Fabulous Friday # 16: Being an Aintie

You may be wondering just what an "aintie" is. Or, more likely, you're probably ready to call the editor out for misspelling the word "auntie" in the title of her post. I've been known to do that before, but I did not this time. An aintie is what I am.

My best friend, Jennifer, has a two-year-old son, Reed. Jennifer and I aren't biologically sisters, but we're sisters in every other sense of the word. So while I'm not Reed's actual Aunt Ashley (he does have an actual Aunt Ashley; Jennifer's real sister's name is Ashley. Confusing much?), I'm his Ain't Ashley.

I fell in love with this adorable boy the second I saw him, just minutes after he was born. Since then, he has been a big part of my life, and I couldn't enjoy being his aintie more.

Last night, I went over to Jennifer's, and we took a nice, long walk around her neighborhood. We got back just in time for the start of the Thunder game. While we were watching, Reed showed me his new trick of hopping and "ribbiting" like a frog, counted all the way to 4!, had me kiss his boo-boo, and climbed in my lap so we could read The Robot Book (I'm debating on counting it as one of my 52 for the year...). Snuggling up with the toddler who has stolen your heart is one of the best and most rewarding things ever. Seriously, you should try it sometime. When it was time for Reed to go to bed, I got kisses and "squeezy hugs," the best kind.

An evening spent with the bestie and Reed was just what the doctor ordered after a stressful week. I'm a lucky aintie.

And here's the man of the hour in the "woof woof" shirt I got him for his birthday. Too cute, right?

Shop Til Ya Drop...or Not

We're officially halfway through June, so I suppose it's high time I fess up about both May and June's goals. May's goal was to take Deuce for a walk every day. We started the month strong and walked a mile around the neighborhood every day for the first week and a half. Then I went to Tipton one weekend and it rained every day. I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I'd melt in the rain, so I wasn't about to chance a walk on those days.

Then I suffered through the worst/most hectic few weeks of my professional life and certainly couldn't be bothered with little things like exercising and meeting a goal I had set for myself and just knew I'd accomplish with no problem. Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), Deuce hasn't gotten a walk since May 10. Once things settle down in my professional life, I'm hoping to give the whole walking thing another go.

So now on to June. My goal for this month is to forgo retail therapy. I'm trying to save money this year, so I knew my shopping habit was going to suffer. When I set this goal back in January, I had no idea how difficult this month was going to be for me. When I'm suffocated with job stress, shopping is my go-to comfort. But I'm not supposed to do that this month. Except that I already did. Just once, though.

Friday, my friend Sabrina sent me a picture of a shirt and said "YOU NEED THIS SHIRT!" Indeed I did. So I bought it. Dying to know what shirt I just had to have, at the expense of June's goal?

I mean, how could I pass this up? If nothing else, maybe me wearing this will send a subconscious message to Serge and he'll soon propose.

A girl can dream, right?

No more shopping this month, though...at least not for me. Both of my brothers' birthdays are this month---Chance's is today, and Kendall's is Tuesday---so big sis has some other shopping obligations.

I guess I'll have to fill the shopping void with reality TV and ice cream.