Relationships

Relationships to me come in all different shapes and sizes and we come across many different types throughout our day. I absolutely adore my niece and nephews and my relationship with them to me is very important. My nephew Grant, who is the younger of my two nephews is very special to me.

He has always been the one to climb right up on my lap, cuddle with me, hold my hand when we walk anywhere and loves to have me read to him before he goes to sleep. He is an incredibly bright child who has been reading pretty much anything and everything for over a year, can spell pretty much anything you ask him too, and knows his times. Of course when he told me he knew his times, I thought that he meant times of day, but oh no, he knows his multiplication tables, ummm, I still struggle with those. Did I mention he just finished kindergarten and he is 6 1/2? I don't think they taught him all that in kindergarten, I also have a feeling he has been doing his big brothers home work for him, he is in second grade. . .

I think the computer teaches him a lot, he would always say things like, need more data, and go to the computer and find different educational sites. He has been on the computer since he was two, he has been loading his own games since he was three, but not in the typical way, he will go to the run prompt and do it from there. Sometimes I wonder how far this will take him.

Will he be bored in first grade like he was in kindergarten? Will the kids think he is a little weird? Will he be able to relate to his teachers? His social interaction needs some help, he is incredibly sensitive and his feelings get hurt easily and he cries these big gigantic crocodile tears that just break my heart. I think that his big brother and twin sister protect him, but they tend to just kind of run all over the place too. He and his twin are quite close, but I think that she needs her space as well.

He is VERY particular about the way he dresses and keeps his room. His room is always immaculate and organized. His clothes always hung up and put away and he prefers button downs, collard shirts or anything with a sweater vest.

And of course he is a huge fan of anything madras or plaid.

To me, a guy after my own heart. We have been teasing him since he was very little that he had OCD, I don't think it is funny anymore though, because he really does get quite upset if anyone messes with his room. My sister and her husband call him Alex P. Keaton. I think he is beyond adorable. Whenever I take him anywhere people think he is mine. The blond hair, always smiling and the blue eyes. Makes me proud, but I do let people know he is just my nephew.

These are just some thoughts that I have been having lately. I do something special with each of the kids every month. I ask each of them what they have in mind. The oldest loves to go to MOA, a sporting event or this big arcade downtown called Gameworks. Miss Grace loves to go shopping, get her nails done or go to Build a Bear, sometimes Disney on Ice or something like that if it is in town. My little Grant, he loves to go to the zoo, have a picnic in the park or go to the movies, but most of all he says he likes to just spend time with me and when we go to eat it is never McDonald's or TGIFridays or anywhere like that, he wants a culinary experience and always asks to look at my cookbooks.

What a funny little guy, but oh I enjoy him so much. You can understand why his approval of the boy was very important to me,

and the fact that it took him 10 months to warm up to him was pretty tough, but I am so happy that they have become friends!