I have my niece staying with me tonight for the first time in, oh, half a year? She's just past three and has had two more or less successful stays with me in the past, purely for fun, but tonight I realized she's hit that age where it's scary trying to sleep away from a familiar bed. I left her for about thirty seconds after the whole bedtime spiel, stories and all, and she burst into completely uncharacteristic heart-rending sobs. So finally we struck a deal (and shook on it): that I would lie on the bed and work on my computer (headphones in) while she promised faithfully to try to fall asleep.

Eleven o'clock, almost an hour later, she finally dropped off. Poor kid. The awesome thing about three year olds, though, is that tomorrow she will have completely forgotten the bedtime drama and be desperate to have another sleepover at Auntie Plor's house.

I remember that feeling, though, that adrift lost feeling of being alone at nighttime, in the darkness, in a place that -- it's more than unfamiliarity. It's that sense of being unknown yourself, like being away from the anchor of parents (and grandparents, as she spends one or two nights a week at my parents' house) put you at risk of being lost forever in the night. I was awful at sleepovers up until about nine or ten, always was the kid who sobbed until morning. It's odd, now, and amazing, seeing this little person emerge out of three years of infancy, this little being who has an imagination for fears and delights and everything between.

Anyway, that's me tonight: the doting auntie.

The dreaded last-minute Christmas knitting project is finished and currently flung over my loveseat.  Tomorrow I'll look it over for loose threads and then stuff it into a gift bag only to have it pulled back out again hours later by my almost-three-year-old niece who will probably be all, "A SWEATER?  THANKS, AUNTIE LAMESAUCE."  But I bask for now in the sweet glow of accomplishment.

I'm trying to convince my dog that there is such a thing as the Christmas Cat.  Gotta love dogs, they are so gullible this way.  He's now keeping watch in my picture window emitting the occasional low-pitched warning "rrrf."  The Christmas Cat is obviously not welcome in our small yard, that evil fucker.

So -- what do I have to say other than the above nonsense?  Nothing whatsoever. 

Hope everyone who celebrates it has a lovely Christmas and everyone who doesn't has a lovely weekend.  I will be spending the next day or two with my parents, my grandmother, and my brother and family.  There will be shouting arguments over who left the baby unattended and where the toddler's socks went and also why no one is helping to SET the bloody TABLE goddammit and all that nice traditional Christmas stuff.  I have slotted into the "fewest presents ever" category of the family now that I'm the lovely spinster aunt so I will probably spend a good part of tomorrow helping care for my niece and nephew and entertaining them with their new toys.  It's like parenting without any of the glory (or responsibility, thank fuck.)

Love you all.  So glad I've stumbled back into fandom this year.  Mwah.

It's sort of semi-chilly out today, and grey, which actually is good as it's encouraged me to start attacking the many work items that need to be executed in the next few days. I used to love back-to-school season but it's less fun when you're on the other side and it kind of comes and makes you sad about so much prep work. Anyway... [/whining]

Things that are of the good:

1) I have an AO3 invite. I've just barely started using the site myself but so far I like it! Send me a PM if you want my invite.

2) There is ongoing hilarity in the comments of my latest fic. Oh, fandom (and fen) how I've missed you all. (siria and sheafrotherdon are killing me with the funny, especially.)

3) My massive new fic is into second beta's hands. And my first beta -- oh, how I love her! For she has made me turn my somewhat lazy-ass storytelling into something quite a bit better. \o/

4) My niece (2.5 yrs old) told me a story yesterday, that literally went like this:

Her: "I went poop onna train. And dere was yotsa yotsa trains. So many trains! And I ride onna trains!"

And I said, confused, "And you pooped on them?"

And she was all, "NO. I RIDE ONNA TRAINS."  Like I was the crazy one.

Now, I know I'm kinda biased because this is my niece and all, but --

( COME ON )

Baby Niece #2 has just arrived. I stayed for the whole thing this time, and it was worth it to be able to hold little wee Niece when she was only about an hour old. She's gorgeous and big and sweet.

Bed now. Tired.

I met my first niece today and I am visiting her (and her parents) until Tuesday. She's very sweet and cute and good and spent most of the day sleeping. Of course, the illusion of perfection is being shattered by the sad infant screams drifting through the wall from my brother and his wife's bedroom. Poor baby. Poor parents. If only I were actually useful with infants, I could help out with the stark staring exhaustion... and my brother has to work in the morning, poor him.

I don't mind for my own sake, I can handle the occasional sleepless night! *g*

PICTURE UNDER CUT MAY CAUSE WOMB TO SPONTANEOUSLY IMPLODE.

( NIECE! )

I don't think I've mentioned this on LJ, but both my brothers have been scheduled to have babies in February. One of them jumped the gun a little.

( Cut for newborn photo, caution advised )