Dom is a loving, curious, outgoing boy who runs up to strangers, chattering away.  Since I am a paranoid Mommy, that makes me more than a little nervous, but anyway…  He loves to meet people, talk to them, and ask them questions. 

So, imagine my surprise today.  My mother-in-law and Russell’s Great Aunt (Dom’s Great-Great Aunt) came over for a visit.  When Dom first saw his Grandma, his face lit up.  He happily started yelling, “Grandma!  Grandma!”  Then he looked at the person quietly standing next to her – Aunt Lilla. 

And he lost it.  I have never seen my boy so freaked out.  He buried his face in Daddy’s leg and wrapped himself around him.  Daddy had to hold him for several minutes while Dom sobbed into his shoulder.

Aunt Lilla is a normal-looking elderly person.  She doesn’t use an oxygen tank.  She isn’t in a wheelchair.  She doesn’t smell bad or talk loudly.  She adores Dominici, and she spoils him every chance she gets.  There is absolutely no reason that I can find for Dom to be afraid of her.  But he is.

He spent their entire visit pointedly ignoring Aunt Lilla.  He played with his Grandma, and he chatted to all of us except Aunt Lilla.  I was horrified, and I kept asking him to show things to her.  With each request, he would throw down whatever he was holding and jump into Daddy’s arms for comfort, screaming “No!  No!”

After a few hours of poor Aunt Lilla sitting on the sofa by herself, it was time for her and Grandma to leave.  As they went out the door, Dom said, “Bye-Bye, Aunt Lilla” with a huge smile on his face.  I think he was glad to see her go.