the kid connection

I didn’t ever think too much of kids. I knew quite some time ago that I wasn’t going to have to deal with any kids of my own and I didn’t hang with any parents of young children so they were pretty much just out of sight and out of mind. Then Hayleigh came along. My sister had my niece Hayleigh in 1996. That’s when kids because very cool to me. Babies and toddlers are the best. Of course, I say that because I was around Hayleigh so much when she was a baby and a toddler. When she was six, I moved to Portland.

Since then, I have a new niece Marley that I’ve only seen twice. She’s around 1 ½ years old. I feel really bad not seeing her more, especially seeing as how much time I spent with her older sis when she was growing up.

Before I moved in with my current roommates, Ashes warned me, “I have five year old, you know.” It was an adjustment at first and it still has it’s days but I think that living with a child, even if it’s not yours, gives one a different outlook on life, responsibilities and a rejuvenated spirit (sometimes. Other times, it can be flat-out exhausting or loud). For the most part, I feel that I’ve greatly benefited by being around Raven.

Today, my new thing was going to Raven’s friends’ house to pick him up and watching them play the Wii (which I really want now). Kids are often misunderstood or just flat out not heard. I’m glad I can go my little part to try to bridge those generational gaps.

(Marley is the little one in the above picture playing with the lab toy I got her for Christmas)