Aunt Viola

Just quickly:

Yesterday we made the trip to Sierra de Yeguas (a nearby town) with my mother-in-law to visit Angelines's sister who lives there. She has two kids, a daughter Lucy's age, 17, and a son who's nine (I think). Gonzalo, her little boy, is the youngest of the nieces and nephews, and by far the least affectionate. In the past, Angelines has scolded him for not giving me two kisses upon arrival or when we leave. I have just given up. No point in chasing the kid around the house if he's not into kissing. He's usually even evasive with his Aunt Angelines (whom he adores) and his grandma, so I never take it personally.

Yesterday, however, was different. We arrived and he came running out of the kitchen to give Angelines a big hug (!) and two kisses. I didn't ask for kisses. I'm used to the routine. However, during the visit he was a lot more engaging than in the past, showing us his favorite websites (tractor toys--actually really cool!) on the new laptop and playing soccer in the patio.

The three of us had a contest in the patio with his tractor and trailer. The goal was to back the trailer into the garage (between my feet) in the least amount of time possible. He beat Angelines twice and then insisted that I try. As I was struggling with the trailer he was cackling with the stop watch in hand and when I said, "Nino, you're making me nervous!", he corrected me saying, "Nino, no, nephew." I was shocked, but let it go by. When it was time to go he willingly gave me two kisses.

My other sister-in-law refers to me as "tita Viola" when she's talking to her son (13), but he doesn't call me tita. So although I am technically their aunt, none of Angelines's (my...our) nieces or nephews call me aunt. It's probably partially an age thing: I've joined the family late to be called Auntie. I was blown away and touched when Gonzalo corrected me and several times during the visit he called me tita. :)

--Auntie, Tita, Viola.