The Kid

Justin, my nephew, also the best thing my brother has ever done for me, is all kinds of fantastic. I was grateful to spend time with him on Thanksgiving this year. We snuggled on the couch, watching the end of Rocky V (by far, the worst one...). Have I mentioned I'm ecstatic that he still likes to snuggle at the age of almost 11? Anyway, the movie panned to the infamous steps in Philly, which prompted Justin to say, "Oh, Auntie Carrie! I know what I keep forgetting to tell you! You know that book you got me at the Liberty Bell Museum when you went to Philadelphia last year? I read it and I really liked it." Could my heart melt any more? It was a children's history book about spies, and I knew he had been enjoying history and social studies in school. I thought it was a bit of a leap at the time, but figured it was worth a shot. It made me feel good that he read the book, of course. But that he remembered it was from Philly, and related it to seeing another representation of Philly made me realize how much he's growing up. Also great was the chat about what he wanted for Christmas. After rattling off a couple of Wii games, he mentioned he also wanted a few books. I called dibs on those - I figure I will keep feeding the book-loving side of him as long as I can...