Monday, October 31, 2016

Age Gap Problems

On Sunday we went to church as usual, though it was nice (once again) to have an extra pair of hands to help get children ready in the morning. I've been so spoiled this month—between General Conference, Grandma visiting, and Rosie visiting, I've only had to get the kids ready for church on my own once.

Rosie came to nursery with me and it was nice to have an extra pair of hands in there as well.

After church we came home and had a movie afternoon with Hocus Pocus and popcorn. Andrew came home and made dinner, then we ate, went on a walk, put the children to bed, and then Rosie and I talked until the wee hours of the morning.

We have a different aunt/niece relationship than most. We agree that we feel more like cousins than like an aunt and a niece even though we're about a decade apart in age (Rosie falls about in the middle of me and Rachel, actually (I'm 11.5 years older than her and she is 10.5 years older than Rachel)). The aunt/niece relationship is even more blurred with my sister Josie, who is just about (but not quite) three years older than Rosie. Those two grew up together as friends and their relationship status was always a bit confusing for them. 

Rosie even used to call my mom "Josie's mom!"

That really worked out for my mom because my mom did not want to be called Grandma (she was 36 when she became a grandmother and was 39 when Rosie was born so she wasn't quite ready to swallow that pill). She's since settled on Naanii, and that's worked out fine.

Rosie also used to feel embarrassed to introduce Josie as her aunt because none of her friends would ever believe her, so she usually referred to Josie was her friend.

It was pretty funny to listen to my girls chatter to each other about Rosie's visit on Thursday morning (before she'd arrived) while they were getting ready for school. 

"Rosie's coming and she's our cousin, right?" Miriam asked.

"Yup," Rachel said. 

"And so what does that make Josie?" Miriam asked.

"She's our cousin, too, I think...?" Rachel said.

"No," I laughed. "Josie is your aunt because she's my sister. Rosie is your cousin because she's my sister's daughter!"

"But they're like the same age!!" Miriam protested. "So why isn't Rosie just our aunt?"

"Because Auntie Kelli is your aunt, which means her children—including Rosie—are your cousins."

Age gap problems. I tell you...

And we don't even have it as bad as some families (though, I mean, Josie is younger than Rosie's sister Amy (who already has a child of her own (who is older than Benjamin)) so that gets a little more complicated)!

I don't even care how we're all related. I'm just happy to have all these wonderful people in my life. And I'm still thrilled to pieces that Rosie "came by" to visit while she was in the neighbourhood (really she was in DC, but that's close enough)!


  1. What an abundance of blog posts! I am feeling spoiled, reading all of them!

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  3. Does Rosie call your sister "auntie Josie"? My dad has an uncle who is 9 months older than he and another five years older. I don't hear him call them "Uncle." Just last night a high school friend's son (Tim) had his first child. And Tim's youngest sibling turned one on Oct. 27.

    1. She doesn't usually, not in real life, anyway. :) Just Josie.

    2. I'm glad we're not the only ones with odd age gaps! :)