barely took her eyes off stage. My three-year old niece liked it, but in a 'watching it as if it was on TV' kind of way. She was more into it when Donald Duck was on and when my brother-in-law got her a tub of popcorn. He was jammin too and my sister almost lost it when Tinkerbell ended the show.
Being there with them also reminded me of childhood for another reason. When my sister was a teenager, she'd have to take me out with her on some of her dates because she was also my babysitter. Since I am from the dying age of 'child being seen and not heard', I'd go and basically be a fly on the way. Her dates never seemed to might (at least they did express it to me) and they were always really nice. My sister at times would try to include me in the conversation and her dates attempted too. I remember sitting in the back of the car and just listening and sometimes laughing as they talked. She would even look back at me occasionally to make sure I was ok. The night of Disney on Ice I sat in the back of their SUV in the middle of the girls as my brother-in-law drove and sis rode shotgun. As we drove home, I had this memory of being the third wheel on her dates and how sitting in the back that night felt so familiar. Only my sister wasn't on a date, she was in her real life. Instead of bobbing her head to the radio station, Wamo, in the car, she was listening to 99.9 and making small talk with her husband not boyfriend. She peaked her head back several times to check on her children. When I looked to the left and right of me in that backseat, I saw my sister's nose, smile, eyes, and a few of her characteristics. It was one of the few moments in my single life where I didn't mind not having a family of my own because it would have meant missing out on seeing for myself how God can turn a great older sister into a great mom. I also thought maybe, just maybe I was her practice child and there was a method to God's madness of her being my older sister and having to be responsible for me all of those years.
Overall, it was a great holiday. I got great presents and I was in the presence of great people who looked like me, sounded like me, and had the biggest hand in making me me! I hope the new year brings more family memories.
Posts
I couldn't stop smiling at your blog. Love you very much!
ReplyDeleteWow! Now that sounds really freakin' cool! Great blog! Interesting perspective/reflection on your childhood and growth. There's nothing like family to make you remember who you are and where you come from! ;-)
ReplyDelete