What my 7 year old niece taught me

As I'm sure you know(being that I continuously write about it, sing about it, shout it through the roof tops, and spend most days in a deep mind trance drooling over the mere thought of it) I'm a fan of home. And no, I don't mean Charleston.  Charleston can eff off.  I'm a fan of the true South.  The it's so humid I look like I just bathed in the bayou or stumbled upon a mysterious shower located seconds outside (insert frequented jive spot here) south.  I gush over Louisiana so much so that some would think I actually have stock in Jindal and his efforts to ruin rule the world, but trust me… I'm too southern to understand stocks.  I've been visiting home a lot lately.  Mostly because it's the only way my family can get me to shut up, but also because everyone I love is there and I've been quite the love snob lately.

I was able to spend a large part of my time with my niece during this past trip home, and as if I didn't already know, she once again proved to be a pure genius with true Maya Angelou strength and enough girl power to make you question starting up a real life Power Puff gang.  She has grit I can only dream of, confidence I'm just down right envious of, and a heart so full of love and pain that she'll make you want to wrap up in a big blanket and devote the rest of your life to cuddling and baking cookies.  I'm telling you - the girl is my hero.  Sometimes, with all of the madness of being a part of a crazy, loud southern family, I forget that she's seven.  I forget that she still needs me.  But that's mainly because most of the time I'm the one who needs her.

We had a mini road trip to my grandmother's, and here are a few things she taught me that I think ever girl human should know…

1. When life hands you lemons, which it often does, cry about it.  For real.  Let that shit out.  Then, get some ice cream, put on some big girl panties and turn up Taylor Swift as loud as you can.

2. If your pants are too tight, get a bigger size pant - not a smaller cookie.

3. Swimming, diving, cannonballs, toothpicks, spank-the-babies, and sliding down the pool slide are all best done naked.

4. "I don't like boys.  Unless they're cute."

5. What ice cream can't fix - dancing can.

6. A big butt is a good thing.  "Cap, I can always find you because of your big butt!"

There ya go, friends!  Knowledge only a feisty little seven year old can provide. 

Now, SHAKE IT OFF!  Or whatever else your gorgeous heart desires. 

-Cap