It's not the Cha Cha, yo!

So, I do what I can to be a fun aunt. You know the "fun aunt:" the one who lets you put on her makeup when you're 8, and THEN lets you go out in public with it on (McDonalds, even). Or the one that lets you and all your cousins spend the night at your house the day she gets home from her honeymoon. Or the one that lets you spend EVERY. SINGLE. WEEKEND. at her house when you're a teenager. Or the one who wouldn't DREAM of watching Little House on the Prairie without you.

Oh wait... I haven't done any of those things. Those were MY fun aunts!!

*me with one of my "fun aunts" last weekend*

So, back to me. I inherited one niece when Don and I got married. T was 5 when we got married, and she was so excited to get to call me "Aunt Darla." She would come visit us when we lived out-of-state, and we'd let her hog the bed sleep with us when no one else would. I would stay up SUPER late with her and tell her funny stories about when I was a kid. One time we emptied out ALL of her hair accessories, and fixed each other's hair using EVERY single accessory at once. Lots o' fun!!!

Then I had kids. I became, while still fun (right???), more of a teacher and, well, PARENT than a fun adult to hang out with... although my kids are surrounded with fun aunts themselves. Lots o' fun!!!

Then my sister had kids. And while I was still a mom, I got to revert back to the fun aunt sometimes, too! When Big Sissy (8 mos. old at the time) went on a trip with my sisters, my kids and me, I taught her to bang her high chair tray when she was hungry (while I chanted: We want food! We want food!)... My sister was thrilled!!! I created a "club" for Big Sissy, Little Sissy, Sis and Bub, me and any other family adult that cares to join... they just have to be willing to sit under my parents' dining room table, because THAT'S where the clubhouse is. We have a secret handshake, secret rules, and some other secrets (that is, you don't know them unless you ask... if you ask, we'll be glad to tell you...). Lots o' fun!!!

Now, there's Little Buddy. Now that he's getting a little older, he's decided that he likes his "fun aunts," too. ALL the kids already LOVE my youngest sister. She's a fun aunt without even trying. They're just drawn to her. But FINALLY Little Buddy has decided to have fun with me, too (once he's scoped out the room and has determined that his mom is NOT planning on leaving him with me!). We went to a family wedding out of town last weekend (see pics that my sis posted here), and Little Buddy was, well, my little buddy all day! I sat by him and he patted my leg, rubbed my arm, fed me, let me "borrow" his sippy cup while he "borrowed" my cell phone... you know flirting 1-year-old style! Lots o' fun!

He started doing a funny thing with his arm, tucking his hand into the crook of his neck... and I thought it looked like he was doing the Sprinkler. You know, the dance? Not to be confused with the Lawnmower... or Feeding the Chickens. So, I taught the "dance" to Little Buddy.

(Um, if you care to view it, just crane your neck as far over to the right as you possibly can, then you'll have a great view... sorry about that!)

So cute!!! And LOTS O' FUN!