being the fun aunt and the little sister

My sister had her 15 year reunion at St. Olaf this weekend, so I got to have her girls for two nights. It was awesome and also reminded me once again how hard it has been to transition from Aunt Bec with no kids to Aunt Bec with kids of my own. This is a warning to all of you readers who are aunties without kids of your own yet: LIVE IT UP! Before I had kids of my own, I was able to be all things to my nieces (especially my sister's kids...we lived in Montana for a season with them, and I made TONS of trips to visit even when we lived a 22 hour train ride away.)

The moment I had my own kids my ability to be all thing to these little girls shifted, and I'm still adjusting. I think they are too. Instead of being Super-Fun Aunt Bec, I have to do all sorts of things that tend to my own kids. Which makes me Not-Quite-As-Fun Aunt Bec.

This is just a shift I'm still trying to come to grips with. But again, if you are an auntie without kids of your own, savor this time. And know that things change a bit when you have your own.

This is unrelated, but a funny thing to recognize. My sister was with her college friends all weekend. And I adore her college friends. They're great people who I have gotten to know through weddings and parties and stories. And at age 33, I realized I totally fell into the little sister role again, pining for stories from Annika when she got back, asking for updates.

It's just funny to still be the little sister. Made me laugh a bit. I've been pining for stories and updates about Annika's friends since she was in the 5th grade. Wanting to know what they were doing, what they were talking about, what they're interested in etc..

Hilarious. I will always be the little sister. And I will always try super hard to be Super Fun Aunt Bec.