My niece will be 4 years old next month. For a variety of reasons she hasn't been to San Francisco yet to visit her Auntie Emma. I've tried to go home at least twice a year, last year I saw her once a week for 3 months while I was in England working, and one year I even went home 5 times; shortly after her birth, Christmas, other holidays and her first birthday.
I miss her birthday most years and I'm sorry for that...I miss her every weekend when she's got stories to tell of her escapades. I worry that even though she knows 'Auntie Emma' she doesn't actually KNOW me. But I chose to live far away from my family.
Despite that I often think of what I would show her if she came to San Francisco. This weekend my friend Amy told me about a wonderful place near Santa Rosa that's like a safari. I'd take her there.
I'd take her to the Exploratorium and let her play and touch all the cool science-ey things there. David and I went there a few years ago when David's friend Simon was visiting and David took twice as long going round the exhibits because he's such a big kid!
And I'd let her eat as much ice cream as she wanted. I'd bake cakes with her...so long as she wears her 'Princess' apron!
I'd take her to the Metreon and let her choose which movie we'd see, before going to the Sony Center and playing some Disney games on the Playstations...and then we'd go to the Disney story on Union Square and I'd spend far too much money and let her choose a princess dress and glass slippers.
Then we'd go across the Bay Bridge and visit the Habitot Children's Museum and check out the Rocket Ship and the waterworks exhibit.
Then we'd go on a Cable Car!
And maybe if she really twisted my arm I'd take her to Disneyland!
In the mean time, I'm off to make her a video Birthday message and burn it to CD. With my new HP photo software I can even print off a CD label with a picture of me and her!
OK, you've given me a guilt complex for not bringing lauren to SF. I'm shipping her by Fed Ex tonight. She should be with you by 9am!
Posted by: Sarah Duckenfield | August 22, 2006 at 01:25 AM
Sounds like its time for one of your own!
Bear in mind you can't give em back quite so easily when they are your own, and when they won't go to sleep, demand chocolate instead of dinner, and smear fingerprints all over your freshly cleaned mirrors then life with a 4 year old takes on a different perpective.
Having said that I wouldn't swap her for anything.
Posted by: Laurens' Dad | August 22, 2006 at 12:08 PM
I second Lauren's Dad's opinion about it being time for one of your own... and here you were just a few blogs ago saying you weren't sure you were ready for kids! :)
Posted by: Steph | August 23, 2006 at 07:53 AM