11/08/04’s illustrious band:

Pajama Time

Brought to you by Princess Jocelyn.

I spent this past weekend making my first visit to my niece Jocelyn and her parents, Sister-san and Chef Jeff. My suspicions were immediately confirmed: Jocelyn is cuter than any other baby ever born, and smarter and more alert, too. This comes as no surprise, considering who her parents and grandparents are, but it was nice to observe the facts in person. The surprising part is that I remembered to take pictures.

I have to tell you, being this little girl’s aunt is the best job in the world. It was tough to leave my post and come back to the mundane world, but I’ll get another fix next month. An infant’s whole purpose in life is to give and receive love and comfort, and this child is already an overachiever. I found it impossible to mind anything, from an itchy nose to long lines at the store, with her warmth curled up on my shoulder, her downy head tucked under my chin. I was granted several hours’ worth of this royal audience during the course of my stay -- but the Princess was not shy about demoting me when she was hungry and only Mom would do.

Being a new face in Jocelyn’s world was highly rewarding, as she regarded me with what appeared to be genuine interest. No one has gazed at me so raptly since that stalking incident back in the late 80s. At eight weeks old, she’s beginning to follow sound, motion, and light with turns of her head, like when Dad whooshes through the patio door or streetlights strobe overhead during a nighttime drive. (A favorite image from the weekend: Chef Jeff at the grill, tongs in one hand, daughter in the other.) She can also lift her head and torso from the floor or push away from your shoulder. Those little legs are strong, too; if she’s kicking, holding on can be a two-handed operation.

I managed to cram a huge number of auntly activities into a brief visit. I took gaudy, noisy toys, of course, the first of many. I enjoyed plenty of snuggle time and playtime on the blanket (including several rounds of Kitties Like Attention Too). I also got to pitch in at bath time and read the all-important bedtime story. Our chosen book was an adventure tale titled Pajama Time about putting on one’s nightclothes and getting ready for bed. Jocelyn will never want for books as long as Media Auntie is around. When no one else was listening, I even sang to her a little bit. She didn’t cry, which shows that her parents are already teaching her politeness.

But we didn’t just hang around the castle. A princess must see and be seen about the realm, so our tiny sovereign made several outings with entourage in tow. We visited the grocery store, Target, and the mall for errands. (Side note: You would not believe the number of people who will spot a baby stroller coming toward them and hurl themselves directly into its path, then give its pilot a dirty look when they collide. I certainly didn’t.) Jocelyn and her Dad also toured the campus where Sister-san works while Sister-san and I saw a play (starring sets designed by Chef Jeff himself). And on Saturday night, Princess J made her first visit to a restaurant. There was some worry over whether the day had already been too long and she might be overstimulated, but all went smoothly. Though the adults were fussy, the baby was fine.

So it was a good trip, if short, and I spent part of the flight home watching the Northern Lights through the plane window -- just a reminder that it is indeed possible to see a little spark of heaven right here on earth.

Today around the world: November 08 is World Town Planning Day. It’s sponsored by the International Society of City and Regional Planners, or ISoCaRP. I wish I belonged to an organization with a name like ISoCaRP, don’t you? (I mean, don’t you wish that you belonged to such an organization, not don’t you wish that I did. Although if you do, I certainly appreciate that.)

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