On Throwing My 4-Year Old Niece into a Cactus

(WAIT! I have an excuse)

Last weekend we went to AZ to visit Tim's parents in AZ. His sister Kelly, her husband, and her 3 kids were there as well.

It was fun hanging out with the kids that can talk and walk, Drew and McKenzie. McKenzie and I are pretty good buddies, so after an afternoon of rock climbing with the kids, she asked me if I'd go with her on a walk around the hood. Fine with me, after gaining 5 pounds lately, I have been in need of exercise, even if it's walking slowly next to a preschooler.

So I had this great idea that I would make the walk interactive and we would walk around the cacti, ya know, to make myself feel good about teaching my niece about plants.

As we turned a corner in which there were two cacti, I heard McKenzie scream, so I immediately turned around. There they were: two cacti balls, one attached to her little leg and the other attached to her even littleer hand. PANIC! The poor kid! My first reaction was to grab the prickly balls with my bear hands and throw them the other direction. So I did. BAD idea. Next thing I know, I got cactus on my hand, while awkwardly trying to rid my niece of the damn thing!

All the while, the poor kid was crying and screaming, and I felt very bad indeed for her...and guilty. And even after I had pulled all the prickly pieces off of her, and started pulling them off of me, she would scream and cry for me...

The next day we went for a hike with Drew, Tim's dad and McKenzie. Every time there was a cactus, the little girl would balk. And freeze. I mean, she had been seriously traumatized by the experience. And then Tim's dad did something AMAZING. Something that only somebody who raised three kids (and a kid like Tim, nonetheless) would know to do. He asked McKenzie: "Well, you're wearing all pink, aren't you?" She nodded. He goes: "Well, cactus cannot go through PINK!" I just thought that was a genious move and it did help.

So I am destined to forever be the "aunt who threw her niece into a cactus." It's very sad, but one day I will tell little McKenzie this tragic story and she will laugh her little butt off...I hope.

At least she told me before I left that she still likes me.