Family Fun

I dragged myself out of my hole (aka Chez Peepee) of self-pity this weekend and went home.

It was freakishly cold, and we had a very big storm. I am adorable in my new periwinkle coat.

I look like the Michelin Man dressed up for the Gay Pride Parade. It's lovely (btw, when I made that crack to Mom, she said that she expects to see me on the news one day, at the gay pride parade. I reminded her that I am not gay. She said that it's not a requirement, and that I should go to support all my friends. I thought that was a good point. I'll go this year, but at that point, I hope it will be too warm for the coat).

Anyway, there is only one reason I would travel two hours down the road when I have an enormous assignment due on Wednesday.

Yes, one of the World's Greatest Nieces (TM) had a birthday.

It was absolutely delightful. We played, and played, and played. Auntie sang songs (Granny sang back-up), and did all sorts of goofy things. The concertina and abacus (of course I was going to buy an abacus) were a big hit! I knew that buying well-made, non-plastic, non-Disney stuff would be worthwhile.

However, I apparently am a dolt at tower building. Mini J doesn't have any words yet, but I started with the yellow cylinder, not the blue one, and that was wrong. That girl doesn't need words. The look on her face was enough to tell me I had made a grave error. After much singing, though, I was forgiven and graced with a hug and a kiss at the end of the night (Mini J doesn't really like anyone except Mom, Dad, Granny and Papa, in that order). I felt quite privileged.

But, the star of the show was undoubtedly Mini B. It was two years ago last Thursday that my world changed forever. Honestly, I can't remember life without that bright, engaging little girl. I wonder what I did before she came along. Whatever it was, it certainly doesn't matter.

The sun shines a little brighter, the sky is a little bluer, the world is full of possibility when I am around those little girls. I am so unbelievably lucky to have them in my life.

I didn't know what love was, until they came along.

I do not have permission to post photos of faces, so I purposefully took this photo of the birthday girl, in all her glory:

And she's even cuter when she's actually looking at you.