Cousin Charlotte!!!!

My sister and her family were here last week! They were technically in Hawaii to visit her husband's brother and his family, since he will be leaving for Iraq soon, but hey, we are here, too, so we got to hang out as well!

It was nice to see Sarah and Richie, but this visit was really all about BABY CHARLOTTE. This is Alex's 5 month old cousin, who none of us had met yet. Well, we got a lot of cute baby time in while she was here.

Here are Alex and Charlotte on the hotel bed. Alex had requested to hold the baby quite a few times this evening, and I finally set up a way that I thought everyone would be safe...namely surrounded by as many pillows as possible and sitting in the middle of the bed!

I don't know what Charlotte was thinking, but Alex is certainly happy.


And here's another one, just for Grandma and Grandpa W :-)

Oh, the cuteness!!!

Know your resources and use them wisely

It's just one of those facts. Kids look for their moms, even when dad is only two feet away. That's just how it goes, right? And so begins today's story....

I was laying down, trying to take a nap. I had set Alex up at the kitchen table with everything that should keep a toddler happy for a while...playdough, the garlic press (he had the plastic playdough version and broke it, so a real garlic press has had to stand in...it seems to be more durable, too), and his little tool bucket, for hammering and sawing of course.

Dan is on the computer, about two feet away. No, this is not an exaggeration. Our computer is in our dining room. A lovely dining room, but "cozy" describes it well.

I hear from the kitchen "Mooooommmmmmyyyyyyy. Come help me with my playdough." As any good mother would, I ignored him. Dan was right there, after all.

Then another "Mooooooommmmmmmyyyyy! Come help me with my playdough!" This was louder. When he repeated it a third time, I started to worry...not about him, but about our neighbors and tenants. So I respond, "Alex, mommy is taking a nap right now. Ask Daddy."

Well, he now knows where I am! He runs into the bedroom. "Mommy. Get up and come help me with my playdough." Again, like a good mom, I try to pass the buck.

"Alex, Mommy is laying down right now. Can you ask your dad for help?"

Alex starts to walk away....I dare to think "Oh my gosh, it worked!"

He gets to the bedroom door and yells "Daaaaaadddddyyyyyyy. Can you come and help Mommy get up?"