Family in L.A.

Moving out to Los Angeles or any other large city can be seriously daunting for some people. My oldest brother moved out to L.A. and didn't know a single person. Not ONE. My Life Partner moved out here and didn't know anyone (well, except that I had a brother he had never met). I moved to the O.C. about six months later. I didn't know anyone in Fullerton (where I went to college) and my roommate was a stranger I had found on some random website. I was pretty lonely, but at least my boyfriend was living in L.A. and I had FAMILY. It was so reassuring to know that I could call one of my brothers and they could be there in a couple hours.

I am so lucky and grateful that I have family in Los Angeles. Not just my Life Partner, but also both of my older brothers. The one recently moved a couple hours south for work, but he's still relatively close. My other brother and his wife live in Burbank, less than 20 minutes away (depending on traffic). They've helped me out of several jams and even let me live with them for a few months, RENT FREE! I owe them both so much.

That's why I am their devoted free babysitter for life! I mean, my baby niece is so cute and squishable and I'm so happy to be an aunt that I would babysit for them anyway... but I also know that those two have done more for me than I can ever give back. So I'm more than happy to give them a night out.

I mean, look at that baby in her rad pajamas! Who wouldn't want to sing her lullabies and read bedtime stories?! Please ignore, by the way, what a hideous photo that is of me (OMG look at that CLAW HAND attacking the baby!!). But Baby Z looks very cute.

LP, me and Z!

Baby Z is also part of the reason I started blogging. Since most of the family lives about 2,000 miles away, my brother started a blog so that everyone could watch her grow. Our grandparents especially love it. If you like looking at cute baby pictures, check it out. When my brother started that blog, I thought, "No way is my baby niece going to have a blog and not me!"

In October, my brother, sister-in-law, and Baby Z are all going to Iowa for a family visit. Again, my grandparents are beyond excited to meet their great-granddaughter for the first time. Lucky for me, I get to house/dog sit while they are gone! A house, a yard, a dog, washer and dryer, and CABLE.... a TV???!!!! Sign me up. Even though it means a longer commute to work, I can handle it for a week. Then, when the family gets back from Iowa, bro and the wife are taking a mini-vacation to celebrate their anniversary. That means three whole days with Baby Z!!! We're going to the zoo and it will be awesome.

While I was baby-sitting last night, I changed the words to American Lullaby to make it a customized bedtime song for Z... I only picked that song because I once learned it for a voice class and it was the only one I could think of...

Hush-a-bye you sweet little Zoe and don’t you cry any more.
Mommy has gone to the editor's office a keepin’ the wolf from the door.
Auntie will raise the window shade high,
So you can see the cars whizzing by.
Home in a hurry each mommy must fly
To a baby like you.

Hush-a-bye you sweet little Zoe and close those pretty blue eyes.
Daddy has got fantasy football league to get his wee baby the prize.
Auntie will turn the Sleep Sheep on
So you can hear a sleepy-time song,
Sung by a lady whose poor heart must long
For a baby like you.

Lucky that Zoe replaces "baby" so well. I also decided that in 2010, it should be Mommy who goes to work, not Daddy....although either would be equally true in their case.