My secret thrill-landscape

[constance]

I haven't met my new niece yet, she who was born just before Christmas. I plan to go, and I get this close || to buying the ticket, and then my heater breaks down or my I hear the death rattles coming from my car, and I have to deal with that first and then by the time I'm just about ready to contemplate buying a ticket again, something else happens. This is the way life works, I know, but sometimes it gets a little frustrating -- as wonderful as my house is, I recognize that it would be almost as wonderful, sometimes, to have the little budgetary cushions I used to have before I bought one.

All this is to say that my parents recently surprised me by buying me a ticket to Dallas recently (it was recently, did I say that?), leaving this Friday for a long weekend, so that the only thing I have to pay for is dog-boarding. Normally I'm of mixed feelings when my parents do things like this, but now, packing and checking the weather in Texas, I'm feeling nothing but unalloyed pleasure. I get to meet my niece! And even though I don't personally know her, I feel I can introduce her to you. Internet, meet my niece Gracie. Isn't she splendid?

Actually: almost as much as I'm looking forward to meeting her, specifically, I am just pleased to have an excuse to fawn all over a baby again. After years of college daycare tours of duty and post-college nannyhood, when I got to hold babies until I thought my arms might just fall off, I have experienced a sad dearth of cuddly babies in my life, and okay it is a little embarrassing how much I just love drooly, smelly babies with their soft skin and grippy hands and such but I can't help it and now I have one whom I can unashamedly monopolize all weekend long and I am so happy I can hardly stand it.

Now if only I can spend the whole airport time writing Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell fanfiction, I will consider it a perfect weekend.

Comments

[laurelwood.livejournal.com]

Oh, hurrah for unexpected and well-received tickets to Dallas! I hope you have a splendid trip, and please nuzzle that baby's fuzzy head for me. She's just gorgeous, and she's the perfect, most succulent age for fawning over. (I love newborns, too; it's just, man, 3-month-olds are Maximum Baby Excellence!)

I hope we get to hear all about your trip when you get back!

[tofty.livejournal.com]

I KNOW. I especially love the ages 3-12 months, past the eat-and-sleep phase and just before the into-every-single-thing stage. I mean, every age is great, really. But I find this part especially marvelous.

I'm sure I'll write all about my trip! 'Tis me we're talking about, after all. :D

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

Oh man, she is adorable - how you have held off this long I can hardly imagine. Have a wonderful time with your niece, and her parents, too.

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, the parents will be there too, won't they? :D

Thanks, I'm planning to have a terrific time, and also to EAT SOME DECENT MEXICAN FOOD. Like, Mexican food which doesn't come drowning in liquid cheese. I'm looking forward to that almost as much as I am to meeting Gracie.

[amelia-eve.livejournal.com]

You had me at "Mexican."

[friendly.livejournal.com]

as unfond as i am of babies, i will say this: she is pretty cute. big-eyed. good work, aunt cammy!

you will post this fanfic when it is written, right :|

[tofty.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am proud of all my hard work which has gone into Gracie's life so far. :D:D:D

I wasn't planning on posting any JS&MN fanfic, because I didn't really think anyone would be interested in My New Fandom. But if I write something worthwhile and you are interested, I'll be glad to post it!