Reading that again, does actually make me feel like a bit of a scumbag. Don't get me wrong, this wasn't done in a angry manner or tone by any means. We just teased her unmercifully until she stopped doing it. Her parents have never so much as spanked either one of their kids more than probably once in their lifetime. Even the Mom & Dad yells aren't more then a mildly raised voice. Both of the kids have turned out to be beautifully developed little people.
The boy is 20, a very talented musician, plays guitar & co-writes for a couple of our local club bands here. He's whip-smart but soft spoken. Has a lot of friends ( THAT ALL COME OVER :( ) and is well-liked. He's starting to get serious about his girlfriend possibilities and he's going to need a smart and aggressive woman to really help break him out into his own. He's got a good, stable full-time job and some part-time school on top of it. He's got a plan and a path and he'll make it happen.
She, however, is 12 now. Going on about 16. She's going to be a serious handful for her parents. I looked into her eyes when she was just a tiny baby, and just started to laugh. Her Father, my friend & part-time brother Jerry, asked what was so funny. I made a comment about the 'fire in her eyes'. She's got a raging spark and it shines more & more every day. She's a Tortured Artist, Japanese cartoons. She's getting pretty good now. Starting to want more interest-specific stuff for holidays. A total free spirit. Plays the base, not well, but she does her best to rock it. Looks up to her brother like a god & he plays so...She isn't afraid of anything and lives to experience the new & different. Hair's been 6 or 7 colors/styles/shapes over the last 6 months and i'm starting to get a little bit concerned. but hey, it's not my hair. She still eats like a horse & she can belch louder than anyone in the house, but loves her girly side. She's going to be popular with the boys, but it's the boys that I pity. She will break them, chew them and then spit them to the side and never look back until she finds the right one. She is confident in herself to the point of serenity and I am in awe of her as a person sometimes.
It's been a life saver for me to be a part of these kids lives. I've know them both since they were nothing than the dreams of their parents. I've gotten to participate in a whole bunch of great events all the way from burping them as babies to the first and last day of school. Puppy Love and now the more young adult version. I've fed & diapered them and I've held them while they were sick. I've been puked on by both of them. They're as close as i'm ever going to get to having kids of my own and I love them both so much. I am constantly amazed to experience them both as growing young adults and I am grateful for the experience.