Titi Lissa's Corner

By the time you read this I will be on a beach with a drink in one hand, sun in my face and my mind and heart missing my two little girls! I Modern Mom is on her first vacation alone with my husband in over 5 years! I think we were way over due! This got me thinking and I decided that this would be perfect opportunity to introduce a new feature that I hope becomes a regular feature in my blog:"Titi Lissa's Corner". My sister Melissa Lopez is a wonderful aunt to my two little girls and I thought it would be cool to see a different perspective on motherhood and raising children from someone who doesn't have children but is invested in the growth of my children. So here it goes I hope you like it!

While mommy is away, the auntie gets to play. Well sort of. While my sister is away on vacation with her husband and their friends, I was given the privilege of writing on her blog. As my first ever appearance on the Modern Mom’s blog, I will do a brief introduction. I am the non-married, childless and childish younger sister of the Modern Mom. Might I add good looking to those credentials? I am the wonderful aunt to my sister’s two ROCKIN’ daughters. They rock. Just like auntie.



But, enough of that. I believe I’m supposed to be talking about the girls and my sister and auntie-ing.



On a serious note though, I love hanging with my nieces and their cousins who I also consider my niece and nephew.



Being an aunt provides many joys. My most happiest of joys is playtime. I don’t know if I should admit to this but I love playing with toys and the only person I know that can truly appreciate that is Layla. After all the craziness that is my life, working in the busy and stressful world of marketing, running a side Zumba business, working out, etc., I get to spend some of my weekends with stuffed animals, dolls, and a really imaginative little girl. As the older niece, she’s at the age where she can make up story lines and play make-believe for hours. I like to let her lead and chime in when necessary. It’s so much fun to be in her presence and I just relish in the moment. Sometimes she picks up on things I say, and I can hear her using “my words” in playtime with her friends or by herself.



I think as an aunt, we get to be the “adult that’s not really an adult.” Children welcome our interest in playing with them yet will listen to us IF we are stern enough. It’s a line we have to be careful not to blur around the children that love us so much.



Perfect example was on Easter weekend when my sister and I thought it was a great idea to play Just Dance in front of the children on a sugar high. Of course, we got two songs in before they proclaimed, “it’s my turn.” I played one round with Layla and we asked her to give up her Wii controller so her cousins could play and she threw a fit. My mom, playing her role as grandmother wanted to snatch the Wii remote off the other children’s hands and give it to her beloved niece but I had to stand my ground and back up my sister on this one. Although she’s super cute and I don’t want to see her cry, there is a lesson to be learned, “she can’t have everything she wants” and “sometimes my sister is right.”

The girls are still very young, and I am sure there will be more tantrums and tempers flying and more beautiful moments to share. I hope this edition of Titi Lissa's corner isn't the one and only. I'll be back on the blogosphere soon.

Perhaps next time, I'll explain how I became Titi Lissa.
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Best,

Melissa Lopez