Visiting Cousin Jack

We had a super time visiting my nephew Jack and my brother and sister-in-law while we were in Bismarck.  To make things even more fun, my cousin Lisa, who lives just a few houses down the street from my brother came over too!  We ate pizza for supper and tried an interesting fruit hybrid cross between an apple and a pear.  It was really fun to visit them in their own house because we usually end up visiting them all together while we are at my mom’s house.

I happen to believe my nephew is one of the most adorable people I’ve ever met.  Maybe he’s extra adorable because he’s an only child and he’s always neat and clean (courtesy of my brother).  However, he also knows a lot of really great tricks.  My very favorite trick is “The Thinker.”  My Grandma Jan has had a bronze replica of “The Thinker” statue in her house since I can remember.  It was probably there before I was born.  All my cousins and I grew up with “The Thinker” bent over contemplating life.  Jack happened to notice the thinker one day while he was visiting my grandma, and without even being prompted, he mimicked the stance of that metal man, and said, “Hmmmmmmmm” just like he was thinking.  Whenever anyone asks him to be the thinker, he puts his hand under his chin and says, “Hmmmmmmmm.”  I love, love, love it!

There was a lot of exciting wrestling going on.  YaYa especially had a great time picking on Uncle Joey.

Jack knew all of our names, and he knew where we were in his picture book too!

The visit was super short, but Auntie Jennifer and Cousin Lisa squeezed in an elaborate manicure, complete with many, many choices of nail polish.  The Banana was in her element because Auntie Jen let her run the brush all by herself, with only minimal damage to the table.  Lisa helped YaYa, and even Mr. SP couldn’t resist sneaking over to paint three pirate fingernails, much to his big sister’s disdain.

Jack took a liking to Squirmy.  He petted his head and back like a cat, and said over and over, “Cute!  Cute!” in an adoring I’m-a-bigger-boy voice.