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?