the far away aunt

i was talking with a coworker of mine yesterday about the challenges of being far enough away that i don't get to see my niece as often as i'd like to. i'm going up to michigan this weekend, so i'll get to see her for the first time since christmas. based on what my friend mentioned, i did some looking around online. basically, i should ask that my sister and her husband keep at least a few pictures of me around to point at for lucy and say my name and talk about me. that way, when i do visit, i will be familiar already and she will feel closer to me than she might otherwise given the geographic distance between us.

here's a link to an article i found and an excerpt:

Unfortunately, in the typical family today, extended family members are not always within easy visiting distance, perhaps not even in the same state or region of the country. Some of the people you wish could be close to your baby may be able to see her only rarely, when either they or you drive or fly to visit. Between visits, it is up to you to help your child remember the relatives and to help both the relatives and the child feel close to one another. Keep your relatives informed about your child's development; letters, phone calls, pictures, and video and audio tapes help. Show your child pictures of the relatives, use their names often, and tell stories about your childhood that include them.

given that i rarely settle for the minimum, i suggest taking things a step further... mindy should wear a mask of my face around lucy for a minimum of 1 hour per day, preferably during her happiest moments. i don't think any voice manipulation will be necessary, since we've been told we sound fairly alike, at least on the phone. so, mindy, get on that. i expect lucy to greet me with "hello aunt kelly" when i arrive on friday. hehe ;)