My nephew Cole is my sweetheart.
Don’t get me wrong. I love ALL my siblings children…but it’s hard to not talk about this little buggar…
…especially since his twinkling eyes are like two little diamonds. And you know what they say about diamonds…they’re a girl’s best friend. they rock. pun intended.
But Cole-baby’s eyes are not the subject of this here post. It’s really about this kid’s heart. He is so darn sweet. Just to prove it to you – here’s what he wrote in my birthday card:
Excuse me while I die.
Another thing that Cole does that just kills me is how he says goodbye. First, he always gives me a big bear hug. He wraps his little arms around my neck and squeezes my neck until I feel like my head is actually going to pop. And then he gives me a big kiss and tells me that he loves me. And then he says goodbye to Will.
That’s the part I love. The part where he says goodbye to my unborn baby. The part of HOW he says goodbye.
Only a picture can describe it:
The belly hug. It’s the world’s best medicine for leg cramps, uterine contractions, backaches and sciatica flare-ups. If I could bottle this and sell it…I’d be living large…well…larger 🙂
I’m sure everyone feels this way about a certain child. I can’t be the only one. Maybe it’s a nephew. Maybe a product of your own womb. Maybe a random kid that you just know through a friend’s neighbor’s cousin. Let’s get kid-friendly up in here and share with me the name of your favorite little buggar, their age and something they said or did that just tickles you pink (or blue!).
There are many children who just grab my heart, but my son, who is six, is at the top. He is always armed with a sweet or entertaining comment. Last Friday, Taylor was praying to God while we were driving in the car to pick up one of his “girlfriends”, Christa. I asked him to pray about how they would get along today:
“Dear Jesus, I don’t know why my mom wants me to pray that Christa and I will get along because we already do! Jesus, thank you that my mom gave me the privilege (yes, he said that) of playing with Christa today. Please help me to show her how respectful I can be (Melt my heart!). In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Another child that I love and haven’t seen in a long time is Taylor’s good friend, Laura Leigh. The first time she visited our house our dogs wouldn’t stop barking at her because they wanted to meet her, but she wouldn’t have anything to do with them. Her response to the dogs’ barking: “I’ll talk to your dog when he gets a better attitude!” (She was four at the time.)
I love children!
My neice is that child for me(she turns 4 on thursday.Last weekend we were at old navy and she accidentaly ran into a women, she apologized and the women said it’s ok. Then my neice olivia says..Can I hug you? and the random lady says ok and they hug. It was adorable and hilarious. Kids are so funny.
I’m pregnant as well, and my (almost) 5 year old, Owen, has been amazing this pregnancy! He kisses my belly daily and tells me that he is kissing his baby sister, he has saved some stuffed animals and baby blankets to give to her when she arrives, and the other day he drew her a sketch on her nursery wall. The sketch wasn’t really on the decorating agenda, but when he told us what it was for we couldn’t punish him!
No baby yet?!?
My favorite hugger is my one year old daughter Lily. When she reaches for me and puts her head on my chest I just melt every time.
my favorite little buggar is my niece Logan she is 2 years old. She is the cutest thing ever, she came to visit me a few weeks ago with her mom and out of the blue dropped to the ground while yelling “donkey kick” and did a donkey kick. She has recently started taking gymnastics! I love that girl!
My 4 year old niece Lyla, she has club foot and a muscle disorder that affects her hands but is a ray of sunshine and bundle of can do attitude! She has recently discovered the difference between “hate” and “love” and shared these insights with me. Sitting on a patio chair with holes for water to drain she looks at the hole, looks at me and says “I hate holes” not five minutes later some feral cats were in the yard and she declared, “i hate kitties, I mean I LOVE kitties!” too much!
I would have to say the love of my life is my fake nephew PJ, who at 18 months old is having his second surgery in a few minutes to have tubes put in his ears. He can’t talk yet, but the way that he paddles his legs instead of walking cracks me up to no end!
My niece Jocelyn is my favorite little bugger 🙂 She is 3 and a half now and we had an instant connection from birth. I have horses, and so last summer she rode for the first time (at 2, mind you – she is FEARLESS) and she was awesome on my horse Icy. I taught her how to cluck to him to get him to walk and to say “whoa” to stop. Since then, she has been HORSE CRAZY.
We got a call from her Dad the other night and he told us that Jocelyn had dragged a blanket over to the arm of the couch and put it on like a saddle and mounted the arm. When he asked her what she was doing, she said, “I’m riding Icy! Pretend!”
I just love that girl 🙂
So far I am the only one of five that has children – and my 8 month old son William is obviously the apple of my eye.
My favorite thing that he does – grabs my face, smiles real big, and “kisses” my chin mouth wide open.
I can’t get over the belly hug picture and the card – oh my! What a sweet boy!! How nice to be surrounded by wonderful people, young and old, who are so excited by your coming arrival!!
My cousin Caroline…she’s wise beyond her years (currently age 15).
I can’t believe you’re still pregnant! (I’m sure you can’t believe it either 🙂 )
My favorite buggar is my niece Isabel. She will be turning 4 next week. She lives 8.5 hours away so we do a lot of Skyping. We have a cat and dog so while Skyping the other night she told me that she loved Avery(the dog) and Ozzie (the cat) so much and that she needed to give them a cyber kiss. She is my little love!!
My sister’s three kids are my favorite children in the world – the oldest, Timmy, is 10 and still likes to cuddle with me and holds my hand in public. I’m dreading the day he becomes too cool for me! The youngest, Grace, is 6, and is always full of hilarious quips. The day I got married, she ran up to me full speed and shouted, “Happy wedding day, Aunt Jamie!” and the other day, when we announced to my family that we are having a baby, she came to me later and confided, “Aunt Jamie, I’m so glad you’re pregnant.” SO CUTE!
I just wanna know when Will is coming! lol! 🙂
your still so cute.
you are both adorable!!
my first niece was just born, so i can’t say she has said anything cute quite yet 🙂 and my second niece is coming next wednesday!
I’m a nanny .. and the one that does this for me is my very own charge, Jasper. What does he do? He gets so excited when he sees me every morning. He doesn’t mind at all that mommy hands him over to me. He is happy that I come to play with him. And when he laughs and this dimples do double time, I melt.
My nephew, Noah is the light of my life. He’s 20 months old. I live for the moment where I walk up to him and he realizes it’s me…his whole face just lights up and he SMILES SO BIG! That’s the best feeling ever. I know he knows me and loves me and understands we have a very special connection. I just adore him beyond words.
My little 3 year-old niece Delia. She is the sweetest, most random girl. You honestly never know what to expect with her, and while she can flabbergast and frustrate her parents, the stories are always hilarious.
My husband and I went over to their house for dinner to celebrate February family birthdays. I brought chocolate cake. I don’t often have time to cook, and I was a little nervous about how the cake turned out, but apparently it was more than okay to Delia. She talked about how yummy it was to the whole table, and after dinner, she gave me a card that said:
“Thanks for bringing the good cake”
That day it wasn’t just a good cake, it was THE good cake.
Kids like her make me want to have my own now!
I have no babies of my own yet, but my favorite little buggars are my twin cousins Riley and Caelan. They’re four now, but when they were almost three last year they were my ring bearer and flower girl. Riley only made it down the aisle because we tied his very favorite matchbox car to the ring pillow. Caelan told me “you’s my best friend” and that I “looked like a princess.” Melts my heart.
My son Evan, who is 22 months, melts my heart on a daily basis when I pick him up from daycare. He sees me and yells “My Mommy! Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!” and runs to me and jumps in my arms. Best part of my day.
When I was pregnant with Evan, my niece Ella, who was 18 months at the time, would give my belly kisses and she called him “my baby”. She loved him before he was born and once he was here, she visited almost daily so she could “babysit”. Too cute!
My goodness you’re such a beautiful pregnant woman! I loooove your big beautiful belly! I didn’t look like that AT ALL when I was pregnant… I don’t blame your nephew one bit for wanting to hug you! So precious! I can’t wait for the baby announcement on your blog. Best wishes!
Brooke 🙂
Maylen, my cousins little girl that we have deemed my neice. She is the first child I have ever been close to, and I fell in love. She in my flower girl next month. At 3 1/2 she still can’t pronounce my name, Aunt Pim. And I think its going to stick, I just love it!
My niece Madelyn just tickles me pink. She’s only 15 months old so she doesn’t say much. She does waddle up to me and hug my legs while I’m standing up, which just melts my heart. She also rests her head on my shoulder when I’m holding her, little snuggly baby. Also, she recently learned the chicken dance (from her day care) and it’s the stinking cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
The little kid who does this for me is my niece Sophie. She’s four and said to me the other day “oh…. I love you to the biggest of the sky…” left me speechless, all I could stutter back was “you too!” I never realised that I could love a child as deeply who was not my own flesh and blood – I love her hugs and her cheeky giggles and her new-found ability to comment. When opening her birthday present from me there was so many ooohs and aaahs and then “oooh a Lola book, I love them, oooh AND it’s got stickers!” – how could I ever resist buying this kid things with that great response!
looking forward to seeing photos of Will on the outside! I’m loving the nursery updates. this might be a little weird but can you email me an address I can send something to you – it would be perfect for your theme!
My niece Jane is 7 and just the sweetest thing. When my grandmother passed away she said “Don’t cry we can find another little old lady to love”.
So sweet!!
Where is that baby of yours?!
OH my!!! Are you sure there is not two in there? Sorry! Love your blog. (not sorry about the blog, the statement before that)
She probably had the baby already and wrote these posts in advance to give herself and her family time to enjoy the newborn without the stress of blogging. 😉
When my son was little, his then-six year old cousin Jessica would always ask him, “Baby James, are you going to eat Aunt Kayt now?” She was always fascinated with breastfeeding, probably because I was the first of the family to do it. It was so cute when she would go up to that little newborn, rub his cheek, and ask him in that sweet little girl voice.
My little buggar is another Will. He’s the son of my cousins daughter, will be three years old next week. Somehow our two families have ended up living in the same city clear across the country from the rest of our families. It’s a life-saver! Will is a most glorious, happy, brilliant sunny child, with sparkling eyes and hugs that melt ya. He stayed with me for a whole weekend recently; it was just delicious. My daughter and I were making cookies with him, with Moose cookie cutters (his nickname is Moose). While they were baking, he was watching a kids cartoon when suddenly he came out and said his tummy hurt. When I asked, did he need to go potty, he said no and there was intense sadness in his eyes. I said, what do you think is wrong. My tummy is hungry he said….now he’d only eaten lunch not too long before so I asked, what is your tummy hungry for. I never saw a face light up so fast…. “Moose tookie!”.
Needless to say, he got a freshly baked Moose tookie!
My four year old nephew Dewey is the love of my life! He is one of the sweetest toddlers I know. The other day he told me “Aunt Molly, I love you more than peanut M&M’s!” Now that is love!
My favorite little buggar is my 18-month-old niece, Kennedy Grace. I love the way she takes my face in her hands and speaks in a language that I can’t understand, but yet I somehow know what she is saying. When I reply back to her, she nods her adorable little head and trots off waiting for me to follow her. She melts my heart 🙂
My favorite little one is my best friend’s daughter, Harmony. She was the first little one born into our circle of friends and loved by everyone that she comes in contact with.
My favorite thing is watching Harmony interact with my husband. She has loved him since the beginning and wasn’t ashamed to show him! She would literally bat her eyes at him and give him coy, shy smiles since birth. It was amazing! Like a movie, the background would fade away and it was like he was the only one in the room.
So adorable! Here are some pictures of her on my best buds’ blog: http://fotogirl14.blogspot.com/
My little Niece Grace is 3 and she’s the bees knees. I die when she says that she wants to come over to my house and have a play date. So flippin cute.
I took care of my niece for the summer when she was two. She’s 13 now (sniff, sniff) and taller than me but she’s still my favorite. She would always offer to share her stuff with me. Eg. “You can play with my toys, if you want to.” Except when it came to lunch. I guess her babysitter before me used to eat her food. So everyday at lunch we had the same conversation. Niece: ” Remember, don’t eat my food!” Me: “I promise I won’t eat your food.” Niece: “Okay, but remember!” I still crack up whenever I think about it.
My cousin Michael holds a special place in my heart. Ever since he was 4, he would drop everything to run and hug me. He yells, “Cousin Laura!!!” like my presence is the best thing ever. He then sticks by my side ALL day. He’s 11 and he still does it. LOL
My 4 year old daughter, Ava is such a huge helper! She amazes me everyday and adores her little brother. For Easter, she received gardening gloves, tools, a watering can, an apron and of course eggs filled with candy. She loves to dig outside and couldn’t wait to wear her “caperon.” So cute, I didn’t want to correct her!
My 17 month old son is my little hugger. He is such a momma’s boy and loves to snuggle and love on me – ALL THE TIME! When he blows kisses, it’s the cutest thing ever! I feel very blessed to have these two little people in my life! God is good!
My BFF’s son, J. He’s nearly 3, and a bundle of orange-haired trouble and fun. Whenever he sees me he runs up and screams “Auntie Laura!!!” When my BFF was pregnant this past year but didn’t know what she was having, if you asked J if he thought he was having a baby brother or a baby sister, he would always say “A baby dinosaur!” This went on for months. Now he adores his baby sister. 🙂
Aww that’s so sweet. My brother’s wife was pregnant back until February and my neice (his daughter – 2) was just sooo sweet about the whole thing. At dinner she would ask where Alex was going to sit when he comes and just cute things like that. It’s so sweet how they sometimes seem to already think of the little unborn babies as already people more than we do. They are, but it’s just so innocent and sweet. I’m surprised you haven’t had yours yet! 🙂
my favorite kiddo told a woman with an eye patch in target that she thought it was cool she got to a pirate, the woman didn’t think it was too funny.. but Gwynyth was genuinely happy to meet her, and even said AAAARRRRRGGGHH it was nice meeting you when we left.
Tell Will to hurry up and come out already… we are all waiting to meet him!!! can’t wait to see pictures!
Here’s hoping a safe and happy delivery for you, your boyfriend and baby WIll!!!
Oh, so fun. I teach preschool special ed, and all of my students make me laugh throughout the day. They are so cute, so sweet, and just so much fun to be around. One in particular tugs at my heartstrings this year. He literally stands at his front door, all smiles, and jumps up and down out of excitement when he is waiting for me to arrive at the house for a home visit. Love that little guy!
That is one precious picture! I love it! And I don’t really have a story to share. Just wanted to say that! 🙂
I have two little cutie patooties that just tickle me pink and blue and they can’t even talk yet. Ansley, 6 months, and John Steadman, 10 months. They are my grandchildren and now I know why they are called GRAND. They bring such joy and happiness with their crinkled up noses, drooly smile and babble-jabber. You just can’t have a bad day when they are around. Just wished we all lived closer.
My favorite is my 3 year old daughter Arwen. When she get’s a boo boo, she says, “Mommy, I hurt my feelings.” I melt every time she says this. And only a kiss on her boo boo from Mommy can make the hurt feelings go away. Sappy, yes, but I love it still.
My daughter is turning 3 at the end of this month. Every once in awhile she grabs me by the face, pushes her forehead to mine and says, “Mom, you’re the best-est girl I ever heard!” Then she plants a major smack-a-rooni on my mouth.
What a goofball.
My 2 year old niece Giada Bryn (same middle name as me!) Is definitely the little buggar that tugs at my heartstrings. She has had me wrapped around her finger since the day she was born. She is living up in Michigan with my sis-in-law while they wait for my brother to get out of the Army in WA. I’m in NJ! The other day she had a nice long time out for somehow getting up onto a dresser and getting paint and giving a wall her very own paint job. When she was sick of being in time out and being in trouble she picked up her little purse and said to her Mommy. Mommy, I’m going to New Jersey. Ahhh, I love her. She also is swimming at such an advanced level..mid you she isn’t even three yet. The club where my sis in law teaches swim lessons is where Giada swims a LOT and they even want her to swim in the first swim meet! SHE IS TWO!
Good Luck with Baby WILL! Congrats!
Other than my 19-year-old nephew Jason, for whom I would lay down my life, I have two very special little boys in my life: C (8 years old) and G (27 months old).
OMG. They are just the cutest! C knows absolutely everything there is to know about every single animal that walks, flies or swims on this here earth and he’s teaching me Hebrew (I’m not Jewish, I’m Catholic, but C seems to think I need to learn the language!). And his little brother G? Ran into him in Costco today and when he saw me down the aisle, he ran to me, made me pick him up, gave me a kiss and a hug (and how I love those dirty-faced, wet kisses!) and just let me hold him. Well, until he said, “Down” when he’d had enough, which wasn’t near enough for me…
My nephew, Asher, always cracks me up. One day his little brother (by 2 years)walked up and hit him (which I guess happens with boys). Asher walked away and told my sister, “I can’t wait til I’m in college and he is in kindergarten and I can beat him up.” Kid logic is too funny.
Yay you’re having your baby soon!! 🙂 I’m sending many prayers your way! My little cousin Nate always says “Her not Ashley!” to those Ashley furniture commercials where all the different people say “I’m Ashley.” 🙂
My nephew Jarret is 4 years old and some of the things he says and does makes me want to squeeze the life out of him. On easter he was climbing the tree outside of my moms house and he asked me to climb it with him. I got on one branch and told him I had to get down because I was scare and He said “don’t worry aunt margie I’ll take care of you!” uhh so sweet!
Oh gosh. That is sooo precious.
I feel that way about a little girl that I met while volunteering at a shelter for at risk kids. *sigh* I haven’t seen her since we moved 5+ months ago and I miss her like crazy.
Kelly
I come from a huge family, with cousins have babies while uncles are having babies, so we all exist in a huge range of ages. It would be unfair to choose a favorite out loud, but since none of my family will read this, I’ll be honest 🙂
My little cousin (well technically second-cousin) is amazing. His name is Mitchy and he just turned 7.
Last year, all Mitchy wanted, more than anything in the world was a hamster. He was told he couldn’t have one until his cat (who was 17 at the time) passed away. He would always make comments like “Man, that cat’s NEVER gonna die!”
Being the awesome cousin I am, I went ahead and bought Mitchy a hamster. When we took it back to his house and got it all set up in the cage he turned around and looked up at me with the sweetest eyes I’ve ever seen. He said thank you and started to turn away, but then he looked back up and said “I wished for this and now I have it! Dreams really do come true!” I could have died right there on the spot!
Thanks for making me think about that fun and special day 🙂
I had a cutie in my first grade class named Kano. Every morning she would give me a hug and rub her cheek on my preggo belly (I just had a baby 3 months ago) and ask, “When is that baby gonna pop out?” I love that girl!
My nephew by marriage, Logan, is 6. He was visiting and saw some of our wedding pictures out. He was excited to see himself as the ring-bearer and look at the photos of everybody else all dressed up for the big day. And he said, “I liked it when you married Uncle Matt. I think I would like to get married, too, when I get old like you and Uncle Matt.” (We are 25…ancient…) I love that kid.
Definitely thinking about you and baby Will, even though I rarely comment. I’m going to die with no internet access tomorrow! But seriously, praying for all of you.
That picture of him hugging your belly is precious! The love of my life (besides my hubbie) is my best friend’s son Noah. He has the sweetest little country accent and recently turned 4. At his birthday party, I had a sweet moment with him — I was holding him and spinning around, he was playing with my hair which makes me melt every time. Then someone came up and said “is that your Jessica?” (That’s me) And he looked at me and said “Who’s Jessica?” He calls me Jess so he did not understand why anyone would call me Jessica! When he says my name its actually more like Jaaauuuhhsss because of the country accent.
Katie, I just discovered your blog (via YHL) and I’m loving catching up on the Bowers’ adventures! A rather late congratulations on creating the completely-adorable Will!
The special kid in my life is my husband’s little stepsister, Sarah. She tells everyone I’m her best friend. She was the flower girl in our wedding (six years old at the time). While she was getting her hair done, she told the stylist “My best friend is getting married today, and then she’s going to be my sister.” I absolutely melted when I heard about it. 🙂