Dynamic

I don't know exactly when, but at some point in time our family gatherings changed. It used to be everyone sitting around my parents' family room in comfortable clothes, maybe watching TV. There was often a big sandwich involved.

Then there were boyfriends included.

Then the first of my sisters got married.

Then there were in-laws to include. And we started to have homes of our own to host them in.

Then there were babies at them.

Then one of those babies became big enough to walk.

Now he can talk and demand things and tell you stories about his day. And there's another baby holding everyone's attention. And there are friends and friends' kids and fights over toys.

Family gatherings are a lot more chaotic these days, but they're also a lot more fun.

It feels like only yesterday we spent family gatherings playing Red Light, Green Light in the hallway of my great Aunt's apartment. Now, I'm refereeing fights over toys and my sister is convincing her son not to blow bubbles in his drink and my mother is upstairs changing my niece's diaper and I suddenly feel old.