Guest Blogger--Aunt Cat Visits Again!

My nieces have grown so much since I saw them at Christmas time. I saw so much of myself in them at Christmas, but not so much anymore. I feel as if Jeremy has brainwashed them to hate shopping, just to annoy me! But they do not like to shop - they find the playground so much more enjoyable. And while I too had fun at the playground (although not quite as much as I usually have at the mall) I did not relish getting filthy and eating mulch and dirt. The girls love getting themselves covered, absolutely covered in dirt, leaves, grass, mud, mulch and they seem to not mind the taste of any of it. On Saturday afternoon they went next door to help the big kids dig for worms and were eager to peer into the bucket of worms. This is not an activity that I endorse, as I am not a fan of worms. Something that has not changed, however is their adoration of waking up at the crack of dawn. The morning is like crack to them - they love it - they want to sing and dance and carry on. I have developed an unhealthy dislike for Elmo and his world. So my nieces love waking up early, hate shopping, love worms, love dirt, love Elmo. So Jeremy has won this round.

I am not down for the count. I plan to reverse some of this before I leave on Monday! We have had a really nice visit. I was able to see their school - and it is so nice. They love it, and they have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with school buses, whenever we see one they go berserk in a funny way. We did the Race For The Cure on Saturday and I think they were a little bit overwhelmed at first but they were content. We saw lots of dogs which was fun for them (not so much for me as I am not an animal lover). I am not great at driving their double stroller and kept hitting the curb, but it did not seem to bother them too much (probably because they are used to their mom's driving;).

I think my favorite part of this visit has just been playing with them - outside on their little slide and in the playgrounds nearby and inside while they dance like no one is watching. They play with such abandon and joy that it almost makes me want to live with them. But then they scream for an hour before bedtime and scream at 5 AM and scream during time-outs and I think maybe I am better suited to being an Aunt who visits;) I adore my nieces but they are strong-willed and stubborn, qualities that I always thought were quite admirable, but am finding not quite so admirable in one year olds. Addy is such an imaginative thinker, she is so interested in how everything works and fits together, but she can also break down "Who built the ark - Noah built the ark" like no one else. Lilly is such a good reader and I think she has a future in medicine as she is very interested in fixing boo-boos. Lilly is more of a singer, but she does dance especially to her favorite song - the "Itsy Bitsy Spider".

I will miss these remarkable little girls. Maybe not the screaming;) But the laughing, the giggling, the noise, the chaos, their world I will miss tremendously. It is certainly a world worth visiting.

Aunt Cat and the early philanthropists, right before the Race for the Cure

The view from the stroller....Mamma, Mamalouise, Becky, Katy (Becky's mom, who we walked to celebrate) and a family friend

Aimee & Lilly

Lilly at the mall playground, also known as the place where germs go to die according to Cat....

Lilly & Addy

When the time-outs don't work, there is always the kitchen cabinets....

Lilly, my supermodel in training...

Addy, my inquisitive little thinker....