My boyfriend has two little sweet peas, 4 and 10 (N and P), and I am never sure what to call them during conversations with other people. Referring to them as "my boyfriend's kids" sort of swallows up any role that I play in in their lives (and, though I may be biased, I think that role is pretty pivotal). But they aren't my step-kids yet, so I feel a little strange referring to them as such. Does anyone else have this argument with themselves?
Am I sort of like their step-friend?
Not that the title really matters. What matters is that I have a 4 year old boy who tells me every day how much he loves me (awwww!), and a 10 year old girl who just told me last weekend, "Sometimes, when I'm not with my mom and when you're here with my dad, I kind of like to think that you're my mom, too. Is that weird?" After hearing that from a little girl who believes (as every little girl should) that her mom hangs the moon, my heart never felt so happy and fulfilled.
It is certainly wonderful to have these two little blessings in my life as often as I do. You hear so many stories of step-parents (or... step-girlfriends or step-somethings or whatever we are) who want to send "the little brats" off to boarding school, or treat them differently from the rest of their children, like red headed step children. I just cannot fathom it. I couldn't love his little sillies any more if they were my very own.
This step-something thing is rather confusing and really, really hard - especially for someone who has spent very little time around children. But it is already the most rewarding job I've ever had. Who knew I'd enjoy Spongebob marathons, spending 60 minutes a night drawing pictures of stick figures, watching Disney channel shows, and writing Christmas lists in April? It's all pretty heart-warming.
........and I just received a text message from their daddy. P just asked him if he's going to marry me.
Adventures in step-something to be continued.
