Aunt Robin

It's always nice when Aunt Robin visits. The kids might only see her once or twice a year, but it's immediately like she's never been away. We got home from the airport, they flitted around her telling stories of their days and their summers and their favorite toys and books. And then she brought out the new toys and books she always brings and they oohed and aahed over those. She read them both stories before bed, much to their delight.

First day there was a baseball game, and Robin got to see Jack hit the ball well a couple of times, single and an error, and his team get a win. After the game, Jack ran around with his friends and teammates, Kate ran around with her friends (little siblings of teammates). Next morning, we got Dunkin Donuts, so the pictures of kids posing with donuts and grinning sugary, powdery donut grins abounded.

After a visit to Vermont, she was back in town for a dinner at MaryAnn's, where the kids of course ate too many chips, too little actual dinner, and sat on either side of her. We got home and had big bowls of ice cream, and she cracked them up by telling stories about her dogs, including Bruce, who apparently is not the brightest bulb on the tree.

Next morning, we sat around having coffee and cereal, with Jack and Kate again falling all over her, enjoying stories about her dogs and their cousins. Kate sat on her lap, and then Jack sat on her lap, hard, and she made him laugh by saying she thought she wet herself a little.

We said our goodbyes and I drove Robin down to the airport, talking about kids, parents, life. I saw her off to her plane and we started thinking about the next time we'd all see Aunt Robin, hopefully soon.