text: well my brother her father, rang me and abused me and said NO i was NOT having her. i rang her mother and sorted it out. my brother also threatened to kick my bfs head in and bash me.
  I will have my niece from 8:15 in the morning, if my brother turns up the doors will be locked and the police called. His threats are grounds for an AVO from the police. heck ill turn the dog loose if i have too.
  i wont have him here, hes back into marajuiana and hes of course denying it to my nieces mother but i reckon more then that happens
  
  there is a lot of drama on my bf side of the family so I know how that can be
  
  I agree with the others sounds like you got everything covered don't forget to introduce her to all your bettas! She may think she is in a pet shop lol (my personal wish if I owned a house)
  
  Abby, I'm sorry about your brother. Substance abuse is a very difficult thing to deal with. You never know what he might do. I'd call the police, too, if I were in your shoes. I hope everything works out and you have a great time with your neice.
  
  You have a lot of great ideas already!
  -Coloring
  -Crafting
  -Reading
  -Counting/ABCs (singing and making up games)
  -DVDs
  -Sing songs
  -if the child likes them, puzzles (my oldest was putting together puzzles for 5+ year olds at 3)
  -practice writing
  -lego blocks (who doesn't like playing with those right?!)
  That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Plus, I have boys so they play with action figures and cars and stuff.
  
  OK so as nothing ever does, nothing went according to plan but its ok we improvised!
  
  Yesterday she got dropped off we headed to town to do some shopping ( i was asked several times by people i know "Have you been keeping secret?" im like unfortunately no shes my niece!)
  
  we did visit pet shops cause i needed filter wool from one and ich treatment from another (to use as a sterilizer for dastans last qt tank)
  She did LOVE my fish and sat with bf for like ten minutes staring at the rocks and coral in his "still being set up" reef tank
  
  she napped 1-330 pm yesterday which i though was ok for her her mother said thats about right.
  
  she showered had dinner and coloured and we looked at horse pictures on the internet for a while
  every time i tabbed away from this one:
  she chucked a hissy fit
  "MY HORSE MY HORSE MY HORSE" *tab back* " hahahahahahaha horses teef (teeth)"
  
  and then came bed time O___o
  730 and she was alseep beside me on the bed.
  8pm i moved her to the bed on the floor she woke up and DEMANDED she be in the bed
  830 she wouldnt have a bar of it so i slept in the middle and her on myside and my bf on his side
  
  i fell asleep bout 10 and she was still watching tv im like "Close ur eyes and go to sleep"
  "Nah" i was like fine ok stay up all night you might sleep in a little longer
  WRONG! she woke up at 530 when bf left for work, i conned her into dozing a bit longer :) 6a and it was
  "Tat tat, pat the tat" Much to simbas annoyance but love because we fed him
  
  then it was "dog dog dog"
  730 rolled around and we dressed and packed lunch and caught the 8:45 am bus to town and got in there round 930
  hit the indoor play center and she INSISTED i play and follow her around
  
  I now sport bruised knees and elbows and a sore neck.
  
  I managed to DRAG her out at 1130 much to her annoyance
  
  took her to the shop and recovered her love with a chocolate frog and toy horse
  
  ducked back to the good pet store for something i forgot the day before and she wanted to look at the airpump things (its a fish decoration and the bubbles push a flap up to escape but i was talking to the fish guy i know and so i picked her up.....five minutes later she was out like a light.
  
  woke up before we caught the bus home and i made her pasta lunch and her mum arrived early to pick her up :)
  
  ALL in all her mother offered me another night i said maybe before you leave (shes here for two weeks) i couldnt do another night during the week cause be likes to sleep for his 430am wake up call
  
  when carly (nieces mom) picked Charlie (niece, short for charlotte) up she told me my brother told her he wanted to ban me from seeing her
  carly turned around and said
  "Whats charlies birthday Josh?" (my brother is josh charlies dad)
  He said
  "april 8th"
  Carly said "No its not, its april 7th" josh tried to argue the point, carly asked me what date i said 7th straight away shes like see how much intrest he has in his own daughter that he cant remember her BIRTH day
  
  But bubs had a blast Aunty is still recovering and come out in BRUISES from the play place lol