I've Gotten a Bit Carried Away

[anogete]

It's not a secret that I do not want children of my own. Even if my extreme fear/disgust of actual pregnancy wasn't a huge issue, I'd never be able to keep my sanity/happiness while caring for children under the age of seven. I'm just not cut out for it. I'd be arrested for locking babies (and toddlers) up in the closet for hours at a time. So, it's for the best that I remain childless. However, I don't hate children. I actually enjoy them for about an hour. Then I like to give them back to their parents and wash my hands. Children have germs. And they drool on themselves. Eww.

So, Jason's sister has a little girl named Markel. She calls me Auntie Amanda, so I guess I'm her aunt, even if Jason and I never plan on getting married. Her second birthday party is on Saturday, and I've been working on her present for a few weeks now. The poor girl has only a handful (less than ten) of books which are being held hostage in a basket out of her reach. She loves books, but Jason's mother and sister (who are jointly raising the child) don't seem to understand the importance of encouraging a love of books early in life.

Books are my thing. I love books of all kinds, and I can't imagine not having multiple bookshelves filled with my favorites. Even as a kid, I had an ungodly amount of them hidden in my closet on a makeshift bookshelf fashioned out of old milk crates. So, I couldn't let Markel live another year without books and a bookshelf. Over the last few weeks, I've been collecting used children's books from used bookstores in town. I have nearly forty books for her thus far. At lunch, I went shopping and bought a two-shelf bookshelf with some alphabet stickers so I could put her name on the front.





I've already ran my plan by Jason's mother just so I know they have room for the bookshelf in Markel's room. It's going to be super awesome. I'm so excited about giving this to her. About half of her current ten books were given to her by me last Christmas. She threw all the toys to the side while she looked at the books on Christmas morning. I'm such a bad (good!) influence.

After putting the books on shelf, I feel like I should buy more. So, I might spend my lunch break tomorrow at the bookstore looking for some of my favorites.

Comments

[jitterbugclock.livejournal.com]

You are a wonderful faux aunt! Those shelves are just fabulous!!!

I don't have kids either, but when my nieces and nephews were small, I loved focusing on one creative theme each Christmas (music, paints, sculpting, books) and then hunting for age-appropriate gifts that would have delighted ME at each of their ages.

Needless to say, I am STILL the favorite aunt of the family (though they have all had the audacity to grow up and start reproducing themselves - how rude!).

You keep rocking that literature, girl!

[anogete.livejournal.com]

Focusing on a creative theme each Christmas sounds like a fantastic idea! I bet they loved that.

[ccangel42.livejournal.com]

that's so cute. i'm constantly buying books for Emma because she LOVES to read them (aka. look at them) and be read to. i really hope she finds the same love of books that i have.

[theredzebra1.livejournal.com]

Oh so awesome. You must be the most rockin' auntie evah! Markel will go out of her mind. :D Tell us what she thinks of it.

[marasmine.livejournal.com]

That is an awsome idea! And that is a really nice bookshelf. Part of me says 'yes' it needs more books and part of me says 'no' too many at once won't get the attention they deserve. Maybe just a few more? lol

[smartoompaa.livejournal.com]

OMG I wish I had an aunt like you! I'm not old enough to have kids, and I have yet to decide If I want them, but I must say I wish I was that little girl. I love books and my parents are constantly telling my my room is going to be overrun and I'll have nowehere to sleep, I just smile. Books are amazing....

[anogete.livejournal.com]

My uncle was the person who taught me a love of books. When I was a kid and early teenager, he would bring me at least three or four books each week. Usually, they were the young adult horror/mystery/suspense novels that were popular at the time. I haven't been able to put books down since then.

[mmyrtle.livejournal.com]

What you're doing for your pseudo-niece fills me with Happy! After the day I've had, that's no small feat.

*standing ovation*

Brava ~ nicely done!