When Mackenzie opened the polar bear, she'd already been bombarded with what seemed like a million other gifts. When she saw what it was, she shared, with everyone, the story about Bailey eating the polar bear. I'm sure she didn't know the new one was from me. Immediately, I was humbled. I'd been hoping replacing this toy would prove that I'm reliable, trustworthy, and a pretty cool Auntie. However, she was just happy to have a new polar bear.
And....
I also bought her the movie Dolphin Tale.
A few months earlier, I'd taken Mackenzie to see the movie and she still talks about how much fun she had and how much she liked the film. So when I was asking Jacci for gift ideas for her daughter, Jacci instantly said, you should buy her Dolphin Tale... Mackenzie still talks about it. (The thought hadn't crossed my mind...)
When Mackenzie opened this gift, she jumped and screamed and said she couldn't believe she got the movie. As soon as the family got home, she began asking when we could watch it.
The coolest part of her birthday, though, was that when I explained to Mackenzie and Caleb that I was going to leave and be gone in North Carolina for about "30 sleeps," they immediately wanted to turn the movie off and play with me. So, the kids and I played until they had to go to sleep. I put them to bed, and Jacci told me that Mackenzie mentioned getting Dolphin Tale as being one of the best parts of her day.
Lessons:
- Kids are pretty cool. Though they all tend to look the same when you don't know them.
- I should not be put in charge of massive amounts of little kids, even for a second.
- I shouldn't expect reactions from people, allowing them to react how they want to, not how I want them to.
- Taking time out to play with my niece-phews has, and will continue to, enhance my life.
