I [heart] my sister

Let's play auntie!

Sal and I were lucky enough to have my sister spend her vacation time with us while NZ was overseas. It was really nice to have an extra set of hands willing to do anything from changing diapers to consoling a distraught backseat driver ( OMG, You put me in a carseat, you mean mean mama!), for a few days. I even managed to  hack mow the lawn. I never ever mow lawns, and I don't know WHY I thought it was a good idea, but now I remember why I DON'T...that shhht ain't easy!

Lovin his Auntie

Sis and I had a chance to hit the mall, and Sal was on his best behavior. He scored a few outfits, and we had fun just walking and hanging out together for the afternoon.

I got you piggy!

Lots of time was spent playing on his jungle gym, which he is so freakin cute under...He is thrilled with himself now that he can grab the piggy, and sometimes his wild left hand can nail the zebra too.

We did many loads of laundry, dyed some onesies and playpen sheets avocado puke Amazon Green , took a walk and watched way too much daytime TV. I introduced sis to my guilty pleasure, Make it Or Break It and helped her eat broken cookies bag some of her cookie orders.

With our time in the USA running out, I can't help but get emotional thinking about saying goodbye, although, not forever, to my sister. She has been a tremendous sister, aunt and friend throughout the years of  trials and tribulations on our way to becoming a family of three. It's like she lived it with me ( as did a few close friends and fam members, I love you guys too), and Sal is a very special boy to her. I'd trust my sister with him any day. She shows him such love and patience ( which was nice when he flipped the ef out in his carseat one afternoon, and I about joined him with the tears), and is really good with photo documenting. She never leaves our house without leaving at least 100+ photos of him and all his cuteness.

My sister and I weren't always BFF's..In fact, I am pretty sure we had a strong dislike for one another for a while there. Being 6 years younger, I ALWAYS bugged her and her friends, and tried to embarass her in front of them. I would beg to spend the night with them, and they would end up saying yes, only to pull my tooth or something.

It all changed when our parents divorced in 1996, my sister and I grew super close. No one else in the world could comfort me the way she did, and visa versa. We went through the sadness  and the whole "I can't beleive this happened to our family" disbelief together. A few years after our parent's divorce  I encountered a divorce of my own-- capped off with an eating disorder as I muddled my way back into the world. My sister was always my first call. She never ever judged. She was just There.

..and it makes me sad to think that in just over a month, I won't have the luxury of having my sister show up on my doorstep to hang out for the day. I know she'll still be there, via Skype or a phonecall, but it's not the same. I'm gonna miss the crap outta her.

This move is a good thing for us, exciting and adventurous, but I really, really wish that we could pack my sister up and bring her with us. I'm thankful for each and every day I get to spend with her, and hoping she gets her passport and brings her butt over to China before too long.

And with that sappy post about my wonderful sister, a few pictures that she took of Sal...

..Thank you sis !

( now get that passport, pronto!)