True Confessions Friday:: My niece’s naughty behavior cracks me up.

She really loves my mom's dog, whom she calls "Cow."

Not all the time, mind you.  Just when there’s someone else (like my mom) who can point her towards the path of good behavior.  But even then, I can see my mom trying to hold in her laughter.  Of course, there are times when composure is just not possible.

For instance, my 2.5 year-old niece (she’ll be 3 in Sept. and she’s not technically my niece.  She’s my step-niece) was visiting my mom and step-dad for a few days.  Omigosh, that kid cracks me up.  Last night we were sitting on the porch and she wanted to water the flowers with her little plastic watering container.  She dumped the liquid out of the can causing a downpour on the pansies.  Then she wanted more water, presumably to do the same, but my mom told her, “No.” When no one was looking, she took my step-dad’s half-full glass of iced tea and dumped it on the flowers.  I busted out laughing.  Seeing how funny she was, she proudly went for my can of Diet Coke. Denied!  She was just trying to water the flowers—with any liquid in her grasp.

Apparently, she's reading a Brennan Manning book.

Earlier that evening, we took the dogs for a walk.  I attached my mom’s two dogs to a tandem leash and then clipped a pink leash to the tandem lead for my niece to use.  She really and truly thinks that she’s walking the dogs.  She accidentally dropped the pink leash a few times and I would exclaim, “Oh, no!  You better get that that or the puppies are going to run away!”  She would quickly grab her leash to ensure the safety of the dogs.  Well, at some point during the walk, she got something in her sandals.  After removing the item, which mean removing her sandal, she decided that she would rather resume the walk barefoot—a definite no-no!  During the rambunctious protest that occurred, she dropped the pink leash and refused to pick it up.  I reminded her that she wanted to walk the dogs and she couldn’t just leave them in the middle of the sidewalk.  Begrudgingly, she complied and was all smiles half a block later.  I think she actually dragged the dogs up the street.

She decided to put her coat on by herself--upside down!

Then there was our shopping trip to Target!  Deciding my niece needed new shoes, my mom and I headed to the shoe department and found some darling little shoes that were a mere $3.24—a cute bargain!  Perfect!  But the mini-fashionista would have none of that; she wanted Dora sandals (also discounted—that’s my girl).  Unfortunately, there were no Dora sandals in her size.  We tried to end this Dora fixation with other fine shoes, but no, it was all about Dora.  After nearly a dozen no’s, we finally found a pair of Disney Princess sandals that passed my niece’s high standards (after she cried because the Hello Kitty sandals were not in her size either).  I mean, when did two year-olds care about fashion?  Seriously!

We're a dynamic duo!

All this has taught me that I am definitely not ready to have a child because I can’t keep a straight face when all this nonsensical stuff is happening.  Even if I’m irritated at the moment, it makes me laugh later on.  Then again, I’m the cool aunt, aren’t I?  We cool aunts do cool stuff like buy our nieces their first My Little Ponies.  I don’t know if I was made to be a mother, but I was definitely made to be a cool aunt.