Life-a learning experience: Amazing you

Upon my return back to the United States in September, I made a trip out to the West Coast to visit my siblings. I arrived to my brother's house in San Diego during the evening and expected my nephews to be in bed. However, I walked in the door and was met with their excited screams "Aunt Nadia!!!!!".....and my heart melted.

With the boys in bed, my brother handed me a children's book he wanted me to read. My sister-in-law is expecting their third child, so my brother bought this book to help explain the human body and where babies come from to the boys. The book, titled Amazing You, detailed the human anatomy along side child-friendly graphics. As I read through the book my brother remarked, "Reading this book with the boys was the most awkward thing I have had to due as a parent!". Ummm, yeah, I was embarrassed reading it to myself, I can not imagine having to read it out loud to the boys.

When I woke up the next day, the boys were excited to show me the book. They climbed onto the kitchen counter and retrieved it so they could flip through and point out the important parts. It quickly became evident that "penis" was their favorite word, since it solicited the most giggles from the boys.

Flash forward to dinner the next night. We decided to play a game and guess one another's favorite dessert. I went first and guessed my brother's favorite dessert, which has been a brownie sundae for as long as I can remember. As we circled around the table, it was the little guy's turn to guess my favorite dessert. He is a showman and put his finger to his face in thought as he exclaimed," Ummmm, let's see, what does aunt nadia like....ummmm....I think Aunt Nadia likes...I think she likes to eat......penises!". Dear god, we cracked up laughing but didn't want to encourage him, so we quickly pretended to be crying because he used that word when he should not have. And then my poor brother had to say, "No, silly, people do not eat penises". I have not been able to eat dessert since with a straight face.

I've included some photos from my family visits below.

Nadia and Johnny, smiling for the camera at California Adventure.