the idea: paint the nails of every young family member once she’s around four

the ideator: Aunt Gayle

My mother’s oldest sister is self-described as “Crazy Aunt Gayle.”  She lives out in Arizona with her fourth husband and her two dogs, that is when she’s not going on a motorcycle trip to Vegas.  She has red hair, tattoos, and is undeniably and unapologetically herself.  For my thirteenth birthday she sent me a pink tank top with Las Vegas bedazzled across the boobs and whenever she hears about a new accomplishment of mine she says, and now texts, “That’s my marquee girl!  I can’t wait to see your name in LITES!”

I didn’t realize this until I was flipping through some photos, but Aunt Gayle has created an initiation ceremony with the girls in our family.  Whether we were tomboys, like my sister and I, or fairies, like my cousin’s daughter Siri, we all got our nails painted by Crazy Aunt Gayle when we were about four years old.  The above picture is only the latest in a series, taken this fall when Aunt Gayle (who is now technically Great Aunt Gayle, but that’s too hard to say day to day) painted Siri’s nails.

I’m not sure if this is actually a conscious idea, but it is definitely a pervasive one and I’m sure one day my children will be standing next to their Great Aunt Gayle as she paints their fingernails for the first time.