I think he could smell the Try

My sister and my nephew are safely (and sadly) returned home.  And I am now fighting a cold.  We just never seemed to be able to make it to bed before midnight, not wanting to waste any of the precious hours we got to spend together doing something as mundane as sleeping.  It was such a great visit.  Felix is... words fail me here - delightful, delicious, amazing, gorgeous, miraculous.  I love him so much.  Every time he sat in his high chair and brought his chubby fists up to his pursed lips to shove something else in to his mouth I wanted to nibble on his chipmunk cheeks.  All I wanted to do was cuddle him and kiss him to bits and pieces.

Unfortunately I was barely even allowed close enough to peck the top of his head. He was so taken with my kids (and of course my kids with him) that he had zero interest in anyone taller than 3 feet.  He happily let my kids maul him - they carried him, rolled on him, kissed him and even pulled him by his feet down the stairs while he lay on his stomach and his head bounced off each step - and he giggled like a maniac! Though, after two rounds of watching his head "thwump" on each step the adults put a stop to that particular game.  With all the adoration happening between the kids Felix had no time for me.  Every time I picked him up he squirmed like a fish on a line to get away from me, reaching his arms imploringly out to whichever of my kids was nearest to come and rescue him. 

At one point during the week Jane and I were at Starbucks with our little-littles while Tristan and Ava were at school.  Jane had gone to the bathroom or something and Felix started to wander away and I said, "Felix! Come to Auntie, Felix!"  And then I thought, oh! I get to be someone who says come to Auntie!  So many people I know here who have kids also have family and I'm always fiercely envious of the in-and-outness of their shared lives.  It was so nice to get to experience it for myself.  Felix didn't come to me of course, not until Sebastian called him, but that's besides the point.

In the evenings after all the kids were in bed, Jane and I immersed ourselves in the film extravaganza that is Bollywood.  Oh. my. word.  I LOVE Bollywood movies! The campier the better.  I love the how they throw random English sentences into their Hindi conversations.  I love reading the English subtitles and how the Hindi has been translated into things like "why are you doing time pass at work?" or "Her good self is coming over soon."  I love the song and dance numbers, the colours, the costumes, the longing glances and ultra-dramatic, ultra-cheesy 360 degree slow-motion circles the camera takes around the actors.  Bollywood makes me jumpy-clap happy.  We started doing our own versions of Bollywood songs for Felix and one day when he was in his high chair I put my hands over my head, palms together, and moved my neck from side to side while making vaguely (VERY vaguely) Hindi-like sounds and Felix started copying me!  After that every time I'd raise my arms over my head he'd start moving his neck side to side in anticipation. Adorable!  And another reason to love Bollywood even more - that was the only time Felix paid any attention to me whatsoever.

Once when we were downstairs I pulled him onto my lap and he rested against me for about 30 seconds then abruptly sat up, looked back at me in horror, and promptly slithered off my lap to find Ava.  When we went to the ballet (we saw the Royal Winnipeg Ballet perform Wonderland) the babysitter said Felix gave her really nice cuddles.  Oh, it was on!  I was bound and determined that Felix was going to give Auntie some love.  On the last day they were here, Hugh took our kids to church and I stayed home with Jane while Felix napped.  When he woke up I went to get him thinking, there's no kids here and I'm rescuing him from the playpen he's hated and resisted all week long, he has to love me.  He was standing up in the playpen when I walked into the room and, I am not exaggerating in the slightest, as soon as he saw me he threw himself back down into the playpen, backed himself into a corner and threw one of his stuffies at me.  Really?  Even the playpen you hate is preferable to me?

I picked up his wriggling good self and took him upstairs.  Jane was hiding in the bathroom to help my cause figuring if there were literally no other options Felix might take to me.  I offered him milk.  He tossed his head away from it.  I offered him a snack.  He batted my arms away.  Finally I couldn't hold on to his squirming little body anymore.  I put him down and like a radar he ran straight into the bathroom where Jane was hiding.  How did he know??? Also? Seconds later when Jane offered Felix his milk he took it and drank like a man who'd been surrounded by nothing but salt-water for three weeks.  Stinker.

It was a perfectly lovely visit and I was very sad to say good-bye.  But next time, Felix?  Oh, I'll get you next time! You're gonna love me...