Nieces are the best couch dwellers
The only picture with Harlow in focus, you’ll see.
We recently had the pleasure of hosting my sister, bother-in-law and their nearly two-year-old daughter at our house. The weather shifted from comfortable to frigid and the result was some unexpected hunkering down in the living room with blankets and a solid stream of cartoons.
Initially, Moses (our cat) was the best thing that could fall into your lap on a couch session. Boy was I wrong. My Niece, Harlow bandito burrito, is far superior and warms not only the lap, but the soul. When in my lap, I am paralyzed by the sheer concept of a miniature version of my sister so young in her life, so small but with a future that’s going to amaze us all. All that potential entranced by a cartoon. It’s a beautiful thing.
Her nickname stems from a family vacation to Mexico in which her name paired nicely with other Spanish words that don’t make grammatical sense with her gender. To be fair a Harlito burrito is a cozy concept, and she’s a complete and total bandit now that she’s learned to run full speed from room to room. Also, I heard bandits love to throw almost everything you hand them, just to watch them fall.
She’s so fast I can never quite get a shot of her in focus. Certified bandit.
Nieces don’t just make great couch buddies, they also serve as the best alarm clocks. I didn’t tap snooze once during their trip, the simple sound of her voice travelling through the house at 7am: “I see Mac and Lauren?!” pasted an instant smile on my face. It’s something I didn’t want to miss, so I hopped out of bed and began each day with whispery hide and seek followed by daring hunts for the cat.
One last chance to brag, Harlow is simply the best because she’s bulletproof. She trundles through the house at full speed and naturally, she falls from time to time. Mostly flat on her face, the type of fall that ceases all momentum and glee. There is a special pause that follows this in which the child can choose 2 paths: the slow-build whine to cry, or the high road. This is a choice because it’s proven that children 95% rubber and 5% sticky hands. So Harlow, the Rockstar Bandito, takes the pause moment to encounter a new world, she looks around from the worms-eye-view and finds new things to play with. A discarded rubber band, or “A LEAF! HAHAHAHA!”
Did I mention cartoons include the timeless Frozen? It really grows on you the sixth time though.
All this is to say, I love being an Uncle and have now been confronted with the uncomfortable truth that fathering a child, would be a bit more satisfying than fathering a cat. Having said that, we’re in no rush, this is not a baby announcement post, and Moses just turned 11 so I’m thrilled to stay Uncle Doodoo (apt nickname) for a while.