I used to have a boyfriend when I visited Miami. He pulled my chair out for me, brought me endless piles of sea shells from the beach and wanted to fall asleep in my bed (while I sipped on red wine. Nice influence, I know).

Sleep tight and don’t lose your grip on the wine glass tonight!

But a few years makes all the difference and my boyfriend has moved on to more exciting adventures – like playing football on the beach with fellow seven-year-olds, exchanging stats on the Indianapolis Colts with his uncle and reading engaging books on a Kindle. Sigh.

In denial that my small boyfriend no longer adored me, I caught myself a mini me – his younger sister.  When she asked to smell my wine, I warned her she’d think it would smell like feet but after putting her nose in my glass she said “that smells like candy.” Hello twin.

Two peas in a generation gapped pod.

After our initial wine conversation, we bonded over the love of sequins, sparkle and sass.  When she wanted to spruce her sweatshirt up with my gaudy earrings, I knew we were besties.

A gal after my own heart!

She was a fabulous shopping assistant – helping me decide if I really needed sparkly, studded sneakers.

Co-signing on fabulous kicks.

Double the trouble, double the fun!

And when she was able to coerce her uncle into one of her new sequin headbands, my heart swelled with pride.

An uncle sacrificing style for his fabulous niece.

Because I can do the same thing with the men in my life.

A dad putting his manliness on hold for his daughter.

Who needs a kid when you can have an adoring mini me?

Go get you one!

CBXB